ADAM, the first man, and original progenitor of the human race. The account of his creation given by Mo ses, independently of its inspired authority, possesses every evidence of authenticity that can be reasonably de sired. Though short, it is comprehensive, and even minute ; not, like the heathen traditions, confused or contradictory, but clear and consistent ; and though not compiled till about 2300 years after the event, the ex traordinary longevity of the antediluvian patriarchs must have secured, in a great measure, the accurate trans mission of it, through the family and descendants of Abraham to Moses. The sacred historian relates, that the body of Adam was formed, on the sixth day of the creation, out of the dust of the ground, and that God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. He was pla ced in a delightful garden called EDEN, i. C. Pleasure, containing every thing necessary to his subsistence and comfort. Dominion was given him over all the inferior creatures ; and, when God made them pass before him in the garden, he bestowed on each of them a name, suit ed to its nature, and probably descriptive of its princi pal qualities. The animals being created by pairs, male and female, Adam alone was without a suitable compa nion ; which God perceiving, provided for his comfort, by casting him into a deep sleep, taking a rib from his side, and out of it forming a woman.
Both Adam and Eve are said to have been created hi the image, and alter the likeness, of Deity ; expressions which cannot be well understood, if applied to their bo dily structure, but which convey the most important meaning, when referred to their character as moral be ings. The ideas of knowledge suited to this character, of innocence, purity, and immortality, .,rent to be clesrl implied. But being moral agents, they were placed in a state of probation ; and the test of obedience required of them, was to abstain front eating the fruit of a parti• cular tree, planted in the middle of the garden, and named, from its peculiar design, the Tree of the Knor• ledge of Good and Evil. This prohibition W a s enfor ced by the most awful sanction ; but the tel wider the form of a serpent, by the most artful insinuation: prevailed with the woman to cat this forbidden fruit ; and she seduced her husband into the same act of disobedi ence. The consequences of this conduct proved Pand to
their happiness, as well as to their innocence. They were punished by being subjected to the death witL which God threatened them ; the woman was doomed to submission, and pain in child-bearing ; and the man to sorrow and toil. Having lost their purity, and being ashamed of their nakedness, God made coverings of skins for them, expelled them from Eden, and placed, at the east of it, " cherubims and a flaming sword," or a dividin..;. Itainc, "which turned every way, to keep the way to the tree of life." After this, Adam called his wife's name Eve, i. e. hfr or living, to signify that she was to be the.. mother of the human race.
The name Adam, has furnished etymologists with a fertile source of conjecture. It has frequently been de rived from no-IN, red earth or vegetable mould. Ludol phus traces it to the Ethiopian root adama, to be pleasant or beautiful,(Hist..Ethiop. p. 77.)—Protogonus, the name of the first man, according to Sanchoniatho, is supposed to be a translation of the Egyptian title of Adam, taken from the pillars of Troth ; and Mr Bryant says, that ad and ada signify first, (Ant. Myth. vol. i. p. 23.) ; corres ponding to which is the query of sir William Jones, whether it may not be derived from „Vim? which in San scrit has the same meaning, and is a name of the first me nu. The opinion of Parkhurst, that it is derived from =1, to resemble or be like, appears the most probable, both from Gen. i. 27. v. 2. and from Adam being the name of man in general, including both sexes. For an account of the opinions of Jewish Rabbis and Mahometans, and the ancient traditions respecting Adam, see Eugubin. apud Salian. Annul. t. 1. p. 106. Talmud in lib. Sanhed. Bartoloccii Bibl. Rabbin. t. 1. p.65.322. Heideggcr Pat. t. 1. p. 85. Gem. Sanhrd. p. 582. Vossius de Phi los.. cap. 9. p. 71. Sale's Koran. D'Herbelot's Orient. Percival's Account of Ceylon, v. i. p. 224. (d)