(1) Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild beasts that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say: You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?”
Both the serpent and God ask strategic questions, but each has very different objectives.
The questions may sound similar but serve different purposes both on the surface and beneath the surface.
(9) Most devious is the heart; It is perverse—who can fathom it?
Shlomo Yitzchaki (Hebrew: רבי שלמה יצחקי) 22 February 1040 – 13 July 1105, today generally known by the acronym Rashi (Hebrew: רש"י, RAbbi SHlomo Itzhaki), was a medieval French rabbi and author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud and commentary on the Tanakh. Acclaimed for his ability to present the basic meaning of the text in a concise and lucid fashion, Rashi appeals to both learned scholars and beginner students, and his works remain a centerpiece of contemporary Jewish study.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashi
What were the serpent's questions intended to create?
What were God's questions intended to create?
What lessons can we learn from these texts about using strategic questions?
—in our relationships with others?
—in evaluating ourselves?