Genesis 2:17-25

17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil 1you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat[a] of it you 2shall surely die."
18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; 3I will make him a helper fit for[b] him."
19 4Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed[c] every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and 5brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam[d] there was not found a helper fit for him.
21 So the LORD God caused a 6deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made[e] into a woman and brought her to the man.
23 Then the man said, "This at last is 7bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was 8taken out of Man."[f]
24 9Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Genesis 2:17-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 2

In this chapter are contained a summary of the works of creation on the six days, and God's resting from his works on the seventh day, and the sanctification of that, Ge 2:1-4 and an account of various things relating to several parts of the creation enlarged on and explained, and of various circumstances omitted in the preceding chapter, which could not so well be taken notice of there; as of a mist arising out of the earth, which watered the herbs and plants before there was any rain to fall upon them, or a man to cultivate them, Ge 2:5,6 and of the matter and manner of man's formation, Ge 2:7 and of the planting of the garden of Eden, and the trees that were in it, and the rivers that watered it, and sprung from it, and the course they steered, the countries they washed, and what those countries abounded with, Ge 2:8-14 of man's being put into it to dress it, and keep it, and of the grant he had to eat of the fruit of any of the trees in it, excepting one, which was forbidden under a penalty of death, Ge 2:15-17 and of all the creatures, beasts and fowls, being brought to him, to give them names, Ge 2:18-20 and of God's providing an help meet for him, and forming Eve out of one of his ribs, and of their marriage together, and the institution of marriage, Ge 2:21-24 and the chapter is concluded with observing the present state and circumstances of our first parents before they fell, Ge 2:25.

Cross References 9

  • 1. Genesis 3:1-3, 11, 17
  • 2. Romans 6:23; James 1:15
  • 3. 1 Corinthians 11:9; 1 Timothy 2:13
  • 4. Genesis 1:20, 24
  • 5. Psalms 8:6
  • 6. Genesis 15:12; 1 Samuel 26:12
  • 7. Genesis 29:14; Judges 9:2; 2 Samuel 5:1; 2 Samuel 19:13; [Ephesians 5:28-30]
  • 8. 1 Corinthians 11:8
  • 9. Cited Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7; 1 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31; [Psalms 45:10; 1 Corinthians 7:10, 11]

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Or when you eat
  • [b]. Or corresponding to; also verse 20
  • [c]. Or And out of the ground the Lord God formed
  • [d]. Or the man
  • [e]. Hebrew built
  • [f]. The Hebrew words for woman (ishshah) and man (ish) sound alike
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.