Where Are You? (Genesis 3:9): An Ethiopian Orthodox Anǝdmta Interpretation”

Abstract

This article examines Genesis 3:9 (“Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”) through the interpretive lens of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s Anǝdmta Tradition. While Scripture consistently affirms divine omniscience, the narrative portrays God questioning Adam after the fall, creating an apparent theological tension. This study argues that, within Ethiopian Orthodox theology, the question is neither informational nor spatial but pedagogical, relational, and salvific. Drawing on Biblical texts, Anǝdmta hermeneutics, and Orthodox anthropology, the article demonstrates that divine questioning functions as an expression of God’s love for humanity and merciful initiative toward restoration. By integrating Genesis 3:9 with Christ’s questions in John 5:6 and John 11:34, the study presents a unified economy of salvation in which God seeks, heals, and restores fallen humanity. The article contributes to international Biblical and theological scholarship by presenting Anǝdmta as a coherent exegetical Tradition capable of addressing universal theological questions concerning sin, repentance, divine omniscience, and salvation.