Seeking Lilith, Adam’s Ex-Wife
Lilith was Adam’s first wife, and after a messy divorce, he married Eve, thus giving birth to the more commonly known Old Testament story of creation, featuring the famous Biblical characters Adam and Eve, who pranced around the Garden of Eden until they knew too much and angered God, having eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, which is a metaphor for learning. Having been coaxed by Lucifer, whose name etymologically means “bringer of knowledge” or “bringer of light,” they angered God and his subservient angels, as they had become like God himself; they had become divine, and God was concerned that they might become even more like him. “ And the Lord God said, now man has become like one of us, having knowledge of good and evil; and now if he puts out his hand and takes from the fruit of the Tree of Life, he will go on living forever” ( Genesis 3:22).
The Fall of Man showing the serpent in the Garden of Eden as a woman, by Cornelis van Haarlem (1592) (Public Domain)
God continued, and he did something therapists tell humans to never do; he shouted at the two of them while he was still angry, telling Adam, “ Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow, you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” ( Genesis 3:17). Then he yelled at Eve, “ I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you” ( Genesis 3:16). Then he turned to humankind’s teacher, the one who helped them to learn, and (in a sense) cursed all teachers from that point forward.
Lucifer (the morning star) represented as a winged child pouring light from a jar. Engraving by G. H. Frezza (1704) (Wellcome Images / CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cursing the Bringer of Light, he said, “ Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly, and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:14).
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DR. KEN JEREMIAH has written several books about religions, mummification, and spirituality, including Living Buddhas, Christian Mummification, Eternal Remains. Making Millions: A 500-Year-Old Kabbalist's Guide to Conquering Chance, and Zen Art, Zen Writing Daily Meditations for Improving your Craft and Finding Joy in Life and Creatures Real and Imaginary in Chinese and Japanese Art: An Identification Guide and Remnants from a Distant Past. His latest book is an Ancient Origins co-production, called Historical Mysteries.
Top Image: Adam clutches a child in the presence of the child-snatcher Lilith, by Filippino Lippi (1502) Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Florence (Public Domain)
By: Dr Ken Jeremiah
Comments
I concur with Cataibh, but I want to know more. The "God” mentioned in the article sounds like a very mortal, irascible and vindictive human “God” who, I believe, later ordered large groups of people killed to favor the israelites.
Having read the free preview of this article and the short biography on the author, I now know enough about both to not want to know more...