Gen 2:15-17 | TNotes | STEP | 2:15 to tend and watch over: The garden required maintenance and oversight. Tending the Garden was humanity’s dignifying work. These roles in God’s garden-sanctuary were later applied to God’s Tabernacle (see Lev 8:35 ; Num 3:5-10 ; 4:46-49 ).

a2:15►

bLev 8:35►

cNum 3:5-10►

d4:46-49►

e2:17►

fExod 20:1-17►

gDeut 5:6-21►

h3:22-23►

iEccl 12:6-7►

‏ Genesis 2:15-17

2:15 ^a to tend and watch over: The garden required maintenance and oversight. Tending the Garden was humanity’s dignifying work. These roles in God’s garden-sanctuary were later applied to God’s Tabernacle (see Lev 8:35 ^b; Num 3:5-10 ^c; 4:46-49 ^d).
2:17 ^e except (literally but you must not eat): This prohibition is given in the same legal format as Israel’s Ten Commandments (see Exod 20:1-17 ^f; Deut 5:6-21 ^g). The Lord built law and obedience into the fabric of his covenant relationship with humanity.

• the knowledge of good and evil: See study note on 2:9.

• you are sure to die: The consequences of disobedience would be immediate spiritual death (loss of relationship with God) and eventual physical death (see 3:22-23 ^h; Eccl 12:6-7 ⁱ).