Questions From Readers

● Why is it that at Genesis 2:17 it says that eating from “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad” would bring the death penalty, whereas Genesis 3:3 says that even touching the tree would lead to death?—R. B., U.S.A.

The statement at Genesis 2:16, 17 is Jehovah’s command to Adam. The record says: “And Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man: ‘From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.’” Adam must have passed this information on to his wife, because when she was confronted by the Serpent she knew that command of God. Eve was neither adding nor lying when she informed the Serpent: “God has said, ‘ . . . you must not touch it.’” Certainly touching the forbidden fruit would be the first move toward eating it, the first move in the direction of death-dealing sin. If they were not going to eat of the fruit, what possible reason could there be for handling it? That would only put them in the way of temptation. That is the warning that Eve repeated when she said: “But as for eating of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it for fear you may die.’”—Gen. 3:3.

● In the book “Your Will Be Done on Earth,” on page 97, why does the illustration show two bands around the tree stump instead of one?—J. T., U.S.A.

As shown in the picture referred to, the tree that had been chopped down had at least two bands around it, one of iron and one of copper or bronze. That is why the book said it was “double-banded by Jehovah’s restraining power until ‘seven times’ should have passed over it.” There was more than one band around the tree stump. To quote Jewish Isaac Leeser’s translation of Daniel 4:12: “Nevertheless leave the body of its roots in the earth, but bound with fetters of iron and copper, among the grass of the field.” Da 4 Verse 20 also speaks of “fetters of iron and copper.” Other translations of the Hebrew text show there were at least two bands around the tree stump, one of iron and one of bronze or copper. Iron and copper or bronze were the two hardest, strongest metals of that ancient day, and their strength refers to the strength of Jehovah’s decree that could not be broken by any creature. Jehovah’s decree concerning seven times of Gentile domination of the earth would hold good and strong until it was fulfilled and Jehovah God was vindicated in his purpose.