Genesis 2:4-17 Cultivating the Ground
This week we're going to talk about a lot! We're going to recap the days of creation, the creation of humankind, the garden of Eden, and God's command to eat of all the trees except for one.
Starting with Prayer
BLESS ADONAI who is blessed. Blessed is Adonai who is blessed now and forever. Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has chosen us from among the peoples, and given us the Torah. Blessed are You, Adonai, who gives the Torah.
God, thank You for Eden. Thank You for creating a sacred space for heaven and earth to intersect. Wow! Why!? Thank You for calling us to meet with You. Thank you for calling us partners in cultivating the space You've created. My prayer today is that You instill a sense of urgency to come back to this sacred space to worship You and to guard the sacred space You've put us in. I pray that we can focus our minds on Your Word today. I thank You for the abundance of resources for us to learn more about You and to freely read Your Word. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.
Today’s Reading
Genesis 2:4-14 from the Complete Jewish Bible translation
4 Here is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created. On the day when Adonai, God, made earth and heaven, 5 there was as yet no wild bush on the earth, and no wild plant had as yet sprung up; for Adonai, God, had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no one to cultivate the ground. 6 Rather, a mist went up from the earth which watered the entire surface of the ground.
7 Then Adonai, God, formed a person from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so that he became a living being. 8 Adonai, God, planted a garden toward the east, in ‘Eden, and there he put the person whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground Adonai, God, caused to grow every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river went out of ‘Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided into four streams. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it winds throughout the land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there. 13 The name of the second river is Gichon; it winds throughout the land of Kush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one that flows toward the east of Ashur. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate and care for it. 16 Adonai, God, gave the person this order: “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die.”
Read all of Genesis 2 for context
from the Complete Jewish Bible translation
2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. 2 On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.
4 Here is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created. On the day when Adonai, God, made earth and heaven, 5 there was as yet no wild bush on the earth, and no wild plant had as yet sprung up; for Adonai, God, had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no one to cultivate the ground. 6 Rather, a mist went up from the earth which watered the entire surface of the ground.
7 Then Adonai, God, formed a person from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so that he became a living being. 8 Adonai, God, planted a garden toward the east, in ‘Eden, and there he put the person whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground Adonai, God, caused to grow every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river went out of ‘Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided into four streams. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it winds throughout the land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there. 13 The name of the second river is Gichon; it winds throughout the land of Kush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one that flows toward the east of Ashur. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate and care for it. 16 Adonai, God, gave the person this order: “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die.”
18 Adonai, God, said, “It isn’t good that the person should be alone. I will make for him a companion suitable for helping him.” 19 So from the ground Adonai, God, formed every wild animal and every bird that flies in the air, and he brought them to the person to see what he would call them. Whatever the person would call each living creature, that was to be its name. 20 So the person gave names to all the livestock, to the birds in the air and to every wild animal. But for Adam there was not found a companion suitable for helping him.
21 Then God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the person; and while he was sleeping, he took one of his ribs and closed up the place from which he took it with flesh. 22 The rib which Adonai, God, had taken from the person, he made a woman-person; and he brought her to the man-person. 23 The man-person said, “At last! This is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh. She is to be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24 This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and they are to be one flesh.
25 They were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.
Jenn's Two Cents
This is ambitious for me – thirteen verses in one post!? Dangerous. There is a lot here I was excited to learn about so are you ready to dive in!?
Genesis 2:4-14 dives deeper into the beginning of man and the intricate details of the environment in which he was placed.
This verse sets the stage for the narrative, emphasizing the divine origin of creation.
We are focusing ourselves again on the sovereignty of God and His role as the ultimate Creator who brought forth the heavens and the earth.
The Hebrew word here is "toledot" (תּוֹלְדוֹת) which refers to "generations" or "descendants." It is commonly used in biblical texts to denote genealogical records or accounts of family lineages. (You know... "This is the geneology of [name we can't pronounce], so and so begot so and so, and so and so begot so and so...")
In Genesis, "toledot" introduces various genealogies that trace the lineage of individuals or groups, highlighting their historical and theological significance within the narrative.
So, if we look at "This is the genealogy of the heavens and earth..." all things originate from... God, the Creator.