Vicious? Unforgiving? G-d forgave Adam and Eve for eating from the
forbidden tree. Forgiveness, however, does not absolve Man from the
consequences of his actions, which in this case were enormous. G-d even
forgave Cain for the murder of his brother and protected him for hundreds
of years. Before the Flood, G-d gave the world 120 years to repent of
their evil ways. It seems to me that G-d's forgivenenss and patience were
there from the start.
Kol tuv,
Elozor Preil