Girdles of Fig Foliage

The biblical Eden Narrative (Gen 2:4-3:24) recounts that the first humans made clothing from fig foliage after eating from the Tree of Knowledge (3:7). So far there is no satisfactory explanation why the story specifies the type of foliage at all or why it chooses the fig tree, which in several ways is less practicable than other fruit trees for this purpose. It is shown here that fig foliage causes severe and delayed skin irritation, and it is argued on this basis that the fig tree was chosen to add comedy and irony to the story and to set up a deeper portrayal of the relationship between God and humanity.