GENESIS CHAPTER 2
VS 1 THUS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE COMPLETED, AND ALL THEIR HOSTS
(w.c. + THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH--pual impf. hlK in the Qal to finish
or complete, in the pual to be completely finished or completed--v + lK
+ m.s.n. + 3ms suff. Xbj generally translated armies, since this word
often has military significance, here it refers to the organized
population in the 2nd heaven, the sun, moon, and stars, as well as the
organized population in the 1st heaven, the birds, etc.)
VS 2 AND BY THE SEVENTH DAY GOD COMPLETED HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD DONE
(pref. B + THE DAY THE SEVENTH--ELOHIYM--w.c. + Piel impf. hlK
completely finished or completed--f.s.n. +3ms suff hkXlm this word can
refer to the craftsmanship, skill, or results, this word emph. work
which involves both skill on the part of the worker, and benefits from
the work done.--rel pron.--Qal pf hwi he produced or manufactured) AND
HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD DONE (w.c.
+ Qal impf tbw 71x, to cease, desist, leave off, rest--pref. B + THE DAY
THE SEVENTH--pref. M + kol--hkXlm + 3ms suff--rwX--Qal pf hwi)
VS 3 THEN GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND SANCTIFIED IT (ELOHIYM--W.C.
+ Piel impf frB how does God or anyone else bless a period of time, the
answer is found in what follows--s.d.o. + THE DAY THE SEVENTH--w.c. +
Piel impf wdq to sanctify, to set apart, to declare holy) BECAUSE ON IT
HE RESTED FROM ALL HIS WORK WHICH GOD HAD CREATED TO MANUFACTURE
(kiy--pref B + 3ms--Qal pf tbw--pref M + kol +m la'kah--which--Qal pf
Xrb--ELOHIYM--pref l +Qal inf const. hwi for the purpose of
manufacturing or making other things. All things were bara', elements,
etc. but other things were made from these items, water, atmosphere--
Man was made out of dust, as were the animals)
SUMMARY VS 1-3
1. The first three verses of chapter 2 really belong with the
information in chapter one.
2. These vs give us the information concerning the restoration of
planet earth.
3. Tohu and bohu are repaired in 6 solar days, and on the seventh day
no creative work of any kind was done.
4. The heavens refers to the atmosphere and surrounding space.
5. Their host refers to the sun, moon and stars in the 2nd heaven, and
the animal life which inhabits the first heaven. 1:16-17, 20
6. The use of the Pual indicates that restoration and the creative
activity of God in regard to restoration was totally complete.
7. Nothing more has been created since the beginning of time.
8. vs 2 restates the fact that this work was totally done, and nothing
more was needed.
9. God had restored the earth to perfect environment in 6 days, and
nothing would ever be added to this work. Heb 4:3b
10. No creative work has been done since the foundation of the world.
11. In grace God has provided all that is necessary for planet earth
and for its inhabitants.
12. God did not rest from His creative acts because He was tired, there
was nothing more which could be added to perfect environment. Isa.
40:28ff
13. God could have spoken everything into existence all at once, in a
moment of time.
14. He did not choose to do this, but chose to work for six days and
then to rest.
15. There are several reasons for this including:
a. to establish the divine order for mankind. this shows us
several things, God works, and Adam worked before the fall 2:15
God does not countenance laziness. Prov. 20:4, 24:30ff, II
Thess. 3:6ff
b. to establish a memorial to grace. this shows that God provides
for us even when we do not work
c. to teach the divine time frame for the duration of mankind.
this is taught in IIPet. 3:4-9 esp vs 8 6000 years + 1000 years
of rest, the millennium
d. to point out that nothing can be added to the perfect work of
God.
16. The fact that God rested from His labor on the seventh day, does
not make that particular day of any more significance than the other
six.
17. The seventh day, Saturday, was set apart by God to commemorate
grace and to teach mankind about the rest of God.
18. The idea that Sunday, is the sabbath, or is the Christian sabbath
is not supported by the WOG.
19. Any notion that work is not to be done on Sunday, so called Blue
Laws are strictly the work of legalists and misguided religious types.
20. The sabbath was not instituted as an observance until after the
Exodus. Ex. 16:23ff, 20:8ff another subtle proof of the fact that
solar days are in view in Gen. 1 is Ex. 20:11
21. God blessed the seventh day by setting it apart as a day of rest
for a memorial to grace.
22. Note that D+7 is not marked by the usual phrase an evening and a
morning, since God's rest is not limited to that one day.
23. vs 3 states once again that God has desisted from creating and
manufacturing things with respect to planet earth.
24. The purpose of some things that were created ex nihilo was to use
them in the manufacturing of other items. created to manufacture
VS 4 THIS IS THE ACCOUNT OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WHEN THEY WERE
CREATED (demonstrative pron. c.p. hLX these--supply the to be verb,
are--f.p.n tdlOt 38X, this word is not used for what precedes in the
narrative, but is used to introduce a heading for what follows.
Histories or events--THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH-pref. B +Niph. inf.
const. + 3mp suff. XrB to create ex nihilo) IN THE DAY WHEN THE LORD
GOD MADE THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENS (pref. B + ,Oy this points out
that one literal day is not in view, since we know that restoration of
the planet and the heavens took at least four days--,yhlX hvhy YHWH
ELOHIYM, What is in view here is the actual work of creation and
restoration specifically, the one who did this work is the second person
the pre-incarnate Christ--Qal inf. const. HWi to make or manufacture,
deals specifically with restoration--EARTH AND THE HEAVENS)
VS 5 NOW NO SHRUB OF THE FIELD WAS YET ON THE EARTH AND NO PLANT OF THE
FIELD HAD YET SPROUTED (lit. and every shrub of the field had not yet
become on the earth--waw + lK + m.s.n. const. xyw 4x, a shrub or bush,
large enough to put a child under, Gen 21:15--d.a. m.s.n. hdw a plain,
an open field, a meadow--adv. ,ru not yet, previously, before--Qal impf
hyh--pref B + erets--and every--bwi edible herbs or plants--adv ,ru not
yet--Qal impf xmj to sprout forth, to grow up or out, used of hair)
BECAUSE THE LORD GOD HAD NOT SENT RAIN UPON THE EARTH; AND THERE WAS NO
MAN TO CULTIVATE THE GROUND (yK--neg. Xl + Hiphil pf rum 17X, only in
the passive or causative stem, it does not rain by itself, to fall down
from above, to rain down--YHWH ELOHIYM--prep 'al + erets--lit. and a man
did not exist--waw + ,dX--]yX there is not, it does not exist--pref l +
Qal inf const. dbi to labor, to work, hence to till or cultivate--s.d.o.
+ d.a. + f.s.n hmdX a new word for land, same root as adam, red or ruddy
VS 6 BUT A MIST USED TO RISE FROM THE EARTH AND WATER THE WHOLE SURFACE
OF THE GROUND (waw-m.s.n dX vapor, mist or dew, root dVX to surround--
Qal impf hli to go up or ascend--prep ]m + ha erets--w.c. + Hiphil pf
hqW to give drink, to water or irrigate--s.d.o. +kol +paneh + d.a. hmdX
dry ground on planet earth)
SUMMARY VS 4-6
1. This is the first of ten times the word tdlOt (translated account)
is used in the book of Genesis.
2. Each time it is used it is used to advance the narrative from what
has proceeded.
3. In this case it is used to advance the narrative and focus
on the history of man.
4. This particular section extends from Gen. 2:4-4:26
5. This account deals with the heavens and the earth and what proceeded
from original creation. bara'
6. Moses specifically focuses on their restoration, or the six days of
activity which we have seen in chapter one.
7. This is not a second account of creation, or information regarding a
second creation, but further information regarding what was done in D+
1-6
8. The use of the word made, deals with restoration of earth and the
work done in the second heaven.
9. Here it is called a day, which might be idiomatically rendered "at
the time" since it is longer than one solar day.
10. vs 5 places us chronologically in the middle of D+3
11. Light had been formed, atmosphere was in place, and the waters had
been collected into one basin, causing the dry land to appear.
12. If God takes this much time and energy and foresight to provide for
the plants before they appear, how much more will he do for us?? Matt.
10:29-33 uses this info to teach the doctrine of separation.
13. Two kinds of plant life are evident on the planet, wild and
cultivated.
14. Cultivated or edible plants need water and attention, or they will
not produce.
15. Again consider the foresight of God in providing even for the
cultivated plants. Matt. 6:28-34
16. Like the plants, the believer will not grow or produce apart from
proper water (BD) and cultivation (God via the PT). Jn. 15:1ff, ICor.
3:5-9
17. The introduction of the name LORD GOD here indicates that we now
have all three members of the Godhead present in Gen.
18. This title emphasizes that the LORD is God.
19. The Father is seen as the planner of the activity, the Son as the
actual creator, and the HS as an agent in the process.
20. The term YHWH ELOHIYM points us to the second person, God the Son.
21. One may get the idea from verse 5 that no plants actually grew on
the planet until it rained.
22. Since the next mention of rain is Gen. 7:4 some 1500 years later,
this is not a statement that rain was necessary, but that rain did not
exist.
23. Nor is the statement that no man was on the planet to lead you to
conclude that man was placed here before the plants. D+3 and D+6
24. These things are mentioned to point out that plants need water and
cultivation.
25. As with a giant terrarium, the climate was established and
influenced by the canopy.
26. The antediluvian climate was characterized by the following:
a. uniformity of temperature
b. no rain
c. no winds to speak of
d. high humidity
e. tropical climate worldwide
f. wonderful greenhouse effect
27. The effect of such conditions would be luxuriant plant life and
animal life.
28. The mechanics of irrigation for the planet are given in vs 6:
a. high humidity in the daytime
b. as evening approached and the temperature dropped a few degrees,
dew point was reached
c. a thick layer of dew would form on plants and ground alike
d. the following day as it heated the dew would evaporate into the
saturated atmosphere and settle the following evening.
29. A giant greenhouse with luxuriant plant and animal life, no death,
no extremes of any kind, it was indeed very good!!!!
VS 7 THEN THE LORD GOD FORMED THE MAN OF DUST FROM THE GROUND,
(waw--YHWH ELOHIYM--Qal. impf rjy to form or fashion, 62X, while bara'
is to create ex nihilo, and asa' is to make from existing material,
yatsar is to form, fashion, or sculpt, and looks at the craftsmanship
and skill of the one doing the work, this word is used only of the man-
s.d.o. +d.a. +,dX--no of in the original, this is not a genitive, it is
an accusative of reference, the man is dust--m.s.n. rpi very fine dust,
powdery type of dirt--prep. ]m + d.a. + hmdX) AND BREATHED INTO HIS
NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE; AND THE MAN BECAME A LIVING BEING (Y.E. is
still the subject--wc + Qal impf xpn 12X, to blow on, to breathe on, to
blow out--pref B + m.p.n. +3ms suff [X nose or nostrils--f.s.n. const.
hmwn 24X, root means to pant or breathe heavily, usually translated
breath--m.p.adj. yx this word means living, the feminine hYx means
living thing, and is usually translated beast or creature. The plural
is used here for the first time, and means life ,yYx it is a plural not
because two or more forms of life are in view, it is used in the plural
to Adam after the fall and loss of spiritual life Gen. 3:17. It is used
of the serpent only, in Gen. 3:14. It is making too much of the fact
that this word is plural to state that God bestowed physical, conscious
life along with spiritual life on Adam, even though that is what
happened.--THE MAN--wc + Qal impf hyh--prep. l + f.s.n. wpn + f.s.adj.
yx)
SUMMARY VS 7
1. After backing up in the narrative to before the second half of D+3,
Moses moves ahead to give information concerning the origin of mankind
on D+6.
2. This is the focus of this particular history of 2:4-4:26
3. The chronology of D+6 may be established from this section:
a. The first half of the day is devoted to the formation of animal
life out of dust. 1:24-25, 2:19
b. The formation of the body of Adam from the dust. 2:7
c. The creation of his soul, ex nihilo. 1:27
d. The imputation of his soul to his body of dust. 2:7
e. Man becomes a conscious, living being. 2:7
f. Man is placed in Eden. 2:8
g. Man is given the commands as to his job and the rules in the
garden. 2:15-17
h. God brings the animals to the man. 2:19
i. Man names all the animals. 2:20
j. Adam put to sleep and rib removed. 2:21
k. Woman built from the rib. 2:22
l. Woman brought to the man. 2:22
m. Blessing of 1:28-30 given to both
n. Marriage instituted. 2:23
4. Before the formation of the soul, Y.E. takes some very fine dust,
and forms the body of man.
5. Obviously this has resulted in a body that is quite durable, but at
the same time quite fragile.
6. Man is then composed of a material body, and an immaterial soul.
7. The word formed rjy focuses on the skill and craftsmanship involved
in the formation of the body of man.
8. Any cursory examination of the human body reveals a fascinating view
of the wisdom and creativity of God.
9. The immense complexity of the human body, with its myriad of
functions cannot be explained outside of an intelligent sculptor.
10. Fathom if you can the nature of the eye, respiratory system, or
the heart.
11. If you can grasp the organs and their function, consider the senses
of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching.
12. Consider the complexity of the heating and cooling system, and the
fact that there is a very small tolerance for body temperature
variation.
13. Observe the limbs which make man mobile, and the thumb which is the
most versatile of the fingers. apart from the opposition of the thumb
the hand is not a very useful part.
14. Above all this consider the super computer that is man's brain,
capable of many operations at speeds which are impossible to fathom.
15. The brain is capable of processing incoming information, afferent
impulses from the other parts of the body.
16. It is also capable of sending responses out to other parts of the
body, efferent impulses. you put your hand on a hot stove, the signal
travels to the brain, which in turn sends a signal back to move the hand
from off the heat. This happens at a speed you don't even notice
17. This masterpiece of creation could cause one to lose sight of the
fact that it is merely dust.
18. Nevertheless, man is a strange combination of dust and dignity
which none of the other creation even approaches.
19. The fact that this magnificent body is formed of dust should cause
us to realize the frailty of man. Ps. 39:4-6, 103:15-16, Isa. 40:6-8
20. Compared to God, man is both frail and insignificant, while being
the crowing touch on His creation.
21. While the animals were manufactured from existing dust, the care
and personal attention of God to the formation of man stands out here.
22. Adam was formed a physically mature man, lying on the ground, with
no life whatsoever.
23. As God united the newly created soul with the newly formed body, He
breathed into Adams nose the breath of life.
24. The breath of life proceeds only from God, who is the author and
sustainer of life. Job 33:4, 34:14-15, Isa. 42:5
25. The result of the imputation of the soul with a body, and God
breathing into the nose of Adam, is a new living being.
26. Since Adam had done nothing in any way, he was neither a righteous
person, or an unrighteous person.
27. He existed in total innocence, in perfect environment.
28. There was therefore no reason to withhold a human spirit from him,
and so as Adam came on to the scene of planet earth, he was trichotomous
29. At this point Adam had the following characteristics:
a. physical life
b. spiritual life
c. physical maturity