Genesis 2:11-22

11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.[a]
14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward[b] the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
15 And the LORD God took the man,[c] and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely[d] die.
18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet[e] for him.
19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam[f] to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
20 And Adam gave[g] names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made[h] he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Genesis 2:11-22 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 8

  • [a]. Ethiopia: Heb. Cush
  • [b]. toward...: or, eastward to Assyria
  • [c]. the man: or, Adam
  • [d]. thou shalt surely...: Heb. dying thou shalt die
  • [e]. meet...: Heb. as before him
  • [f]. Adam: or, the man
  • [g]. gave: Heb. called
  • [h]. made: Heb. built
The King James Version is in the public domain.