According to the Midrash Genesis Rabba, Adam had three wives:
- Lilith: Lilith was Adam's first wife, created from the earth like Adam. She demanded to be treated as Adam's equal, but he refused, so she left.
- Another wife: After Lilith left, God created another wife for Adam. This woman was assembled in Adam's presence, giving him insight into her body parts.
- Eve: Eventually, Adam was presented with Eve.
Lilith is not mentioned directly in the Bible, but her story is used to explain the two contradictory versions of Creation in Genesis
- The nameless one is the Maiden, she is described as "the virgin"
- Lilith is the Mother, she "gave birth to the Lilim"
- Eve is the Crone, as she "lived to be older than any woman"
In the Bible, Eve is Adam's only wife. There are ancient texts that say that Adam had another wife first, whose name was Lilith, but God sent her away because for many reasons she was an unsuitable mate for Adam. These texts were not included in the Bible.
According to Jewish lore, Lilith was the first wife of Adam. Although not mentioned directly in the Bible, Lilith has been used to explain the two contradictory versions of Creation within the book of Genesis. Like Adam, Lilith was created from the dust and the earth, making them equal to one another.
In ancient Jewish folklore, Lilith is said to be the name of Lucifer's wife. In the earliest recorded references, dating back to the third century, she was originally conceived as the first wife of Adam, before Eve.
Lilith, and especially Eve, are imbedded in traditions of ancient Israel and the later Judaism. Rabbinic scholars artificially incorporated Lilith, in essence a pre-biblical figure, into the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve
The Bible mentions the Lilith only once, as a dweller in waste places (Isaiah 34:14), but the characterization of the Lilith or the lili (in the singular or plural) as a seducer or slayer of children has a long pre-history in ancient Babylonian religion.
One story tells that Lilith refused to lay beneath Adam during sex. She believed they were created equal, both from the dust of the earth, thus she should not have to lay beneath him. After Adam disagreed, Lilith fled the Garden of Eden to gain her independence.
Just like Pandora in ancient Greece, Eve was known as the first woman on earth in Hebrew history. Even the creation of the two women is similar: Pandora was made of earth and water and Eve was from the rib of Adam, the first man on earth, who was in his turn made of clay.
Those who believe the Lilith narrative suggest the story of Lilith was removed from the Bible to support the patriarchy and to keep women in a place of submission. If women found out about Lilith, they would know they were originally designed to be equals with men, which would disrupt the whole social order.
Lilith is from the book of jewish kabbalah known as the zohar. She was not “banished from heaven”, but the garden of eden. Jews believe that God made Lilith from the dust like Adam, instead of from Adam's rib like Eve. She refused to submit to him and was banished for it.
