How did Adam and Eve win at Hide and Seek? [closed]

Question

I began reading the KJV a couple months ago, and one question that keeps plaguing my mind is, "How did Adam and Eve successfully hide from God?"

Genesis Chapter 3:

8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou?

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself.

Answer 1

Good question because that scripture screams that question every time it is read.

I don't believe that Adam and Eve successfully hid from God. How could they if God is omniscient?

Hebrews 4:13

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Psalm 139:4

Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

So if God knows all, then the question becomes why did God ask the question, because it wasn't because he didn't know. So if the question wasn't for God's benefit, then it must have been for Adam's

If we process the whole scene, Adam and Eve had been in perfect relationship and fellowship with God until they disobeyed and sinned against God. Then all of the sudden Adam and Eve are trying to avoid God. When God asks the question, even in Adam's hearing of the question, he has to realize that something isn't right.

God has never had to ask this question before, because Adam had never hidden from God before. So for God to ask, let's Adam know even before he answers, that God knows something is wrong.

Even in the same scripture God continues to ask questions. God could've just came in and said "Adam and Eve you sinned and the serpent tempted you, here are your curses, see you later", but instead He questions them.

Then for Adam to answer he can begin to understand and process "where" he is in relationship to God versus where he was. Adam's position has changed, and he is not in the same place physically or spiritually.

God does this throughout scripture where He asks a question he already knows the answer to, but it is to the benefit of the hearer that he asked the question.

There are many scriptures where God asks questions, but indeed already knows the answer. Here are a few:

Genesis 4:6 NKJV

So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

Genesis 4:9-10 NKJV

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

1 Kings 19:9-10 NKJV

9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

After Elijah's final answer God corrects him and gives him an assignment to go anoint Elisha

Hopefully this helps.

Answer 2

I like the Pulpit Commentary on this. It says that God called Adam because God wanted to bring him to confession.

Adam's absence was a clear proof that something was wrong. Hitherto he had always welcomed the Divine approach. "And said unto him, Where art thou?" Not as if ignorant of Adam's hiding-place, but to bring him to confession.

You can't play a hide-and-seek game with God (Hebrews 4:13) because He is omnipresent(Psalm 139:8). God demanded confession from Adam. God also wanted to continue the fellowship even though Adam tried to avoid Him. God was seeking Adam because God still loved him despite his disobedience . God wanted to help Adam and Eve on how to cover their nakedness. Not yet skilled or aware of how to make garments, they tried to cover themselves in vain. God helped them by providing garments of animal skin.

Where art thou? God is always calling us to repent and come to Him. It is our responsibility to response to His call and confess all our sins.

Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Answer 3

God’s question: “where art thou” certainly proves that man’s position in relationship with God was altered from the original. Hiding from God does not necessitate that man was physically hiding, but more likely a spiritual hiding. We know that the "death" God warned against was not only physical death because Adam did not immediately die. Nor was Adam or Eve surprised by this, so one could conclude that they understood “death” in a spiritual form of separation.

We mustn’t confine the early Bible accounts to space in time. Adam "walked" with God, this does not require that God took on physical form and strolled down a path with Adam. It does however indicate that God and Adam walked in some form (Spiritual/Eternal) together.