Genesis 2:12-22

12 Gold from that land is pure;^[a] bdellium^[b] and onyx^[c] are also there.

13 The name of the second river is Gihon, which encircles the entire land of Cush.

14 The name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows to the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree of the garden,^[d]

17 but you must not eat^[e] from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die."^[f]

18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him."^[g]

19 So the Lord God formed out of the ground each wild animal and each bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.

20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man^[h] no helper was found who was like him.

21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place.

22 Then the Lord God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.^[i]

Genesis 2:12-22 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit good
• [b] A yellowish, transparent gum resin
• [c] Identity of this precious stone uncertain
• [d] Gn 3:1-2
• [e] Lit eat from it
• [f] Gn 3:5
• [g] Pr 31:11-12
• [h] Or for Adam
• [i] 1 Co 11:8,12