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Tree of Life in Genesis

A reference page linking a name, group, or concept to the materials that discuss it.

A tree distinct from the knowledge tree in Genesis 2–3; after the other tree is eaten, the way to it is guarded lest humans eat and live forever.

Modern conceptual illustration juxtaposing Gilgamesh’s water-borne plant with two trees in Genesis’s garden. It depicts no excavated artifact and does not establish identical stories. © IL Archive, CC0
Modern conceptual illustration juxtaposing Gilgamesh’s water-borne plant with two trees in Genesis’s garden. It depicts no excavated artifact and does not establish identical stories. © IL Archive, CC0Modern conceptual illustration: IL Archive / CC0 · CC0

Text

Genesis 2:9 names the tree of life separately from the tree of the knowledge of good and evilTree of the Knowledge of Good and EvilThe tree forbidden in Genesis 2:17 and discussed by the serpent before the eating in Genesis 3; it is not the tree of life.Glossary · Click to read the explanation. The prohibition in 2:16–17 concerns the latter. Genesis 3:22–24 then explains the expulsion and guarded path: the human is not to eat from the tree of life and live forever. The serpent does not steal this tree; access is closed after the other tree is eaten. [2][3]

References and notes

  1. Genesis 2 in Hebrew with parallel JPS translation; the chapter was read, especially verses 9 and 16–17. Genesis 2, Hebrew/JPS parallel, especially 2:9 and 2:16–17 Return to the text ↑
  2. Genesis 3 in Hebrew with parallel JPS translation; the chapter was read, especially verses 1–7 and 22–24. Genesis 3, Hebrew/JPS parallel, especially 3:1–7 and 3:22–24 Return to the text ↑

Research history

Substantive changes are retained here. Minor copy edits remain in the internal operational log.

  1. Edition 2 · 12 October 2026 · editor:aladmin

    Substantive record update

    Read this revision in its original language (Arabic)

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Cite this record

IL Archive, «Tree of Life in Genesis», Edition 2, https://ilarchive.com/en/entities/tree-of-life-genesis