This study explores some possible meanings of timshel in the novel of East of Eden. This study presents some multiple meanings of a Hebrew word timshel from Lee’s explanation in the novel added with theories of epistemic modality in linguistics. With help of modern English grammar, the various meanings of timshel is possibly clarified and understood by readers of English literature. This study provides usages of a modal verb ‘may’ and employable theories of epistemic modality with the use timshel in the Bible extended to the larger context of Judaism and the concentric levels. This study also suggests three levels of reading; semantic, syntactic and pragmatic understandings. For the benefits of English readers, some reading approaches connecting factual sentences with theological meanings need to be studied.