Jubilees, for those unfamiliar, is an ancient Jewish text that retells the stories of Genesis and Exodus, but with some… let's call them "enhancements." It's considered part of the Jewish apocrypha and pseudepigrapha – books that are related to the Bible but not included in the canonical version.
So, what does Jubilees 3 tell us? It paints a picture of a world dramatically altered after the events in the Garden of Eden. A world where communication took a sudden, unexpected turn.
"And on that day," the text says, "was closed the mouth of all beasts, and of cattle, and of birds, and of whatever walketh, and of whatever moveth, so that they could no longer speak: for they had all spoken one with another with one lip and with one tongue." All creatures, from the mightiest lion to the smallest sparrow, once shared a common language. They conversed freely, understanding each other perfectly. What a symphony of voices that must have been! And then, suddenly, silence. Or rather, a shift to the barks, chirps, and roars we know today. Why? Jubilees doesn’t explicitly say why the animals lost their ability to speak a common tongue, but the implication is clear: it was a consequence of the events surrounding Adam and Eve’s disobedience.
The text continues, "And He sent out of the Garden of Eden all flesh that was in the Garden of Eden, and all flesh was scattered according to its kinds, and according to its types unto the places which had been created for them."
The expulsion wasn't just for Adam and Eve. All living things that had enjoyed the paradise of Eden were scattered, each to their designated place in the wider world. Each creature was separated and sent "according to its kinds" – a phrase that echoes the creation narrative itself.
And finally, a poignant detail: "And to Adam alone did He give (the wherewithal) to cover his shame, of all the beasts and cattle."
Only to Adam was given the means to cover his shame using the skins of animals. It's a powerful image. Adam, now acutely aware of his nakedness and vulnerability, is provided for. But it's a provision that comes at a cost. The animals, who once shared a common language with him, are now used to clothe him.
What does it all mean? Perhaps Jubilees is suggesting that the fall from grace wasn't just a human experience. The entire created order was affected. The loss of a common language amongst creatures, the scattering of life from Eden, and the use of animals to cover human shame – all point to a profound disruption in the original harmony of creation. It’s a reminder that our actions have consequences, not just for ourselves, but for the entire world around us.
And it leaves you wondering, doesn’t it? What wisdom might we have gained if we could still understand the language of the animals? What secrets of the natural world remain locked away, just beyond our hearing?