[PatrickHenry]

The "negotiations with God" conducted by Abraham are a classic illustration of man's inherent ability to know good from evil. Another example is when Moses descends from the mountain, and the people have backslid into idolotry. God says he's going to wipe them out.

Exodus:
32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

[snip]

32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

[jennyp]

Now that's an interesting choice of words: "the LORD repented".

And that's the KJVersion, so you know it's totally accurate! ;-)

[pby]

Your cited verses from Exodous 32 do not illustrate "man's inherent inability to know good from evil."(However, it is a good illustration of man's sin nature and unrestrained sin).

In Exodous 32, Moses had all the people that were not "on God's side" killed (verse 27). Additionally, the Lord plagued the people of Israel as punishment (verse 35). Furthermore, the majority of Israelites died wandering in the desert and did not get to enter the promised land as a result of their sin and associated punishment.

Man's knowledge of good and evil began at Adam and Eve's sin of eating from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil". (Genesis 3:22)

There are many examples of man's knowledge of/ability to know good and evil after Genesis 3 and before the Ten Commandments in Exodous (Cain is one example - Genesis 4:7).