"... We should note that Genesis 3:18, requiring Adam to eat plants of the open country, would very likely conjure up in the mind of ancient readers or hearers the famous story of king Nebuchadnezzar, who was transformed from a human being into an animal for seven years. The story is found in Daniel 4, and tells how the king had dreamt of a great tree joining heaven and earth, affording food and shelter for all the animals: this tree was cut down, and only its stump remained. Daniel had explained the dream as signifying that the king, who is symbolized by the tree, would be driven away from human beings as a punishment for his hubris in refusing to recognize the divine sovereignty. In the event, Nebuchadnezzar crossed over into the animal world: he ate grass like cattle; his body was wet with dew; and he grew feathers like the eagle and talons like the birds. Above all, this process of transformation resulted in a loss of manda, ‘reason, understanding’, which is only restored to him when he returns to the human condition (Daniel 4:31, 33). The parallels with Adam are not difficult to discern: having been granted royal authority to name all the animals and to hold dominion over them, he disregards God’s commandment about his food, and is to be transferred into the animal realm as a result ..."