Jehovah planted a garden in a place called Eden. The garden was full of flowers, trees, and animals. Then God made the first man, Adam, out of dust and blew into his nostrils. Do you know what happened? The man became a living person! Jehovah put Adam in charge of the garden, and God told him to give names to all the animals.

Jehovah gave Adam an important rule. He told Adam: ‘You can eat fruit from all the trees except for one special tree. If you eat fruit from that tree, you will die.’

Later Jehovah said: ‘I am going to make a helper for Adam.’ He made Adam fall into a deep sleep, and then God used one of Adam’s ribs to create a wife for Adam. Her name was Eve. Adam and Eve became the first family. How did Adam feel about his new wife? Adam was so happy that he said: ‘Look at what Jehovah made from my rib! At last! This is someone like me.’

Jehovah told Adam and Eve to have children and fill the earth. He wanted them to enjoy working together to make the whole earth a paradise, or beautiful park, just like the garden of Eden. But things did not work out that way. Why not? We will learn more in the next chapter.