Genesis 2 (NIV)

1. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
2.  By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
3. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
   Adam and Eve
4. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
5. Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground,
6.  but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.
7. Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8.  Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
9.  The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10.  A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.
11. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.
12. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.)
13. The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.
14.  The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
16.  And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
17. but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
18. The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
19. Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
20. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
21.  So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.
22. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”
24. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
25.  Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Summary of Genesis 2

Genesis 2 offers a more detailed and personal account of the creation story, focusing on humanity’s origins and the establishment of the first relationships. It complements Genesis 1 by highlighting the intimate and purposeful aspects of God’s creation.

1. Completion of Creation: The chapter begins by reiterating that God completed His work and rested on the seventh day, sanctifying it as holy.
2. The Formation of Man: God forms Adam, the first man, from the dust of the ground and breathes into him the breath of life, making him a living being.
3. The Garden of Eden: God plants the Garden of Eden, a lush and beautiful paradise. He places Adam there to care for it. The garden contains the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
4. The First Command: God commands Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, warning that disobedience will lead to death.
5. The Creation of Woman: God declares it is not good for Adam to be alone and decides to make a helper suitable for him. After Adam names the animals, none is found to be a suitable companion. God causes Adam to fall into a deep sleep, takes one of his ribs, and forms Eve, the first woman.
6. Marriage Instituted: Adam recognizes Eve as “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” The chapter concludes with the establishment of marriage as a union between man and woman, with the two becoming “one flesh.”

Genesis 2 emphasizes the relational nature of humanity—between God, humans, and creation—and introduces themes of obedience, partnership, and purpose.

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