Generation II: The Generations of the Heavens and the Earth

Genesis 2:4-17

1. Locate the passage

This pericope is a close-up examination of Day Six of creation. This is the first of eleven occurrences of the word “tol^edoth” which outlines the structure of the book of Genesis.

2. Genre

The passage is narrative. The conversation between God and mankind regarding His prohibition anticipates the fall of mankind. The expression of Adam over the joy of a partner demonstrates the completion of God’s creation.

3. Determine the structure of the passage

4. Exegete the passage

Exp. These verses present a “second” account of creation. This account is in no way contradictory to the first, nor is it sequential. Instead, this pericope gives us a close-up analysis of the 6^th day of creation highlighted by the creation of mankind.

2:4 – “These are the generations of”

• tol^edoth
• This word occurs, variously spelled, 11 times in Genesis (Gen. 2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10; 11:27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2; Cf. see footnote 1).
  • These records of generations form the basic outline of the book of Genesis.
    • The fact that they are “recorded” emphasizes the written nature of God’s revelation.
    • The generational structure underscores the familial relationship of His creation.
• The word occurs outside of Genesis sparingly (Num. 3:1; Ruth 4:18)
• The word, “tol^edoth” means generations. It refers to history or accounts of the history of generations.

2:4 – “In the day”

• This is one of the key points of evidence that Gen. 2:4 is a close-up examination of Day six of creation. As with Num. 3:1, the word, “tol^edoth” is followed by the clause “in the day” (Hb. “b^eyōm”) suggesting that this is a recap of the events recorded in Genesis 1, but with more detail.

2:4 – “Day”

• “yōm.” Here, the word is used to describe the entire process (all the days) of creation; as opposed to a literal 24-hour period of time.
• This is the third different way the word “yōm” is used in Scripture. It is used as a designation for the period which inhabits the light (Gen. 1:5), as a 24-hour period of time (1:5, 1:8, etc.), and as a description of a period of time (2:4).

2:4 – The structure of this verse follows a chiastic pattern:

2:5 – No rain and no man

• Plants were created, but there was no growth in them
  • God had not sent rain
  • Man was not there to cultivate the ground
    • Work is not a consequence of the fall. The difficulty of the work increases after the fall (Cf. Gen. 1:28-29; 2:15 and 3:17-19)
  • God caused a mist. The simple, Divine provision
    • Here is a picture of the small things God does we so often overlook

2:7 – “Formed of the dust of the ground”

• The process of “forming” (Hb. “yatzar”) depicts the making of something from a substance already in existence.
• Dust (Hb. “aphar”) – The substance from which man was created and to which he will return.
  • See also Gen. 3:19; Job 4:19; Ps. 103:14; 104:29; Ecc 12:7
  • The word is used elsewhere to emphasize:
    • God’s promise to Abraham (Gen. 13:16; 28:14)
    • The futility of our lives (Gen. 18:27)
    • God’s judgment on mankind’s sin (Deut. 28:24)
    • Mankind’s grief over sin (Josh 7:6)
  • Note other things created from dust (cf. Ex. 8:17; Ps. 104:29)
• There is no need in the text to see this process of metaphoric. The text presents this act of creation as the literal process God employed.
• Ground (Hb. “adamah”)
  • The man (adam) was formed from the ground (“adamah”), as woman was formed from man.

2:7 – “Breathed into His nostrils”

• Mankind only has breath because God breathes it in us
• Ezek. 37:9 – the breathing of God’s breath
• “became a living being”
  • “a living soul” (“nephesh”)
    • Here, note, that man does not possess a “soul,” but IS a soul.
  • Life is through His breath

2:8 – “East of Eden”

• There is no reason in the text to suggest that Eden is anything but a literal location.
• The garden is not Eden; it is in Eden. So, the garden was only part of Eden.
• The language suggests that Eden is an actual place and not a figurative location.
  • Plus, the fact that angels would subsequently guard it upon mankind’s expulsion (3:24) reinforces this idea.
• The Hb. “eyden” comes from the root meaning of “happiness” or “pleasure.” (Cf. 18:12).

2:9 – “Tree of Life”

• The phrase occurs 11 times in Scripture (Gen. 2:9; 3:22, 24; Prov. 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Rev. 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19)
• The fruit of this tree produces life that suspends the aging process. See notes below on 3:22. The judgment in the fall removes mankind from the presence of the fruit to allow the normal aging process to begin.

2:9 – “Tree of Knowledge”

• The significance of this tree has been variously interpreted. The Tree brings knowledge of both good and evil.
• Here is the source of the serpent’s temptation of Eve
• Gen. 3:22 – this verse suggests that the comprehension of “good and evil” was not necessarily resident in mankind at creation, but was a consequence of their sin.
  • Some (i.e. Ibn Ezra) have argued that this knowledge was related to the awareness of their sexuality (Cf. 3:7, 11)
  • Others have argued that this knowledge is a form of moral discernment
• The attainment of this “knowledge” as an act of disobedience was an expression of their independent from God. However, because it was obtained through disobedience, the consequence of gaining such knowledge was separation from the Tree of Life which would lead to physical death (cf. 2:17; 3:22-24).

2:15 – “In the Garden”

• Life in the garden depicts mankind enjoying
  • The Provision of the Lord
  • The Presence of the Lord
  • The Companionship of the man and woman (25)
    • Sin has not yet caused their shame
    • Sin has not yet confused their roles

2:15 – The Lord God … “put him” in the garden

• The word “put” renders the introduction of the Hebrew word (“nuach”) means, “rest.”
  • This emphasizes the “rest” in the garden
    • Ps. 95:11; Heb. 3:11, 18 – rest in the Promised Land
  • It also foreshadows the ultimate rest in the future “garden” of God’s creation (Heb. 4:3-11)

2:15 – “To tend it and to keep it”

• “Tend” (Hb. “avad”) is the Hebrew word for “work.”
• “Keep” (Hb. “shamar”) is the Hebrew word for “keep” or “watch.”
• Work was not a consequence of the fall
• Just as God “worked” in the garden (2:8), so also man was expected to work in it.
  • The consequence of the fall was the difficulty in the labor (cf. 3:17-19)

2:17 – “In the day”

• Adam and Eve did not die on the exact “day” in which they ate of the forbidden fruit. This phrase suggests that on that day, a process (separation from the Tree of Life) began that would result in their deaths.

2:17 – “You will surely die”

• The Hebrew here is emphatic (“mot tamut”) using the repetition of the word for death twice (lit. “dying you will die”). The phrase occurs 59 times in the OT including 34 times in the Pentateuch.
  • The consequence for eating the forbidden fruit was physical death. But, their disobedience also had spiritual implications.
• See above. This death would result from the separation from the Tree of Life.

5. Let the structure of the text drive the sermon

1. Man’s Origin – Formed from the ground; Infused by God’s Breath
   • Mankind was formed from the ground which he would be entrusted to work
   • We exist by His breath; every breath is a gift to us from Him
     • Ezek. 37:9-10
   • Our dependence on Him; His provision for us
   • Before His breath, man has no life
     • But, the loss of life is also introduced in this passage

2. Man’s Purpose – Work is God’s Strategy
   • Work is part of God’s purpose for man (Cf. 1:28-29; 2:5, 8, 15)
     • This passage highlights the Divine activity.
   • Our work is a gift to us from God and how we complete it is part of our gift back to Him
   • Thus, our task is to accomplish the work that God has assigned to us to His glory.
     • Completing the work God began (2:15 – working as God has worked)
   • Man’s Expectation – Following God’s Instructions
     • This passages includes both instructions of what mankind was TO do (2:15) and what he was NOT TO do (2:17).
       • This is the choice all of us are given—to follow God’s instructions or reject them.
     • Thus, here mankind is given the ability and responsibility to accomplish the tasks which God has entrusted to him.

Application:

• Here at the beginning of creation, we learn that life is a gift from God.
• Moreover, mankind is given a choice of life and death. Life comes from following God’s will; death from disobedience to it.