1So wurden vollendet der Himmel und die Erde und all ihr Heer. 2Und Gott hatte am siebten Tage sein Werk vollendet, das er gemacht hatte; und er ruhte am siebten Tage von all seinem Werk, das er gemacht hatte. 3Und Gott segnete den siebten Tag und heiligte ihn; denn an demselben ruhte er von all seinem Werk, das Gott geschaffen hatte, indem er es machte. 4Dies ist die Geschichte des Himmels und der Erde, als sie geschaffen wurden, an dem Tage, da Jehova Gott Erde und Himmel machte, 5und ehe alles Gesträuch des Feldes auf der Erde war, und ehe alles Kraut des Feldes sproßte; denn Jehova Gott hatte nicht regnen lassen auf die Erde, und kein Mensch war da, um den Erdboden zu bebauen. 6Ein Dunst aber stieg auf von der Erde und befeuchtete die ganze Oberfläche des Erdbodens. 7Und Jehova Gott bildete den Menschen, Staub von dem Erdboden, und hauchte in seine Nase den Odem des Lebens; und der Mensch wurde eine lebendige Seele. 8Und Jehova Gott pflanzte einen Garten in Eden gegen Osten, und er setzte dorthin den Menschen, den er gebildet hatte. 9Und Jehova Gott ließ aus dem Erdboden allerlei Bäume wachsen, lieblich anzusehen und gut zur Speise; und den Baum des Lebens in der Mitte des Gartens, und den Baum der Erkenntnis des Guten und Bösen. 10Und ein Strom ging aus von Eden, den Garten zu bewässern; und von dort aus teilte er sich und wurde zu vier Flüssen. 11Der Name des ersten ist Pison; dieser ist es, der das ganze Land Hawila umfließt, wo das Gold ist; 12und das Gold dieses Landes ist gut; daselbst ist das Bdellion und der Stein Onyx. 13Und der Name des zweiten Flusses: Gihon; dieser ist es, der das ganze Land Kusch umfließt. 14Und der Name des dritten Flusses: Hiddekel; dieser ist es, der vor Assyrien fließt. Und der vierte Fluß, das ist der Phrath. 15Und Jehova Gott nahm den Menschen und setzte ihn in den Garten Eden, ihn zu bebauen und ihn zu bewahren. 16Und Jehova Gott gebot dem Menschen und sprach: Von jedem Baume des Gartens darfst du nach Belieben essen; 17aber von dem Baume der Erkenntnis des Guten und Bösen, davon sollst du nicht essen; denn welches Tages du davon issest, wirst du gewißlich sterben. 18Und Jehova Gott sprach: Es ist nicht gut, daß der Mensch allein sei; ich will ihm eine Hülfe machen, seines Gleichen. 19Und Jehova Gott bildete aus dem Erdboden alles Getier des Feldes und alles Gevögel des Himmels, und er brachte sie zu dem Menschen, um zu sehen, wie er sie nennen würde; und wie irgend der Mensch ein lebendiges Wesen nennen würde, so sollte sein Name sein. 20Und der Mensch gab Namen allem Vieh und dem Gevögel des Himmels und allem Getier des Feldes. Aber für Adam fand er keine Hülfe seines Gleichen. 21Und Jehova Gott ließ einen tiefen Schlaf auf den Menschen fallen, und er entschlief. Und er nahm eine von seinen Rippen und verschloß ihre Stelle mit Fleisch; 22und Jehova Gott baute aus der Rippe, die er von dem Menschen genommen hatte, ein Weib, und er brachte sie zu dem Menschen. 23Und der Mensch sprach: Diese ist einmal Gebein von meinen Gebeinen und Fleisch von meinem Fleische; diese soll Männin heißen, denn vom Manne ist diese genommen. 24Darum wird ein Mann seinen Vater und seine Mutter verlassen und seinem Weibe anhangen, und sie werden ein Fleisch sein. 25Und sie waren 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.