Please read my disclaimer to these study notes first. This is how I start my studies. I do a read through first in one translation – most likely Kings James Version. I do not look at the original language yet. The purpose of this first reading is to see what the scriptures say first. Below is the result of my first read through.
Study Notes for Genesis 2:4-25
The Generations of the Heavens & Earth (Genesis 2:4-7)
4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. 6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
My Notes
- God’s name is used to indicate which god made the heavens and the earth
- Lord God made earth and heavens
- Earth mentioned before heavens this time
- Lord God made every plant of the field before it was in the earth & every herb of field before it grew
- Yahweh Elohim hadn’t caused it to rain yet
- No man to till ground
- A mist went up from earth to water ground
- Lord God formed man from dust
- Breathed into his nostrils the breath of life
- Man became a living soul
My Questions
- What type of heavens was created?
- How many heavens were there?
- What was created in each of those heavens?
- Why was earth mentioned first instead of second like it normally was?
My Thoughts
Man actually came from the ground and contains the breath of the creator in him, making us a living soul. So without God’s breath we are considered a dead soul.
The Garden in Eden (Genesis 2:8-17)
8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 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. 14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. 15 And the LORD God took the man, 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 die.
My Notes
- Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden & put man there
- Trees Lord God made
- Pleasant to see
- Good for food
- Made out of the ground to grow
- Tree of Life in middle of garden
- Tree of Knowledge of good and evil
- River went out of Eden
- To water the garden
- From there it parted
- Became 4 rivers
- Pison
- Gihon
- Hiddekel
- Euphrates
- Pishon
- First river
- Compasses whole land of Havilah
- Gold in Havilah and is good
- Bdellium
- Onyx stone
- Gihon
- Second river
- Compasses whole land of Ethiopia
- Hiddekel
- Third river
- Goes toward the east of Assyria
- Euphrates
- Fourth river
- Lord God put man in garden
- To dress it
- To keep it
- Lord God commands man
- To eat freely every tree in the garden
- Not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil
- If do man will die
My Questions
- Why is Lord God used now instead of God?
- Is Eden the name of our planet, which we call Earth?
- Is the term “earth” actually a land mass?
- Are the heavens equivalent to the spiritual realm?
- Is the earth (land mass) equivalent to the physical realm?
- What does it mean by “went out”?
- Does it mean that the water went out of the dry land?
- What is the difference between dressing and keeping the garden?
My Thoughts
The tree of knowledge of good and evil didn’t have a location, only the tree of life. Man could eat from the tree of life. This is probably why he never died. It was what man has been seeking all of their lives – the fountain of youth. Although Adam hadn’t experienced death, he somehow understood what God meant because he stayed away from the tree of knowledge, that is, until Eve came along.
The Making of Woman (Genesis 2:19-25)
18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet 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 to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave 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 helpmeet 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 he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
My Notes
- Lord God wants to make a help meet for man
- Didn’t believe it was good for man to be alone
- Beast & Fowl
- Formed out of the ground by Lord God
- Brought to Adam to see what he would call each of them
- Adam names every living creature
- Cattle
- Fowl of the air
- Beast of the field
- No partner for Adam
- Lord God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep
- God took a rib from him
- God closed up the flesh
- Lord God made a woman
- From the rib taken from man
- Brought her to Adam
- Adam comments about woman
- Bone of my bone
- Flesh of my flesh
- Called woman because taken out of man
- Because woman was made out of man
- Man leaves his father and mother
- Man cleaves to his wife
- They become one flesh
- Both naked and not ashamed
My Questions
- Did Adam realize he was alone?
- Was every creature created in pairs?
- Is that how Adam realized he was alone?
- What does it mean in verse 21 “instead thereof”?
- Is verse 24 a continuation of Adam speaking or commentary?
- Did God have to bring the animals to Adam because they were not in the garden like Adam was?
- Did God perform surgery when he took the rib from Adam?
- Exactly how did God make the woman?
- When God created human beings did he create them both in one body?
- If so, did he only have to pull out the feminine parts to make woman?
- Is that why when man and woman come back together they become one flesh?
My Thoughts
A lot of my questions are based on my childhood teachings of the scriptures. I’ve watched hours of cartoons, heard many stories of the creation of life, and read many books about how God made everything. In all of this Adam was in a beautiful garden with all of the animals living peacefully. But the scriptures don’t indicate that God put the animals in the garden with Adam.
Also, I learned that once God took the rib from Adam he created Eve from the dust of the ground also. But, once again, the scriptures don’t say exactly how Eve was made. I believe there is a difference between something being created and something being made. In the beginning God created male and female. Then he formed man and made woman from man.
Although the scriptures say God took a rib from Adam, he had to have taken some flesh from him also because Adam says Eve is flesh of his flesh. Maybe I’m just over thinking things. J
I found it interesting that God brought Eve to Adam. I guess Adam wouldn’t have known she existed otherwise. Also, Adam makes the comments that a man should leave his parents and attach himself to his wife so that they can become one flesh. I wonder if he felt like he was missing something since she was taken out of him and that’s why he needed to cleave to her.