The Garden and the Breath of Life: A Narrative Study of Genesis Chapter 2

Garden of Eden

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: The Completion of Creation

2. Section 1: The Seventh Day – God’s Rest and Blessing

3. Section 2: The Formation of Man – The Breath of Life

4. Section 3: The Garden of Eden – Paradise on Earth

5. Section 4: The Command and the Choice – The Tree of Knowledge

6. Section 5: The Creation of Woman – Bone of My Bones

7. Conclusion: The Divine Design of Rest, Work, and Relationship

8. References

Reference Bible Text:

Genesis Chapter 2 (King James Version)

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

23 And 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.

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Introduction: The Completion of Creation

Genesis 2 is not a second, contradictory creation story—it is a zoomed-in continuation of Genesis 1, focusing on humanity’s formation, the Garden of Eden, and the divine design of relationships.
While Genesis 1 shows God as the transcendent Creator who speaks worlds into being, Genesis 2 portrays Him as the intimate Craftsman—forming, planting, breathing, and blessing.

Section 1: The Seventh Day – God’s Rest and Blessing

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” — Genesis 2:1 (KJV)

After six days of creative power, the universe stood complete—brimming with order, life, and harmony. On the seventh day, God did something profoundly symbolic:

“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” — Genesis 2:2

This was not rest from weariness but rest in satisfaction. Creation was perfect; nothing more was needed. God then blessed and sanctified the seventh day (Genesis 2:3).
From this divine pause flowed the rhythm of Sabbath—a pattern of rest, reflection, and worship that would echo throughout Scripture (Exodus 20:8–11; Mark 2:27).

COMMENTS:

For more information on the Study of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.

Section 2: The Formation of Man – The Breath of Life

Genesis 2 narrows its focus to one remarkable act of creation: the making of humanity.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” — Genesis 2:7

Here, God is portrayed as a potter shaping clay (Isaiah 64:8). Humanity’s physical frame was drawn from the soil—humble, earthy, dependent. Yet into this form, God breathed His own life. The Hebrew word ruach means “breath,” “wind,” or “spirit.”

That divine breath made Adam more than a creature—it made him a living soul, bearing intellect, emotion, and eternal significance. As Job later said:

“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” — Job 33:4

Man was thus both dust and living from God—earthly in substance, and a living being.

Section 3: The Garden of Eden – Paradise on Earth

After forming the first man, God prepared a home uniquely suited for him:

“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.” — Genesis 2:8

Unlike the rest of creation, Eden was personally planted by God—a masterpiece of beauty and provision. The word Eden likely means “delight” or “pleasure,” signifying a place of perfect peace and abundance.

From its soil, God caused every tree to grow—trees pleasant to the sight and good for food (Genesis 2:9). Among them stood two significant trees:

• The Tree of Life — symbolizing immortality and divine fellowship.

• The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — representing moral choice and free will.

A river flowed out of Eden, splitting into four streams: Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel (Tigris), and Euphrates (Genesis 2:10–14). This description grounds Eden in real geography and emphasizes its abundance—gold, onyx, and aromatic resin flowed through its lands.

Here, Adam was placed to work and to keep the garden (Genesis 2:15). Work, therefore, was not a curse but a calling—a partnership with God in cultivation and care.

Section 4: The Command and the Choice – The Tree of Knowledge

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” — Genesis 2:16–17

This divine command introduced moral responsibility. Adam was free, yet not autonomous.
The garden provided plenty—but obedience would preserve its harmony. The tree was not magical but moral—it tested whether man would trust God’s wisdom above his own.

Freedom always comes with boundaries; true love must involve choice. Thus, Eden became both a paradise and a proving ground.

Section 5: The Creation of Woman – Bone of My Bones

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” — Genesis 2:18

For the first time in the creation narrative, something is “not good.” Man’s solitude was incomplete—he reflected God’s image, but not yet God’s relational nature.

God formed every beast and bird from the ground and brought them to Adam to be named (Genesis 2:19–20). In naming, Adam exercised authority and insight—but among them, “there was not found an help meet for him.”

Then God performed the first act of surgery:

“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof.” — Genesis 2:21

From Adam’s side, God fashioned a woman—not from his head to rule over him, nor from his feet to be trampled by him, but from his side—equal, beloved, close to his heart.

When Adam beheld her, his response was poetic joy:

“This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” — Genesis 2:23

Here begins the divine pattern of marriage:

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” — Genesis 2:24

Unity, intimacy, and equality were God’s design—without shame or fear:

“And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” — Genesis 2:25

In this innocence, humanity lived in perfect harmony—with God, with each other, and with creation.

Conclusion: The Divine Design of Rest, Work, and Relationship

Genesis Chapter 2 presents a breathtaking picture of God’s personal involvement in humanity’s story.
He rests to establish sacred time, forms man to bear His image, plants a garden to reveal His generosity, commands for moral purpose, and creates woman to fulfill relational harmony.

Three great truths shine through:

1. God desires relationship, not mere creation.
   His breath within humanity signifies His desire for intimate fellowship (Psalm 8:4–5).

2. Work and worship are divine gifts.
   Man’s duty to “dress and keep” Eden shows that purpose and responsibility predate sin (Colossians 3:23).

3. Marriage is holy and complementary.
   The first union in Eden models unity, love, and equality before the Fall (Ephesians 5:31–32).

Genesis 2 sets the stage for the great drama of redemption: a God who creates from love, gives freedom, and ultimately seeks restoration when that freedom is misused.

References

1. The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

2. Genesis 2:1–25 – The full text of the chapter

3. Genesis 1:31–2:3 – Completion of the creation week

4. Isaiah 64:8 – God as the potter and man as the clay

5. Job 33:4 – The breath of life from the Almighty

6. Psalm 8:4–5 – Humanity crowned with glory and honor

7. Exodus 20:8–11 – The Sabbath pattern

8. Mark 2:27 – “The sabbath was made for man”

9. Ephesians 5:31–32 – Marriage as a picture of divine unity

10. Colossians 3:23 – Work done as unto the Lord

Non-Biblical and Scholarly References

1. Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706) – Notes on Genesis 2.

2. John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis (1554).

3. C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves (1960) – Reflection on divine and human love.

4. A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (1948) – The intimacy between Creator and created.

5. R.C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith (1992) – The image of God and creation order.

6. John Milton, Paradise Lost (1667) – Literary portrayal of Eden’s perfection.

7. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, entry: “Eden.”

8. Merrill F. Unger, Bible Handbook (Moody Publishers, 1984).