I wouldn’t quite say God punished mankind as much as made him aware of the consequences of the sin he gave into.
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You are correct. Scripture states that God informed them what they brought upon themselves, it wasn’t a form of punishment from Him.
They tried to hide their nakedness with plant leaves. God covered them with animal skins. Could this be an allegory for the first blood sacrifice for sin?
The entire OT is a metaphor and allegory of how God will return the Temple of God to the human spirit where it was meant to be
Yup, the things that some people consider God’s punishment could also be read as God’s warning of the consequences of their sin.
Things like *If you eat, you will die*, and Eve’s increase in pain in childbirth.
They can also be read as warnings from God, as opposed to threats of punitive action on the part of God.