2:2 on the seventh day God finished Some translations render this “on the seventh day,” suggesting that God worked on the seventh day in violation of the Sabbath. However, the Hebrew text here can be translated “by the seventh day,” resulting in the verb being rendered “had finished,” expressing the completion of the act.

Interpretations of the Days in Genesis Table

he rested The Hebrew verb used here, shavath, means “cease” or “rest.” The English word “Sabbath” comes from the related Hebrew noun shabbath. The word implies that God’s work of creation was completed, so He stopped.

2:3 God blessed the seventh day The creation week serves as the model for the six-day week and Sabbath rest noted in Exod 20:11 and other Israelite laws.

The Sabbath

2:4 These are the generations of The formulaic Hebrew phrase used here, elleh toledoth, is used throughout Genesis to mark the beginning of major sections (5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2).

Yahweh God The first occurrence of the personal divine name Yahweh. Here it is combined with elohim, the Hebrew word that identifies God in ch. 1.

2:5 there was no human being to cultivate the ground The description of the land in this verse suggests no vegetation has yet grown, and the land is open and barren. This fits the likely state of the land in 1:9–10 just before God commands the earth to bring forth vegetation (1:11).

2:7 formed The Hebrew verb used here is yatsar, whereas different verbs appear in the declaration and action of 1:26–27 (asah and bara respectively). See note on 1:27.

man of The Hebrew word used here is adam, which is also used in the Bible as the proper name for the first man, Adam (e.g., 3:17; 1 Cor 15:45).

the breath of life The Hebrew phrase used here, nishmath chayyim, occurs only this one time in the ot. Genesis 6:17 uses the Hebrew phrase ruach chayyim, which is regularly translated “breath of life.” Genesis 7:22 has a close parallel that combines both: nishmath ruach chayyim, which is also often translated “breath of life.” The phrases refer broadly to animate life, which was naturally shown by breathing.

2:8 in Eden Eden was distinguished from the entirety of creation and had specific geographical boundaries. The narrative does not say what the rest of the creation was like, only that Eden was the unique dwelling place of God. Thus, it is not certain if all of creation was like Eden—ideal and without death.

2:9 the tree of life The wider garden imagery in the ancient Near East helps in understanding the tree of life. The tree of life refers to two concepts: one earthly and the other symbolic of divine life and cosmological wellness. The tree is described as being located in Eden, which is a garden with abundant water and lush vegetation, paradise for those living in agrarian or pastoral settings.

2:10 four branches The geographical details positioning Eden in relation to a river that branches into four rivers do not help pinpoint Eden’s location. Two of the rivers named here are unknown (the Pishon and Gihon). The references to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers suggest a connection with Mesopotamia.

2:11 the Pishon The name is probably derived from the verb push, meaning “to spring up.” The name of the second river, Gihon (Gen 2:13), is likely also based on a verb that means “to burst forth.” If that is the case, the names of both unknown rivers more aptly describe springs of water bubbling up from underground.

Havilah The precise location of this land is unknown, but it is mentioned again later in Genesis (10:7,29; 25:18). Genesis 10:7 includes the name in a list of Arabian regions.

2:13 Gihon See note on v. 11.

Cush The land of Cush (kush in Hebrew) refers to a region of East Africa that likely included southern Egypt and northern Sudan. The Greek Septuagint as well as some modern translations use “Ethiopia” to translate Hebrew kush. The Biblical region was probably located further north than modern Ethiopia.

2:14 Tigris The Tigris, the river mentioned here, is the eastern of the two great rivers in Mesopotamia (Dan 10:4).

Assyria The region around the upper Tigris. Later, Assyria would become the center of a major Mesopotamian empire. See note on Mic 5:5.

the Euphrates The western of the two great rivers in Mesopotamia. The ancient city of Babylon was built near the Euphrates.

2:15 to cultivate it and to keep it This phrase helps define the language of subduing and ruling in Gen 1:28; people represent God as stewards of His creation—tending to it as He would. People have the power to rule and are told to do so, but are instructed to do so appropriately.

2:17 the tree of the knowledge of good and evil No such tree appears in other ancient Near Eastern texts and traditions. This tree was located within Eden—the dwelling place of God and His heavenly host (see note on 1:26; note on v. 8). This particular tree represents a counterpart to the tree of life, which could bestow immortality (3:22; see note on v. 9).

you shall not eat Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is not what awakened moral discernment in humans, since they would need to possess this already to understand God’s command.

you shall surely die This refers to the certainty of death, not to immediate death. Adam and Eve did not immediately die after eating from the tree, but they were cut off from the tree of life and driven from the garden after their disobedience (3:6). Their immortality depended on remaining in God’s presence, symbolized by the tree of life and its fruit. Driven out, they would inevitably die, as all mortals do (compare note on 3:22).

2:18 a helper The Hebrew term used here, ezer, refers broadly to rendering aid. While used to refer to subordinates, the word does not necessarily imply inferiority: God is called Israel’s helper (ezer in Hebrew; Hos 13:9).

2:20 gave names to every domesticated animal In exercising his stewardship over creation, Adam names the animals. In ancient Israelite belief, knowing the name of a thing is what enabled one to do good for the thing named or to pronounce a blessing.

2:21 one of his ribs The woman is made from the side (tsela' in Hebrew) of the man. Usually used in architectural contexts (Exod 25:12, 14; 26:20), this is the only occurrence of the word in reference to human flesh.

2:25 naked In light of the later events, the use of this Hebrew term here, arom, involves wordplay—the serpent is described as crafty (arum in Hebrew; Gen 3:1). The parallel words indicate a contrast: innocence being transformed into shame.