Genesis 2

Genesis 02 General Notes

Structure and formatting

Gen. 2:1-3 ends the first creation account, begun in the previous chapter. The second creation account, beginning in 2:4, is very different, using a more natural, story-telling style instead of following a set formula using repeated phrases. Translators should try to imitate this difference in their versions.

Special concepts in this chapter
The second creation account in Gen. 2:4-25

Gen. 2:4-25 presents an account of creation from a different viewpoint than the one given in Gen. 1:1-2:3. This second account should be regarded as filling out the first account, not as conflicting with it.

Yahweh, the name of God

"Yahweh," the personal name of God in the Old Testament, appears for the first time in this chapter. Translators must decide how to represent it in their versions. For 2,000 years, it has been traditional for many Christians to represent it with the term "the Lord." Indeed, it is demanded by Roman Catholics for their Bible versions to continue doing this. Of course, the disadvantage of using "the Lord" is that this is a title for God, not a personal name. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#yahweh)

Translators who are not producing versions for Roman Catholics can consider transliterating the name "Yahweh," approximating the name as best as their project languages allow.

Or translators can consider using expressions for the supreme god that might exist in their project languages, such as, "The Great One," "The Ruler of All," "The One who Never Sleeps," etc. Of course, these are descriptive titles, not personal names, so they suffer from the same disadvantages that "the Lord" has.

Translators can also consider pairing a transliteration of "Yahweh" with a meaningful title for the supreme god in the project language. Whatever solution is found should be followed consistently when the name "Yahweh" occurs in the Scriptures.

The Garden of Eden

This was not a vegetable garden or cultivated field. Instead, it was probably a large area of land with fruit trees and other plants bearing leaves, etc., that were good to eat. A river flowed out from the Garden of Eden, giving the impression that the Garden was a holy place; in the ancient Near East, temples had gardens and waterways. In Rev. 22:1-2, the throne of God in the New Jerusalem is pictured with a river flowing out from it. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tw?section=kt#holy)

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Genesis 2:1

the heavens

"the sky" or "the skies"

and all the living things that filled them

"and all the many living things that are in them" or "and all the crowds of living things in them"

were finished

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "God had finished creating them" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 2:2

On the seventh day God came to the end of his work

God did not work at all on the seventh day.

came to the end of

This is an idiom. Alternate translation: "had finished" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#figs-idiom)

he rested on the seventh day from all his work

"on that day he did not work"

Genesis 2:3

God blessed the seventh day

Possible meanings are 1) God caused the seventh day to produce good result or 2) God said that the seventh day was good.

sanctified it

"set it apart" or "called it his own"

in it he rested from all his work

"on it he did not work"

Genesis 2:4

General Information:

The rest of Genesis 2 tells about how God created people on the sixth day.

These were the events concerning the heavens and the earth

"This is the account of the heavens and the earth" or "This is the story about the heavens and the earth." Possible meanings are 1) it is a summary of the events described in Genesis 1:1-2:3 or 2) it introduces the events described in Genesis 2. If possible, translate this so that people can understood it either way.

they were created

"Yahweh God created them." In chapter 1 the writer always speaks of God as "God," but in chapter 2 he always speaks of God as "Yahweh God."

on the day that Yahweh God made

"when Yahweh God created." The word "day" refers to the whole time span of the creation, not to just one particular day.

Yahweh

This is the name of God that he revealed to his people in the Old Testament. See the translationWord page about Yahweh concerning how to translate this.

Genesis 2:5

No bush of the field

no shrubs growing in the wild that animals might eat

no plant of the field

no leafy plants like vegetables or greens that both animals and humans can eat

to cultivate

to do everything he needed to do so that the plants would grow well

Genesis 2:6

mist

Possible meanings are 1) something like dew or morning fog o 2) springs from underground streams.

the whole surface of the ground

the entire earth

Genesis 2:7

formed man

"molded man" or "shaped man" or "created man"

man ... man

"a human being ... the human" or "a person ... the person" not specifically a male

his nostrils

"his nose"

breath of life

"breath that makes things live." Here "life" refers to physical life.

Genesis 2:8

a garden

This could have been an orchard of fruit trees or an area with all kinds of trees.

eastward

in the east

Genesis 2:9

the tree of life

"the tree that gives people life"

life

Here this means "eternal life" or life that does not end.

the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

"the tree that gives people the ability to understand both good and evil" or "the tree that makes people who eat its fruit able to know good things and bad things"

good and evil

This is a figure of speech that refers to both extremes and everything in between. Alternate translation: "everything, including both good and evil" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#figs-merism)

in the midst of the garden

"in the middle of the garden." The two trees may not have been in the exact center of the garden.

Genesis 2:10

A river went out of Eden to water the garden

The garden was in Eden. The river continued to flow outside of Eden. "A river flowed through Eden to water the garden"

Genesis 2:11

Pishon

This is the only time this river is referred to in the Bible. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#translate-names)

the whole land of Havilah

"the whole land called Havilah." It was somewhere in the Arabian Desert. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#translate-names)

where there is gold

This phrase gives information about Havilah. Some languages would translate it as a separate sentence. Alternate translation: "There is gold in Havilah" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#figs-distinguish)

Genesis 2:12

There are also bdellium and the onyx stone

The word "there" is placed first in the sentence for emphasis. Alternate translation: "This is also where people can find bdellium and onyx stones"

bdellium

This resin comes from a tree and smells nice. A resin is sticky stuff that comes out of some trees and can burn. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#translate-unknown)

the onyx stone

"onyx stones." Onyx is a certain kind of beautiful stone. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#translate-unknown)

Genesis 2:13

Gihon

This is the only mention of this river in the Bible. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#translate-names)

flows throughout the whole land of Cush

The river did not cover the whole land, but wound through various parts of the land.

the whole land of Cush

"the entire land called Cush"

Genesis 2:14

it flows east of Ashur

The Tigris River flows from north to south. If people do not know what Ashur was, it can be made clear that it was a city. Alternate translation: "it flows in the land east of the city of Ashur"(See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#figs-explicit)

Genesis 2:15

the garden of Eden

"the garden that was in Eden"

to work it

"to cultivate it." This means to do everything necessary so that the plants will grow well.

to maintain it

to guard against anything bad happening in it

Genesis 2:16

From every tree in the garden

"The fruit of every tree in the garden"

you

This pronoun is singular. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#figs-you)

may freely eat

"may eat without restriction"

Genesis 2:17

But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not eat

These words complete the command that begins with the words "From every tree in the garden you may freely eat" in verse 15. In some languages, it may be more natural to say what is not permitted and to then say what is permitted, as in the UDB.

the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

"the tree that gives people the ability to understand both good and evil" or "the tree that makes people who eat its fruit able to know good things and bad things." See how you translated this in Genesis 2:9.

you may not eat

"I will not permit you to eat" or "you must not eat"

Genesis 2:18

I will make him a helper suitable for him

"I will make a helper who is just right for him"

Genesis 2:19

every animal of the field and every bird of the sky

The phrases "of the field" and "of the sky" tell where the animals and birds are usually found. Alternate translation: "all kinds of animals and birds"

Genesis 2:20

all the livestock

"all the animals that people look after"

there was found no helper suitable for him

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "there was no companion that was right for him" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#figs-activepassive)

Genesis 2:21

caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man

"caused the man to sleep intensely." A deep sleep is a time of sleeping in which a person is not easily disturbed or wakened.

flesh

This refers to the soft parts of the body like skin and muscle.

Genesis 2:22

With the rib ... he made a woman

"From the rib ... he formed a woman." The rib was the material God made the woman from.

Genesis 2:23

This time, this one is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh

"Finally, this one's bones are like my bones, and her flesh is like my flesh." After looking among all the animals for a partner and not finding one, he finally saw someone who was like him and could be his partner. The man was probably expressing his feeling of relief and joy.

She will be called 'woman,' because she was taken out of man

The translator may want to write a footnote saying "The Hebrew word for 'woman' sounds like the Hebrew word for 'man.'

Genesis 2:24

General Information:

What follows is written by the author. The man did not say these things.

Therefore a man

"That is why a man"

a man will leave his father and his mother

"a man will stop living in his father and mother's home." This is about men in general. It does not refer to any particular man at any particular time.

they will become one flesh

This idiom speaks of sexual activity as though the bodies that are together become one body. Alternate translation: "their two bodies will become one body" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=translate#figs-idiom)

Genesis 2:25

They were both naked

The word "they" refers to the man and the woman that God had created.

naked

"not wearing clothing"

but were not ashamed

"they were not ashamed about being naked"