Genesis
by Anonymous

Adam (“the man”) Character Analysis

The first man, Adam’s name is from the Hebrew for “human being” and is also closely linked to the Hebrew for dust or earth. Adam is formed from the dust of the ground and brought to life by God’s breath. Adam is given “dominion” over the rest of God’s creatures and, because none of these creatures is a fit companion for him, he is given a wife, Eve (formed by God from one of Adam’s ribs). After Adam joins Eve in eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam is cursed with death, frustration in earthly toil, and expulsion from the garden of Eden. Adam becomes the father of Cain, Abel, and Seth and lives for 900 years.

Adam (“the man”) Quotes in Genesis

The Genesis quotes below are all either spoken by Adam (“the man”) or refer to Adam (“the man”). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
).

Chapter 1 Quotes

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it[.]

Page Number and Citation: 1:26–28
Explanation and Analysis:

After God finishes making the earth, plants, and animals, he turns to creating humanity. God’s statement “Let us make […] in our image” (emphasis added) has been subject to various interpretations by both Jewish and Christian readers and biblical scholars. Some have suggested that God is referring to angels of the heavenly court, while others suggest that God is addressing himself (which, from a Christian perspective, would mean that God addresses other persons of the Trinity). No matter the interpretation, the bigger point in this passage is that human beings, both male and female, reflect something of God’s own being, or likeness. Humanity’s role in tending all other creatures, and procreating in order to fill the earth, suggests that being “in God’s image” has to do with caring for the earth and being creative—exercising divine functions on a small scale, as God has done on a cosmic scale. The Hebrew for “humankind” is adam, which becomes the man’s name a few chapters later.

Chapter 2 Quotes

The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called Woman,
for out of Man this one was taken.

Related Characters: Adam (“the man”) (speaker), God/the LORD God, Eve (“the woman”)
Page Number and Citation: 2:20–23
Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter 3 Quotes

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Related Characters: The Serpent (speaker), Eve (“the woman”), Adam (“the man”), God/the LORD God
Related Symbols: Fruit
Page Number and Citation: 3:4–7
Explanation and Analysis:
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Adam (“the man”) Character Timeline in Genesis

The timeline below shows where the character Adam (“the man”) appears in Genesis. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
...has yet rained to bring forth plants from the ground, the LORD God forms a man from the dust of the ground. He breathes the breath of life into the man’s... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
The LORD God plants a garden in Eden and places the man there. The LORD God makes every kind of pleasant, fruitful tree to grow in Eden.... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
The LORD God puts the man in the garden of Eden to tend it. He tells the man that he is... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
The LORD God decides that it’s not good for the man to be alone; he needs a companion. So the LORD God forms animals and birds... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
When the LORD God brings the woman to the man, the man calls her “Woman,” because she was taken out of the... (full context)
Chapter 3
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
The serpent, the craftiest animal, speaks to the woman, asking her about God’s command—did God say they couldn’t eat from any tree in the... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
Looking at the tree, the woman sees that it is beautiful, and its fruit looks appetizing, especially since eating it will... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
In the evening, the man and the woman hear the LORD God walking in the garden, and they hide from... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
...its belly in the dust, and there will be “enmity” between the serpent and the woman’s offspring—her offspring “will strike your head, / and you will strike his heel.” (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
Then the LORD God curses the woman, saying that her pain in childbirth will be greatly increased, and that her husband will... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
The Role of Women Theme Icon
The man names his wife Eve, because she is the mother of all living people. Then the... (full context)
Chapter 4
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death Theme Icon
Adam and Eve conceive a son, and Eve gives birth to Cain, saying that she has... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Meanwhile, Adam and Eve have another son, named Seth, because God has “appointed” for Eve another child.... (full context)
Chapter 5
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
Adam’s descendants are listed, beginning with God’s creation of humankind, male and female, in his image.... (full context)
God, Humanity, and Creation Theme Icon
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises Theme Icon
Adam’s descendants—Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, and Lamech—are named, along with the ages at... (full context)