in order to engage the woman in conversation. The woman’s attempt to paraphrase the commandment in response to the question reveals several telling changes (vv. 2–3); the serpent then boldly denied the Word of the Lord (v. 4). It is interesting that three times the Word of the Lord is quoted, but never appropriately: once it is questioned in a misleading way, once it is paraphrased with major changes, and once it is flatly denied. The analysis of the descriptions in the story must incorporate the
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