Genesis interpretations - how many are there?

[Angrboda]

There's internal evidence that the two narratives came from different traditions.  The question then becomes, why did the redactors feel it necessary to include both versions.  I guess we'll never really know, but if one hews to the notion that the narratives were composited in the seventh century BCE, then there are potential political reasons for the specific inclusions.

read them there are not two different narratives of the same event but two narratives of two different events. one the 7 day creation and 2 the creation of the garden and everything in it. That is why both were included. it tells of two different things!

Yeah, sorry Drich, I don't find your argument persuasive. It rests on the rather slender reed of Genesis 2:5. That provides an entry point into the narrative, but no clear exit point. You need both. And because the bible states explicitly that Adam lived 930 years, it's not true that we can't put bounds on the length of time Adam lived in the garden.