“Eve” in Hebrew
The English word Eve is not the original name of the first human female. Her name was חַוָּה (chava) in Hebrew, which has a root connection with a verb לִחְיוֹת (lichyot) “to live,” and words such as חַי (chai) and חַיִּים (chayim) communicating the idea of “life.”
וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ חַוָּה כִּי הִוא הָיְתָה אֵם כָּל־חָי׃
The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. (Gen. 3:20)
In Hebrew, therefore, it makes perfect sense to call Adam’s woman חַוָּה (chava), because she will one day become the mother of “all the living” כָּל־חָי (kol chai).
God Doesn’t Curse the Couple
God’s accusation against Adam had to do with Adam preferring the voice of God’s beautiful and gracious creation (Eve) over the voice of his Creator, despite the explicit commandment not to eat of the forbidden tree. However, in great mercy to humanity, God did not curse neither Adam nor Eve, but the ground אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה (arurah haadama) that Adam will work: “Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ Cursed be the ground because of you; By toil shall you eat of it All the days of your life… (Gen 3:17).
Salvation after Eden
The curse on the ground and its consequences on the humanity will later be lessened because of the faithfulness of 10th son of Adam – Noah, whose name from Hebrew means “comfort” (Gen 5:29). It will be completely removed only in the last Adam, the son of Eve – Jesus Christ, whose name from Hebrew means “salvation.” Reveal much deeper meaning of Hebrew words and passages to fully understand Scripture. Thanks to our 60 courses you will dive into the cultural, historical and linguistic see of treeasures - new and fresh perspective on the Bible will emerge! (CLICK HERE)
