Lilith—The Supposed First Wife Of Adam?
Bodie Hodge M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, February 10, 2025
Ever heard of Lilith (sometimes spelt Lillith)?
Some have, and some haven’t. I’ve been dealing with this question for over 20
years!
Who Is Lilith?
In short, some ancient Jewish literature suggests that
Lilith was Adam’s first wife and that she sinned. According to the story, God
then created Eve to replace her as Adam’s second wife. However, for those who
have read Genesis—there is no mention of Lilith. In fact, as you read the rest
of the Bible, you will find no reference to her anywhere.
Why would anyone develop a story like that of Lilith? Here
is why—in Genesis 1 and 2, God created man and woman. There are two names for
man in Hebrew Adam and Man (Ish). But the only one name for
his wife revealed as Woman (Ishah) per Genesis 2:23.
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as depicted in the Creation Museum. Picture by Bodie Hodge
The name Eve does not appear until after the Fall, in
Genesis 3:20, when Adam names his wife Eve, saying she shall be “the
mother of all the living.” Some, however, speculate that the initial woman who
ate and gave fruit to Adam was a different woman—one other than Eve—giving rise
to the myth of Lilith.
When Did The Lilith Myth Begin?
We have a record of ancient literature that mentions Lilith.
Here is a listing and approximate dates of when it was put to pen:
1. The Babylonian Talmud (c. AD 3rd–5th
century; The Talmud are the oral traditions of men or the fathers that were
finally transmitted to ink and paper. However, Christ warned against such
traditions per Mark 7:1-9).
- Talmud,
Shabbat 151b: Lilith is described as a demon of the night that could harm
infants and even women who are pregnant. No doubt this superstition arose due
to the high infant mortality rate and frequent miscarriages of those days.
- Talmud,
Erubin 100b: another tradition that mentions that a man should not sleep
alone at night, otherwise Lilith might seize him.
2. Genesis Rabbah (c. AD 3rd–5th
century)
- This is
from a Midrashic commentary on Genesis. It references an initial woman
created before Eve. This is what later interpreters associate with Lilith.
3. Alphabet of Ben Sira (c. AD 8th–10th
century)
- This
is arguably the source with the most detailed stories of Lilith. It
describes her as Adam’s first wife, created from the same earth (dust) as
him. Though, she refused to submit to Adam and left Eden, she was cursed
and this is what made her became a type of “demon”. However, there is no
connection to members of mankind transforming into demons according to the
Bible.
4. Zohar (c. AD 13th century, Kabbalistic
Mysticism)
- This
text expands on Lilith’s role as an alleged female demon and consort of Samael,
giving her a place in extrabiblical Jewish mysticism.
Take note that none of these are prior to the completion of
the entire Old and New Testament. Some might suggest that Lilith has ties to
the Dead Sea Scrolls (c. 2nd century BC– AD 1st century).
However, this is incorrect. Some
fragments (such as 4Q510-511) mention a name similar to Lilith which is “lilītu”
that means “night demons”. Nevertheless, there is no explicit connection to
the later Lilith myths.
Cultural Stories
Before going further, let’s take a step back and examine a
broader pattern in sinful cultures. Since Genesis 3 and the Fall of man, myths
and legends have appeared across the world. Some of these myths have a basis in
truth but become distorted, exaggerated, or modified. In other cases, their
origins are entirely unknown.
Cultures around the world—including the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians,
Germans, and Native Americans—has its myths. They stretch across the globe. So
why not expect Jewish myths?
God entrusted the Jews with His oracles, but that doesn’t
mean that some who hold to Judaism did not deviate. The biblical record shows that at times, the
Israelites fell into the polytheism of their neighbors or were deceived by
myths.
Jewish myths are mentioned in Scripture, such as in Titus
1:14. Also, Paul acknowledges that he once followed such traditions in error
(Galatians 1:14). Jesus Himself addressed the issue of the Pharisees valuing
human traditions above God’s Word (e.g., Matthew 14:1-9; Mark 7:1-9). The
Pharisees elevated man's fallible ideas above Scripture, but myths and traditions are
neither equal nor superior to God’s Word.
Sadly, even Christians can be deceived by myths (e.g., 1
Corinthians 6:9; 15:33; Galatians 6:7; James 1:16). Today, many churches reject
Genesis and accept the myth of the big bang, evolution, and millions of years.
The key is always to be discerning and to uphold the authority of God’s Word in
all areas—whether one is a Christian, Jew, or otherwise.
What about Lilith of Isaiah 34:14?
The context of Isaiah 34:14 is about judgment on Edom. It
would become a desolate place. After its destruction, it would be engulfed in
thorns, thistles, and brambles and horrible wasteland. As we arrive at Isaiah
34:14, a number of animals will inhabit this waste of a place. They include:
Pelican, porcupine, wild beasts, owls, ravens, dragons, wild
goats, snakes, and hawks. But also there was a creature called a “night creature”
which in Hebrew is a form of Lilith (technically it is לִיִלית liyliyth).
This creature is clearly a real nocturnal animal, like those is shares context
with, that rests and resides in the ruins of desolate places.
Though some translations merely designate this as “night
creature” or “night monster” (being nonspecific), some translations put “night
bird” or “screech owl”—which makes little sense, since the context already
mentions an owl.
The word liyliyth is derived from (לילה layëlah)
in Hebrew which signifies night, but in a gloomy sense. Thus, this night
creature is therefore somewhat feared—whatever animal it was. But contextually,
it was a real creature, not a spiritual demon and definitely not the
first wife of Adam in a spiritually demonic form!
Nevertheless, it is easy to see how ungodly spiritualistic
and animistic cultures could easily confuse a night creature with a fear of
demons. No doubt, this has added fuel to the fire of mythical night demons of
Babylonia which influenced Judaism and their Talmudic traditions when in captivity
to Babylon.
Eve Was The First Woman
Lilith is nothing more than a Jewish myth, and the Bible
warns against following such myths. The woman who ate and gave fruit to Adam
was Eve—she simply had not yet been named “Eve” yet. It is not unusual for
people to have multiple names, and even God reveals Himself through many names.
The simplest and most logical conclusion, based strictly on
Scripture, is that Eve was that first woman. A powerful confirmation of this is
found in 2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV):
But I fear, lest somehow, as the
serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ.
Here, Scripture confirms that Eve was the woman deceived by
the serpent. So, is the matter settled? Not for those who embrace Judaism.
Judaism, as practiced today, denies the New Testament as
God’s Word, even though it was also written by Jews under the power of the Holy
Spirit (Romans 3:1-2). Instead, they have replaced it with the Talmud, which
consists of traditions and reinterpretations of Old Testament Scripture based
on the commentary of Jewish fathers and elders.
When one ignores God’s Word in 1 Corinthians, it is easy to
fall into error. This warning is not given lightly, as even Christians can
stray when they do not stand on the authority of Scripture in all areas.
