Description
The biblical tree of life (Hebrew: עץ החיים; Etz haChayim) is mentioned in the book of Genesis in verse 2:9 as the tree that God planted in the Garden of Eden (Paradise) along with the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and whose fruit imparts eternal life (immortality). After Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the Bible records that they were both banished from the Garden of Eden to prevent them from eating from the fruit of the tree of life: “Then the LORD God said, ‘Now the man has become like us, knowing good and evil; so that he may not take fruit from the tree of life himself, for if he eats of it, he will live forever.’” — (NIV, Gen 3:22).According to the biblical account, Adam and Eve were thus separated from the tree of life and made mortal. In the Christian New Testament, this banishment from the Garden of Eden is compensated by the "planting" of the new tree of life (Jesus) on humanity's side. In the Book of Revelation, the Koine Greek phrase xylon zoës (ξύλον ζωής) is used three times (2:7, 22:2, and 22:19), which is literally translated as "tree of life" or "tree of life" in Dutch translations (22:19 is also translated as "book of life" in some translations). The "tree of life" is used several times in the Book of Proverbs in connection with Wisdom. As an image, it describes the value of Wisdom. Wisdom is a tree of life for those who embrace it (Prov. 3:18). A righteous person plants a tree of life (Prov. 11:30). Fulfilled desire (as opposed to unfulfilled hope) is a tree of life (Prov. 13:12). Calm words (as opposed to a lying tongue) are a tree of life (Prov. 15:4). The author of Proverbs seems to have a predilection for the image of the tree of life, but it is never explicitly explained. The image itself likely possesses sufficient power for the author. The tree of life is depicted in various examples of sacred geometry and forms a central point in Kabbalah (the mystical study of the Torah), where it is represented as the sefirot.
