Notes on Genesis Chapter Two

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Genesis 2:1 – “heavens” – cf. Genesis 1:1 – all heavens (pl) now finished 

“host” – could include angelic beings, but doesn’t – simply refers to celestial bodies (cf. Psalm 148:2). Also, Isaiah 34:4 says all the host of heaven, but does not include angels.

“finished” – All creation complete – no creation going on today 

Genesis 2:2 – “rested” 

Not that God was tired and worn out, but to give us a divine principle of life – work six days and rest one. Cf. Heb. 4:1-10 – prophetically pointing to the seventh millennium of rest or the 1000-year reign of Christ. 

Genesis 2:3 – “sanctified” 

God sets apart the day of rest for His pleasure.

One day per week ought to be the Lord’s – to delight oneself in the Lord is to appropriate this principle (cf. Isaiah 58:13-14) (Psalm 37:4)

“created” – in Hebrew – “bara” means to make or create with or without substance

“made” – in Hebrew “Asah” means to appoint or bring forth, usually (not always) with existing matter 

Genesis 2:4 – “generations” 

Not long periods of time – generation simply means the act of generating or making; the period of time that something is made – in this case, six days of 24-hour duration. To generate something involves a start time and a finish time, and the interval between is the generation.

“day” – here it is very obvious that day is a generic term referring to the specific period of creation. 

Note: Certain words must be kept within their context. The word “run” has many meanings, as a boy runs, a run in a stocking, or a production run. 

Genesis 2:5 – “before” 

When herbs and plants were created, man was not present to sow seed, cultivate, etc. Here we see the vegetable kingdom was created in “apparent age” or full-size without fruit in bloom.

All plants full-size at creation – the earth is fully landscaped. 

Genesis 2:6 – “mist from the earth” 

A supernatural watering system producing a greenhouse effect (no rain yet)

“whole face” – enough moisture to keep ground wet – a unique in-house hydrological cycle 

Genesis 2:7 – “formed man of the dust” 

Here man’s body is fabricated from the 14 basic elements found in dust.

Note that man did not emerge from protozoa in the sea – no life yet, just a form, but a complete form and not void.

“breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” 

The entire portion of this verse is of vital importance and must be understood in the context of creation and pro-creation. Some modernists have leaped upon this verse to prove that devilish abortions are Biblically permissive because until a fetus (their term) breathes, it is not a living soul; thus attempting to equate life with breath. First, Lev. 17:11 states that the life of the flesh is in the blood, not the breath. In Genesis 2:7 the Bible speaks of the creation of Adam in “apparent age.” God formed man completely with all his vital organs and systems including the circulatory system, which supplies the blood flow. This creative act was performed outside a womb and with no umbilical cord attached. When God supernaturally gave this full-grown man breath, all of his systems began to function and blood began to circulate – hence, life. 

In pro-creation, the baby (not fetus) in the womb is being fed; and the circulatory system is in operation. The life of the flesh is in the blood – in the womb there is life…without breath! The baby in the womb is always referred to as a “child” in Scripture. Hence, it is a living soul IN THE WOMB! To willfully destroy a baby in the womb is murder! 

Genesis 2:8 – “planted a garden” 

A special place for Adam – evidently planted in a full-grown state

“he put the man” – it is God’s choice, not man’s, for his location (good advice for man today concerning a place to serve) 

Genesis 2:9 – “every tree” 

Affirmation of creation by God – not evolutionary process

“Tree of life” – obviously a tree of supernatural design and purpose

“midst” – the heart of the garden – in obvious view

“Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil” – another tree of super-natural design and purpose 

Genesis 2:10 – “Eden” 

Exact location unknown, as the Tigris and Euphrates riverbeds have changed over the millennia. The cradle of civilization is known by science to be in the region from Israel to ancient Babylon. 

Genesis 2:11 – “Pison” 

Undetermined river (or canal) thought to be in the ancient Babylonia region

“Havilah” – Rich in minerals, though no specific location is determined 

Genesis 2:12 – “gold” 

Described as good – in quality and quantity

“bdellium” – unknown substance thought to be pearl or type of gem

“onyx” – a quartz with parallel lines of alternating colors (obviously this land was beautiful and majestic). 

Genesis 2:13 – “Gihon” 

Location undetermined though in the same region as Pison

“Ethiopia”

Some balk as how the Gihon can compass Ethiopia, as the two are on different continents; but we must bear in mind that the land area is a single mass at this point; and gulfs, seas, and rivers as we know them today have been drastically altered due to the flood (Genesis 6-8) and the dividing of land (Genesis 10). 

Genesis 2:14 – “Hiddekel” 

Ancient name of the present-day Tigris River

“Euphrates”

Modern-day river in Asia, though its river bed and course have been definitely altered over the millennia. 

Genesis 2:15 – “took the man” 

The Creator doing with His creation as it pleaseth Him (cf. Rev. 4:11)

“Garden of Eden”

Not just a large vegetable garden, but also a vast paradise-type land mass to house a multitude of plant and animal life.

“dress,” “keep”

From the beginning, man is never to just drift aimlessly through life without a purpose. God gives Adam the responsibility and charge over the garden. One must be present to keep something – even a keeper at home. 

Genesis 2:16 – “commanded” 

There can be no order apart from rules and regulations. Here God begins to establish order with Adam. Every celestial body must rotate on its axis and orbit at a speed as commanded by God. To obey brings order; to disobey brings chaos.

“every tree”

The Lord allows Adam to exercise complete liberty to partake of all the fruit in the garden. As the keeper of the garden, he (Adam) is allowed to freely eat of its fruit (cf. I Tim. 5:18). Please note that in God’s perfect plan, man is never to leave the garden – everything he needs is where God put him. 

Genesis 2:17 – “But” 

Now comes a restriction, which will cause Adam to make a choice. Man must now exercise his free will – sorry, 5-point Calvinists!

“Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”

Out of all the trees in the garden, God now focuses upon one. (There are two trees in the midst of the garden.)

“Thou shalt not eat”

A line of authority is drawn between God and Adam, as a specific restriction is imposed on Adam (Keep in mind that God did not tell him not to eat of the tree of life – this will be discussed in the next chapter).

“in the day”

A time frame is established for an upcoming punishment for disobedience.

“thou shalt surely die”

God gives man a responsibility.

God allows man to enjoy great freedom and liberty.

God imposes a restriction on Adam.

Adam is faced with a choice.

Now God states the fact of a penalty, if the wrong choice is made. “Surely” denotes the seriousness of the matter, and the Lord obviously believes this to be a deterrent for Adam. (So it ought to be today in government.)

Eve is not present when this command is given.

It is often asked, “Did Adam die the same day that he sinned?” One doesn’t have to spiritualize the verse to suggest that Adam died spiritually when he disobeyed God, but rather take it literally that Adam died physically before the “day” was finished. A day with the Lord is a thousand years. Adam did not live out the day as God promised, and no man since Adam ever lived longer than a “day” (because of Adam’s sin – sin came upon all men). 

Genesis 2:18 – “It is not good” 

Throughout all of God’s creative acts, the Lord stated that they were very good. Now He sees, not a mistake, but a complement necessary to His creation. Bear in mind that Genesis 1 gives the general creation account and finishes with male and female being created. Here in Genesis 2 are the details of what took place. Hence, God is putting the finishing touches on His creation. The best for last. The dessert…woman.

“Alone” – Adam was not alone in the sense that he had no company, for there was a multitude of animals. He was alone after his own kind. 

Genesis 2:19 – “Adam called” 

What a masterpiece of intellectual ability – to name all the animals (land and air), which numbered in the thousands. Adam was a perfect specimen of body and mind. Also notice the fellowship with God as He brought the creatures to Adam to be named. 

Genesis 2:20 – “Adam gave names” 

Completion of naming the animals occurred on the sixth day. Adam was just created; and because he was created in “apparent age” (full-size), he could readily perform adulthood functions. Obviously, he was created with the supernatural – immediate capacity to think, reason, and speak.

“not found” – After quickly naming all the animals and examining their characteristics – something was missing. Adam found no animal suitable to complement him. (I wonder what evolutionists do with this verse – there apparently wasn’t even a “missing link.”)

“help meet” – In the Hebrew – ezer knegdo or “counterpart”

Someone as a helper (an aide) suitable for him 

Genesis 2:21 – “deep sleep” 

Adam was created not sinless, but innocent – a state similar to a young child. Evidently pain was a consideration, as God put Adam to sleep to perform what appears to be Divine surgery with supernatural healing. All this must occur on the sixth 24-hour day (Genesis 1:26-31).

“one of his ribs” – God could have made the woman from the dust of the ground as He did Adam; but God chose to use part of Adam to create the woman so she, in fact, would be his counterpart, or “help meet.”

“closed up the flesh” – a type of surgical procedure of a Divine nature 

Genesis 2:22 – “rib” 

We cannot be sure why God chose the rib instead of another part of Adam, but the fact that God took out of Adam to make woman is a typical foreshadow of Christ and His bride; for Christ took out of Himself to make His Bride. We are one in Christ. Hence, a woman is not just some form of chattel, but an integral part of man – his counterpart.

“brought her” – God brought His new creation – the final gem – to Adam and presented her to him. 

Note: Adam and his bride are a likeness of Israel and the Bride of Christ. Adam had access to the tree of life (as long as he didn’t partake of the tree of knowledge of good and evil). Salvation is of the Jew first. Adam rejected God’s plan through unbelief (disobedience). God caused a deep sleep to come over Adam. Israel is temporarily blinded (asleep). God took a rib from Adam and made his bride. Gentiles were grafted in and became partakers by faith of salvation – the bride of Christ (cf. Rom. 11:17-21). 

Genesis 2:23 – “woman” 

Hebrew – isha or “out of man”

When God took something (rib) from Adam, it made man incomplete, and only until God returned Woman to man was Adam complete. Truly a man today is incomplete without a woman. 

Genesis 2:24 – “father and his mother” 

God now reveals the institution of the home or marriage, as He looks ahead to the future race of man. The instruction for man when he marries is to leave father and mother and begin a new family. This certainly doesn’t imply to “divorce” your parents, but is simply divine wisdom that multiple families under the same roof will breed trouble. Also, there is a change of authority involved.

“cleave,” “one flesh” – The word wife is used and clarifies a marriage relationship. The terms “cleave” and “one flesh” certainly reveal a permanent relationship. In fact, the Hebrew indicates that his type of union cannot be divided (Divine super-glue!). “What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” 

Genesis 2:25 – “naked” 

Both man and woman were in a state of innocence and had not come to the point of knowledge of good and evil. This point will be discussed in the next chapter. Remember the “forbidden tree.”

Material by Wayne Barkett, P. O. Box 155, Pinetta, FL 32350