Genesis 2:4-24

4 This the book of the generation of heaven and earth, when^[a] they were made, in the day in which the Lord God made the heaven and the earth,

5 and every herb of the field before it was on the earth, and all the grass of the field before it sprang up, for God had not rained on the earth, and there was not a man to cultivate it.

6 But there rose a fountain out of the earth, and watered the whole face of the earth.

7 And God formed the man dust of the earth, and breathed upon his face the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.

8 And God planted a garden eastward in Edem, and placed there the man whom he had formed.

9 And God made to spring up also out of the earth every tree beautiful^[b] to the eye and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of learning^[c] the knowledge of good and evil.

10 And a river proceeds out of Edem to water the garden, thence it divides itself into four heads.

11 The name of the one, Phisom, this it is which encircles the whole land of Evilat, where there is gold.

12 And the gold of that land is good, there also is carbuncle and emerald.

13 And the name of the second river is Geon, this it is which encircles the whole land of Ethiopia.

14 And the third river is Tigris, this is that which flows forth over against the Assyrians. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

15 And the Lord God took the man whom he had formed, and placed him in the garden of Delight, to cultivate and keep it.

16 And the Lord God gave a charge to Adam, saying, Of every tree which is in the garden thou mayest freely eat,

17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—of it ye shall not eat, but in whatsoever day ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.

18 And the Lord God said, not good that the man should be alone, let us make for him a help suitable to him.

19 And God formed yet farther out of the earth all the wild beasts of the field, and all the birds of the sky, and he brought them to Adam, to see what he would call them, and whatever Adam called any living creature, that was the name of it.

20 And Adam gave names to all the cattle and to all the birds of the sky, and to all the wild beasts of the field, but for Adam there was not found a help like to himself.

21 And God brought a trance upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs, and filled up the flesh instead thereof.

22 And God formed the rib which he took from Adam into a woman, and brought her to Adam.

23 And Adam said, This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of her husband.

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Genesis 2:4-24 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]. Or, it took place.
• [b]. Gr. for sight.
• [c]. Or, that which is to be known. Comp. Rom 1. 19.
• [d]. Or, eat for food.
• [e]. Or, die by death.
• [f]. Gr. family.
• [g]. Gr. the greater shall serve the less. Rom 9. 12.
• [h]. Gr. according to him.
• [i]. Gr. soul.
• [j]. Gr. called.
• [k]. Gr. built.
• [l]. Or, out of. See the force of ?? in Eph 5. 30.
• [m]. Or, wife.
• [n]. In the Heb. the reason of the name appears. She shall be called Issha because she was taken out of Ish.
• [o]. Gr. be cemented. Mat 19. 5.