The Creation of Man and Woman

1So the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts (inhabitants). 2And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it [as His own, that is, set it apart as holy from other days], because in it He rested from all His work which He had created and done.

4This is the history of [the origin of] the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day [that is, days of creation] that the [a]LORD God made the earth and the heavens-- 5no shrub or plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to [b]cultivate the ground, 6but a [c]mist (fog, dew, vapor) used to rise from the land and water the entire surface of the ground-- 7then the LORD God [d]formed [that is, created the body of] man from the [e]dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit]. 8And the LORD God [f]planted a garden (oasis) in the east, in Eden (delight, land of happiness); and He put the man whom He had formed (created) there. 9And [in that garden] the LORD God caused to grow from the ground every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the [experiential] knowledge (recognition) of [the difference between] good and evil.

10Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four [branching] rivers. 11The first [river] is named Pishon; it flows around the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12The gold of that land is good; bdellium (a fragrant, valuable resin) and the [g]onyx stone are found there. 13The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the entire land of Cush [in Mesopotamia]. 14The third river is named Hiddekel (Tigris); it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15So the LORD God took the man [He had made] and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely (unconditionally) eat [the fruit] from every tree of the garden; 17but [only] from the tree of the knowledge (recognition) of good and evil you shall not eat, otherwise on the day that you eat from it, you shall most certainly [h]die [because of your disobedience].”

18Now the LORD God said, “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him--a counterpart who is] [i]suitable and complementary for him.” 19So the LORD God formed out of the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20And the man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper [that was] suitable (a companion) for him. 21So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22And the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man He made (fashioned, formed) into a woman, and He brought her and presented her to the man. 23Then Adam said,

“This is now bone of my bones,

And flesh of my flesh;

She shall be called Woman,

Because she was taken out of Man.” 24For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. 25And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed or embarrassed.

[a] 4 Heb YHWH (Yahweh), the Hebrew name of God which traditionally is not pronounced by the Jews, usually rendered LORD. See front material, Principles of Translation.
[b] 5 Lit work.
[c] 6 Or flow of water.
[d] 7 The word is “formed” (Heb yatsar), but in 1:26, 27 the action is described with the Hebrew word “created” (Heb bara).
[e] 7 The essential chemical elements found in soil are also found in humans and animals. This scientific fact was not discovered until recent times, but God is displaying it here.
[f] 8 This is a reference, not to the creation of plant life in general, but to the planting of specific plants in the Garden of Eden (2:8, 9).
[g] 12 It is often difficult to match the names or descriptions of ancient gems and other materials with their contemporary equivalents. Modern research indicates this may instead be carnelian, a red gemstone.
[h] 17 Both spiritually and physically, physical death in the sense of becoming mortal; they were created immortal.
[i] 18 Lit like his opposite.