that he had within his grasp the possibility of immortality. The “tree of life” is not included in the prohibition in verse 17. the tree of knowledge of good and bad The interpretation of this enigmatic designation, which is unparalleled anywhere outside the present narrative, hinges upon the definition of “knowledge” and the scope of “good and bad.” Ibn Ezra, followed by many moderns, understood carnal knowledge to be intended since the first human experience after eating the forbidden fruit is