Gen 2:4-22 | KingComments | STEP | In begins again a report of what happened at creation, with the addition of some new details. That is done brief. It is as it were a quick run-up to the actual subject: the human being. It is expressly stated that man is not yet there. That man is the writer’s concern is also evident from the name used for God from , “LORD God”, Jahwe Elohim , that is the name that indicates His relationship with man.

‏ Genesis 2:4-22

Creation Before Man Was There

In Gen 2:4 begins again a report of what happened at creation, with the addition of some new details. That is done brief. It is as it were a quick run-up to the actual subject: the human being. It is expressly stated that man is not yet there. That man is the writer’s concern is also evident from the name used for God from Gen 2:4, “LORD God”, Jahwe Elohim, that is the name that indicates His relationship with man.

Man Becomes a Living Being

This verse describes the special way in which God formed man and made him “a living being” or a living soul. The word ‘formed’ describes the work of an artist. God forms man out of the earth (1Cor 15:47a), because the whole existence of man is connected to the earth. He belongs there (Psa 115:16b). But God also connects him with Himself by breathing the breath of life into him. That’s why he stands above the animals. By it man also received an immortal soul.

By breathing in the breath of life, man changes from an outer form into a living being. This also makes him a spiritual being with the ability to serve and follow God.

Paradise with Man

In the midst of all the creation that God has already created for the benefit of man, He makes an exceptionally beautiful part where He places man. ‘Garden’ is literally a ‘garden protected by a fence’. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, uses the word ‘paradise’ in three places as an indication for artistically designed parks (Song 4:13 [orchard=paradise]; Ecc 2:5 [parks=paradise]; Neh 2:8 [forest=paradise]).

“Eden” means ‘pleasure’ or ‘highest pleasure’. That is a good name for this most beautiful place on earth, where the LORD God places man. It speaks of the abounding goodness of God for man. In a way, Eden is a picture of Israel, when we consider that from that people the Lord Jesus came forth through which the blessing flows to the whole world. He is “the Savior of the world” (Jn 4:42).

Paradise is a pleasure garden, where man may enjoy exuberantly, although with a certain limitation, which is given in Gen 2:17. This limitation makes paradise at the same time a testing ground for obedience to faith.

The tree of life is explicitly said to be “in the midst of the garden”, while the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is said to be also in paradise. The tree of life shows man that he has no life in himself, but that he depends on “the tree of life”. This also applies to the believer, who has no life in himself, but has it in the Son, the true tree of life. “He who has the Son has the life” (1Jn 5:12a).

The “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” teaches man that he must be obedient to One Who stands above him in order to enjoy life.

A River Flows out of Paradise

A river flows out of Eden. It first waters the garden. From the garden the river divides and becomes four rivers. The number four is the number of the earth (Rev 7:1a ; Rev 20:8). The river is a channel of blessing. Here we see that from the garden the blessing flows out over the whole earth. In the future, in the millennial realm of peace, a river of water of life will flow out of the direct presence of God, out of the new temple (Eze 47:1). This river will give freshness and life (Eze 47:9; Rev 22:1-2).

In these rivers we can see a picture of the refreshing and rich working of God’s Spirit, which is compared with rivers of living water (Jn 7:38-39). Thereby the believer can already spiritually enjoy what will soon be generally enjoyed on earth.

Eden is the origin of blessing for the whole earth that receives this blessing, through the river that flows out of Eden, in a fourfold way. That it is an abundant blessing is already apparent from the name of the first tributary. “Pishon” means “free flowing”, “richly flowing”, “overflowing”. This can also be said of God’s blessing for the believer, for He blessed him with “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ” (Eph 1:3). It says “every” and that really is everything. It is everything God could have thought of to give His sons. That can only be rich and abundant.

The Pishon flows “around the whole land of Havilah”. ‘Havilah’ means ‘sand land’. This points to the earthly existence of man. But in that ‘sand land’ is “gold”, to which is added that this gold is “good”. Connected to the river that flows around it, it is reminiscent of the work of God’s Spirit, through which the believer, who lives in “sand land”, finds God’s Word as a “great spoil” (Psa 119:162). God’s Word is more precious than gold (Psa 19:10 ; Psa 119:72 ; 127). Gold also speaks of the glory of God and of Christ. Through the Spirit that glory is presented to us through God’s Word. That is the ‘good gold’.

In the country Havilah are also “the bdellium and the onyx stone”. Bdellium is reminiscent of the manna (Num 11:7) and therefore of the Lord Jesus as the bread of life (Jn 6:31-33). The onyx stone appears on the breastplate of the high priest (Exo 28:20) and determines us by the Lord Jesus as our High Priest in heaven.

The name of the second river is “Gihon”, which means ‘breakthrough’. This river flows through “the whole land of Cusj”. ‘Cusj’ means ‘dark colored’ or ‘black’. This is reminiscent of man in the blackness of his sins on whom the Spirit of God works to bless him. No one is excluded from this activity of God’s Spirit.

The third river is called “Tigris”, which means ‘arrow’ or ‘like an arrow’. This river flows east of Assyria. Assyria reveals himself in Scripture as a rebel against God and the enemy of God’s people (Isa 10:5 ; 12). But also to this hostile people comes the grace of God fast like an arrow (Isa 19:23-25).

The fourth river is called “Euphrates”, which means ‘sweetly’ or ‘sweet water’. Where it flows, is not mentioned here. The Euphrates will be the north-eastern border of Israel in the realm of peace (Gen 15:18). This again determines us by the general blessing that God has for every human being and for the whole earth. In order to participate in it, repentance and faith are necessary, but the call to participate may be made to all people, without exception.

Task and Commandment

The LORD God puts man in the garden to enjoy all that He has made for him. The word for “put” has to do with peace. God puts man in the rest of paradise. He is also given the task to cultivate the garden and to keep it.

God gives man only one commandment: He shall not eat from only one tree. By keeping this commandment, he can show that he is obedient to God. By doing so he recognizes God as his Superior. It is also the condition to continue to enjoy the blessing. Obedience is for man in all times, even now, the condition to be blessed.

Adam Gets His Wife

Before Adam feels the lack of his wife (Gen 2:20b), God has already expressed the purpose to give her to him (Gen 2:18). Adam gives the animals names. A name expresses the character of the animal. This shows the deep insight Adam has in God’s works.

The word “helper” is not a derogatory expression for the woman. God Himself is also called “help” (Psa 33:20 ; Psa 70:5 ; Psa 115:9). That she is “suitable to him” or literally “as one opposite him” means that she is also created in the image of God (Gen 1:27).

Then God gives Adam his wife. God does not do this by forming Eve out of the dust of the earth just like Adam. Then she would be independent of Adam. He forms Eve from Adam. He does not do this out of his head, for she is not his superior. Nor does he make her out of his feet, for she is not his slave. He forms her from his side. She is therefore someone of equal value, standing beside him. She is his “opposite”, as it literally says.

To be able to give Adam his wife, God puts him in a deep sleep, a death-sleep. Here we have a beautiful picture of the way in which the Lord Jesus received the church as His wife. That is through His death on the cross (Eph 5:25).

By forming Adam first and then Eve, God establishes the rank order that He wants to see maintained in creation. With this He determines that the man is the head of creation and also of the woman. Paul draws that conclusion unambiguously in his first letter to the Corinthians and his first letter to Timothy, while also indicating the purpose for which the woman was created (1Cor 11:8-9; 1Tim 2:11-13).