1So wurden vollendet der Himmel und die Erde und ihr ganzes Heer. 2Und Gott vollendete am siebenten Tag sein Werk, das er gemacht, und er ruhte am siebenten Tag von all seinem Werk, das er gemacht. 3Da segnete Gott den siebenten Tag und heiligte ihn; denn an ihm ruhte er von all seinem Werk, das Gott zu wirken geschaffen. 4Dies ist die Entstehung des Himmels und der Erde, da sie erschaffen wurden. An dem Tag, da der Ewige, Gott, Erde und Himmel machte, 5da war noch alles Gesträuch des Feldes nicht auf der Erde, und sproßte alles Kraut des Feldes noch nicht, denn der Ewige, Gott, hatte nicht regnen lassen auf die Erde, und ein Mensch war nicht da, um den Erdboden zu bebauen. 6Aber ein Quellstrom stieg auf von der Erde und tränkte die ganze Fläche des Erdbodens. 7Da bildete der Ewige, Gott, den Menschen aus Staub vom Erdboden und hauchte Lebensodem in sein Antlitz; so ward der Mensch ein lebend Wesen. 8Und der Ewige, Gott, pflanzte einen Garten in Eden gegen Osten und setzte dorthin den Menschen, den er gebildet. 9Und der Ewige, Gott, ließ aus dem Erdboden allerlei Bäume sprießen, lustsam anzusehn und gut zu essen, und auch den Baum des Lebens im Garten drinnen und den Baum des Wissens um Gut und Böse. 10Und ein Strom geht aus von Eden, um den Garten zu tränken; und von da aus teilt er sich und wird zu vier Ausläufen. 11Der Name des einen ist Pischon, er ist es, der das ganze Land Hawila umfließt, wo es das Gold gibt. 12Das Gold jenes Landes aber ist gut; dort ist auch das Bdelliumharz und der Schohamstein. 13Und der Name des zweiten Stromes ist Gihon; er ist es, der das ganze Land Kusch umfließt. 14Und der Name des dritten Stromes ist Hiddekel, er ist es, der östlich von Aschschur fließt; der vierte Strom aber ist der Perat. 15Dann nahm der Ewige, Gott, den Menschen und setzte ihn in den Garten Eden, daß er ihn bebaue und bewache. 16Und der Ewige, Gott, gebot dem Menschen und sprach: «Von allen Bäumen des Gartens darfst du essen; 17aber vom Baum des Wissens um Gut und Böse, von dem sollst du nicht essen, denn an dem Tag, da du davon ißt, mußt du sterben.» 18Und der Ewige, Gott, sprach: «Es ist nicht gut, daß der Mensch allein sei, ich will ihm eine Hilfe machen, ihm zur Seite.» 19Und der Ewige, Gott, bildete aus der Erde alles Getier des Feldes und alles Vogelvolk des Himmels, und brachte sie zu dem Menschen, um zu sehen, wie er sie nennen würde, und ganz, wie der Mensch es nenne, das lebende Wesen, so sollte dessen Name sein. 20Da benannte der Mensch Namen für alles Vieh und für das Vogelvolk des Himmels und alles Getier des Feldes; doch für den Menschen fand er keine Hilfe, ihm zur Seite. 21Da ließ der Ewige, Gott, Betäubung auf den Menschen fallen, daß er schlief; dann nahm er eine von seinen Rippen und umschloß statt ihrer mit Fleisch. 22Und der Ewige, Gott, baute die Rippe, die er von dem Menschen genommen, zu einem Weib und brachte es zu dem Menschen. 23Da sprach der Mensch: «Diesmal ist das Bein von meinem Bein Und Fleisch von meinem Fleisch; Die soll Ischscha heißen, Denn vom Isch ward die genommen.» 24Darum läßt der Mann Vater und Mutter und hangt seinem Weib an, daß sie zu einem Leib werden. 25Sie waren aber beide nackt, der Mensch und sein Weib, und sie schämten sich nicht.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE NARRATIVE OF THE SIX DAYS' CREATION CONTINUED. The course of the narrative is improperly broken by the division of the chapter. (
Gen 2:1)
the heavens--the firmament or atmosphere.
host--a multitude, a numerous array, usually connected in Scripture with heaven only, but here with the earth also, meaning all that they contain.
were finished--brought to completion. No permanent change has ever since been made in the course of the world, no new species of animals been formed, no law of nature repealed or added to. They could have been finished in a moment as well as in six days, but the work of creation was gradual for the instruction of man, as well, perhaps, as of higher creatures (
Job 38:7).
2 THE FIRST SABBATH. (
Gen 2:2-
Gen 2:7)
and he rested on the seventh day--not to repose from exhaustion with labor (see
Isa 40:28), but ceased from working, an example equivalent to a command that we also should cease from labor of every kind.
3 blessed and sanctified the seventh day--a peculiar distinction put upon it above the other six days, and showing it was devoted to sacred purposes. The institution of the Sabbath is as old as creation, giving rise to that weekly division of time which prevailed in the earliest ages. It is a wise and beneficent law, affording that regular interval of rest which the physical nature of man and the animals employed in his service requires, and the neglect of which brings both to premature decay. Moreover, it secures an appointed season for religious worship, and if it was necessary in a state of primeval innocence, how much more so now, when mankind has a strong tendency to forget God and His claims?
4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth--the history or account of their production. Whence did Moses obtain this account so different from the puerile and absurd fictions of the heathen? Not from any human source, for man was not in existence to witness it; not from the light of nature or reason, for though they proclaim the eternal power and Godhead by the things which are made, they cannot tell how they were made. None but the Creator Himself could give this information, and therefore it is through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God (
Heb 11:3).
5 rain, mist--(See on
Gen 1:11).
7 Here the sacred writer supplies a few more particulars about the first pair.
formed--had FORMED MAN OUT OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND. Science has proved that the substance of his flesh, sinews, and bones, consists of the very same elements as the soil which forms the crust of the earth and the limestone that lies embedded in its bowels. But from that mean material what an admirable structure has been reared in the human body (
Ps 139:14).
the breath of life--literally, of lives, not only animal but spiritual life. If the body is so admirable, how much more the soul with all its varied faculties.
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life--not that the Creator literally performed this act, but respiration being the medium and sign of life, this phrase is used to show that man's life originated in a different way from his body--being implanted directly by God (
Eccl 12:7), and hence in the new creation of the soul Christ breathed on His disciples (
John 20:22).
8 THE GARDEN OF EDEN. (
Gen 2:8-
Gen 2:17)
Eden--was probably a very extensive region in Mesopotamia, distinguished for its natural beauty and the richness and variety of its produce. Hence its name, signifying "pleasantness." God planted a garden eastward, an extensive park, a paradise, in which the man was put to be trained under the paternal care of his Maker to piety and usefulness.
9 tree of life--so called from its symbolic character as a sign and seal of immortal life. Its prominent position where it must have been an object of daily observation and interest, was admirably fitted to keep man habitually in mind of God and futurity.
tree of the knowledge of good and evil--so called because it was a test of obedience by which our first parents were to be tried, whether they would be good or bad, obey God or break His commands.
15 put the man into the garden of Eden to dress it--not only to give him a pleasant employment, but to place him on his probation, and as the title of this garden, the garden of the Lord (
Gen 13:10;
Ezek 28:13), indicates, it was in fact a temple in which he worshipped God, and was daily employed in offering the sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise.
17 thou shalt not eat of it . . . thou shalt surely die--no reason assigned for the prohibition, but death was to be the punishment of disobedience. A positive command like this was not only the simplest and easiest, but the only trial to which their fidelity could be exposed.
18 THE MAKING OF WOMAN, AND INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE. (
Gen 2:18-
Gen 2:25)
it is not good for the man to be alone--In the midst of plenty and delights, he was conscious of feelings he could not gratify. To make him sensible of his wants,
19 God brought unto Adam--not all the animals in existence, but those chiefly in his immediate neighborhood to be subservient to his use.
whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof--His powers of perception and intelligence were supernaturally enlarged to know the characters, habits, and uses of each species that was brought to him.
20 but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him--The design of this singular scene was to show him that none of the living creatures he saw were on an equal footing with himself, and that while each class came with its mate of the same nature, form, and habits, he alone had no companion. Besides, in giving names to them he was led to exercise his powers of speech and to prepare for social intercourse with his partner, a creature yet to be formed.
21 deep sleep--probably an ecstasy or trance like that of the prophets, when they had visions and revelations of the Lord, for the whole scene was probably visible to the mental eye of Adam, and hence his rapturous exclamation.
took one of his ribs--"She was not made out of his head to surpass him, nor from his feet to be trampled on, but from his side to be equal to him, and near his heart to be dear to him."
23 Woman--in Hebrew, "man-ess."
24 one flesh--The human pair differed from all other pairs, that by peculiar formation of Eve, they were one. And this passage is appealed to by our Lord as the divine institution of marriage (
Matt 19:4-
Matt 19:5;
Eph 5:28). Thus Adam appears as a creature formed after the image of God--showing his knowledge by giving names to the animals, his righteousness by his approval of the marriage relation, and his holiness by his principles and feelings, and finding gratification in the service and enjoyment of God.