Genesis 2:15
Genesis 2:15 in Multiple Translations
Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
And the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to do work in it and take care of it.
The Lord God put the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and care for it.
Then the Lord God tooke the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, that he might dresse it and keepe it.
And Jehovah God taketh the man, and causeth him to rest in the garden of Eden, to serve it, and to keep it.
The LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it.
And the Lord God took man, and put him into the paradise of pleasure, to dress it, and to keep it.
Yahweh God took the man and put him in Eden park/garden to till/cultivate it and take care of it.
God put the man into the garden in Eden and gave him some work to do. He had to look after the garden and make sure all the plants grew strong and healthy.
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 2:15
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Genesis 2:15 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יִּקַּ֛ח
יְהוָ֥ה
אֱלֹהִ֖ים
אֶת
הָֽ/אָדָ֑ם
וַ/יַּנִּחֵ֣/הוּ
בְ/גַן
עֵ֔דֶן
לְ/עָבְדָ֖/הּ
וּ/לְ/שָׁמְרָֽ/הּ
וַ/יִּקַּ֛ח
lâqach
H3947
to take
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
יְהוָ֥ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
אֱלֹהִ֖ים
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
God
N-mp
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM
הָֽ/אָדָ֑ם
ʼâdâm
H120
the man (Adam)
Art | N-ms
וַ/יַּנִּחֵ֣/הוּ
yânach
H3240
to rest
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
בְ/גַן
gan
H1588
garden
Prep | N-cs
עֵ֔דֶן
ʻÊden
H5731
Eden
N-proper
לְ/עָבְדָ֖/הּ
ʻâbad
H5647
to serve
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff
וּ/לְ/שָׁמְרָֽ/הּ
shâmar
H8104
to keep
Conj | Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 2:15
וַ/יִּקַּ֛ח
lâqach
H3947
"to take"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Definition: : take 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take, take in the hand 1a2) to take and carry along 1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away 1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept 1a5) to take up or upon, put upon 1a6) to fetch 1a7) to take, lead, conduct 1a8) to take, capture, seize 1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be taken away, be removed 1b3) to be taken, brought unto 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be taken from or out of 1c2) to be stolen from 1c3) to be taken captive 1c4) to be taken away, be removed 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto 1d2) to be taken out of 1d3) to be taken away 1e) (Hithpael) 1e1) to take hold of oneself 1e2) to flash about (of lightning)
Usage: Occurs in 909 OT verses. KJV: accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. See also: Genesis 2:15; Genesis 34:17; Exodus 30:23.
יְהוָ֥ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
"God"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Definition: This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 2246 OT verses. KJV: angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 22:12; Exodus 3:11.
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
הָֽ/אָדָ֑ם
ʼâdâm
H120
"the man (Adam)"
Art | N-ms
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Definition: The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19; married to Eve (H2332); father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33; Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121) man, human being
Usage: Occurs in 526 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person. See also: Genesis 1:26; Judges 18:7; Psalms 8:5.
וַ/יַּנִּחֵ֣/הוּ
yânach
H3240
"to rest"
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
To rest or settle down, implying a sense of calmness or stillness, as described in the Bible.
Definition: 1) to rest 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to rest, settle down and remain 1a2) to repose, have rest, be quiet 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to rest, give rest to, make quiet 1b2) to cause to rest, cause to alight, set down 1b3) to lay or set down, deposit, let lie, place 1b4) to let remain, leave 1b5) to leave, depart from 1b6) to abandon 1b7) to permit 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to obtain rest, be granted rest 1c2) to be left, be placed 1c3) open space (subst)
Usage: Occurs in 73 OT verses. KJV: bestow, cast down, lay (down, up), leave (off), let alone (remain), pacify, place, put, set (down), suffer, withdraw, withhold. (The Hiphil forms with the dagesh are here referred to, in accordance with the older grammarians; but if any distinction of the kind is to be made, these should rather be referred to H5117 (נוּחַ), and the others here.) See also: Genesis 2:15; 1 Kings 13:30; Psalms 17:14.
בְ/גַן
gan
H1588
"garden"
Prep | N-cs
The word for garden refers to an enclosed area, like the Garden of Eden. It can also symbolize a bride or a place for plants.
Definition: 1) garden, enclosure 1a) enclosed garden 1a1) (fig. of a bride) 1b) garden (of plants) 1c) Garden of Eden
Usage: Occurs in 37 OT verses. KJV: garden. See also: Genesis 2:8; 2 Kings 25:4; Isaiah 51:3.
עֵ֔דֶן
ʻÊden
H5731
"Eden"
N-proper
Eden refers to the garden where Adam and Eve lived, a place of pleasure and beauty. It is also the name of a person who lived during the Divided Monarchy. The word means pleasure in Hebrew.
Definition: A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ch.31.15 § Eden= "pleasure" the first habitat of man after the creation
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: Eden. See also: Genesis 2:8; 2 Chronicles 31:15; Isaiah 51:3.
לְ/עָבְדָ֖/הּ
ʻâbad
H5647
"to serve"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff
To serve or work is the meaning of this verb, which can also imply slavery or bondage, as seen in the story of the Israelites in Egypt. It is used to describe various types of work or service, including serving God or other people. The word has different forms and meanings in different contexts.
Definition: : serve[someone] 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
Usage: Occurs in 262 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper, See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 28:14; Psalms 2:11.
וּ/לְ/שָׁמְרָֽ/הּ
shâmar
H8104
"to keep"
Conj | Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff
To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.
Definition: : obey/observe 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep, have charge of 1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life 1a2a) watch, watchman (participle) 1a3) to watch for, wait for 1a4) to watch, observe 1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory) 1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain 1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow) 1a8) to keep, preserve, protect 1a9) to keep, reserve 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware 1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain 1b3) to be kept, be guarded 1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed 1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from
Usage: Occurs in 440 OT verses. KJV: beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man). See also: Genesis 2:15; Deuteronomy 11:1; 1 Kings 14:8.
Study Notes — Genesis 2:15
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Genesis 2:15 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Genesis 2:15
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 2:15
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
- Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
- Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
- Cambridge Bible on Genesis 2:15
- Barnes' Notes on Genesis 2:15
- Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
- Sermons on Genesis 2:15
Context — Man and Woman in the Garden
13The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the whole land of Cush.
14The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.
16And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, 17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 128:2 | For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours. |
| 2 | Genesis 2:8 | And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, where He placed the man He had formed. |
| 3 | Ephesians 4:28 | He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need. |
| 4 | Genesis 2:2 | And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. |
| 5 | Job 31:33 | if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart, |
Genesis 2:15 Summary
[God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to take care of it and have a relationship with Him, as seen in Genesis 2:15. This means that God wants us to take care of the things He has given us, like our families, our homes, and the earth. We can learn from the man in the Garden of Eden how to nurture our relationship with God, as mentioned in Genesis 3:8, and be good stewards of God's creation, as seen in Psalm 24:1. By doing so, we can experience God's love and provision in our lives, just like the man in the Garden of Eden.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'cultivate and keep' the Garden of Eden?
To cultivate and keep the Garden of Eden means to take care of it, nurture it, and protect it, as seen in Genesis 2:15. This is similar to the responsibility God gives humans in Psalm 24:1, where we are told that the earth belongs to the Lord, but we are to be good stewards of it.
Why did God place the man in the Garden of Eden?
God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to have a relationship with him and to give him a purpose, which was to cultivate and keep the garden, as stated in Genesis 2:15. This relationship is also seen in Genesis 3:8, where God walks with the man in the garden.
What is the significance of the Garden of Eden in the Bible?
The Garden of Eden is significant in the Bible as it represents a paradise created by God, where humans can live in harmony with Him, as seen in Genesis 2:8-14. It also serves as a symbol of God's love and provision for humanity, as mentioned in Genesis 2:9, where the tree of life is found.
How does this verse relate to our lives today?
This verse relates to our lives today as it reminds us of our responsibility to take care of the earth, as seen in Genesis 2:15, and to be good stewards of God's creation, as mentioned in Psalm 24:1. We are also called to have a personal relationship with God, just like the man in the Garden of Eden, as seen in John 17:3.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean to 'cultivate and keep' the things God has given me in my life?
- How can I nurture my relationship with God, just like the man in the Garden of Eden?
- What are some ways I can be a good steward of God's creation, as seen in Genesis 2:15 and Psalm 24:1?
- How can I balance my responsibility to take care of the earth with my daily life and priorities?
- What does this verse teach me about God's love and provision for me?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 2:15
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden,.... This is observed before in Genesis 2:8 and is here repeated to introduce what follows; and is to be understood not of a
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 2:15
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. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
Put him, i.e. commanded and inclined him to go. To prune, dress, and order the trees and herbs of the garden, and to keep it from the annoyance of beasts, which being unreasonable creatures, and allowed the use of herbs, might easily spoil the beauty of it.
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.Ver. 15. To dress it, and to keep it.] This he did as without necessity, so without pains, without weariness. It was rather his recreation than his occupation. He laboured now by an ordinance; it was after his fall laid upon him as a punishment, to eat his bread in the sweat of his nose. God never made any, as he made Leviathan, to sport himself only; or to do, as it is said of the people of Tombutum in Africa, that they spend their whole time in piping and dancing; but to "work," either "with his hands" or his head, "in the sweat of his brow," or of his brain, "the thing that is good"; and with how much the more cheerfulness any one goeth about his business, by so much the nearer he cometh to his paradise.
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
(15) And the Lord God took the man (the adam), and put him into the garden of Eden.—The narrative now reverts to Genesis 2:8, but the word translated put is not the same in both places. Here it literally means He made him rest, that is, He gave it to him as his permanent and settled dwelling. To dress it and to keep it.—The first word literally means to work it; for though a paradise, yet the garden had to be tilled and planted. Seeds must be sown and the cultivated plots kept in order; but all this really added to Adam’s happiness, because the adâmâh, as yet uncursed, responded willingly to the husbandman’s care. The other word, “to keep it,” implies, however, some difficulty and danger. Though no unpropitious weather, nor blight nor mildew, spoiled the crop, yet apparently it had to be guarded against the incursion of wild animals and birds, and protected even against the violence of winds and the burning heat of the sun.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
Verse 15. Put him into the garden - to dress it, and to keep it.] Horticulture, or gardening, is the first kind of employment on record, and that in which man was engaged while in a state of perfection and innocence. Though the garden may be supposed to produce all things spontaneously, as the whole vegetable surface of the earth certainly did at the creation, yet dressing and tilling were afterwards necessary to maintain the different kinds of plants and vegetables in their perfection, and to repress luxuriance. Even in a state of innocence we cannot conceive it possible that man could have been happy if inactive. God gave him work to do, and his employment contributed to his happiness; for the structure of his body, as well as of his mind, plainly proves that he was never intended for a merely contemplative life.
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 2:15
15. This verse resumes the subject matter of Gen 2:9, which has been interrupted by the description of the rivers. to dress it and to keep it] The Lord God puts man into the garden for a life, not of indolence, but of labour. “To dress it,” that is to cultivate the soil, tend and prune the trees: “to keep it,” that is to defend it from depredation by animals, or from the evils arising from unchecked luxuriance. In other words, he is given, from the first, his work to do by which he is (1) to improve his surroundings, (2) to provide for the necessities of life, (3) to protect from waste or loss that which is committed to his care. This work will exact abundant physical effort; it will exercise his powers of observation and judgement; it will furnish him with food for his body, and with thought for his mind. Notice, that the garden requires to be dressed and kept; it is not a place of spontaneous perfection. Man in the garden is to work, to take trouble, to practise forethought, to exercise solicitude and sympathy for the objects of his toil. “Paradise” is not a place for indolence and self-indulgence.
Barnes' Notes on Genesis 2:15
- XII. The Command 15. נוּח nûach “rest, dwell.” עבד ‛ābad “work, till, serve.” שׁמר shāmar “keep, guard.” We have here the education of man summed up in a single sentence.
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 2:15
15. Took the man — See note on Genesis 2:8. To dress it and to keep it — The world was made for man, and it became his noble intellect and skillful hand to give direction to its growths.
Sermons on Genesis 2:15
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Biblical Family) Biblical Manhood - Part 1 by Voddie Baucham | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the topic of biblical manhood and what qualities a man must possess to reflect it. The first quality mentioned is a commitment to God-honoring |
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(Godly Courtship) 01 Godly Courtship (Part 1) by Denny Kenaston | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the mysterious missing element in a young man that leads him to leave his parents and cleave to his wife. The speaker refers to Ephesians cha |
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(Genesis) Genesis 2:15-17 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He emphasizes that God gave man dominion over nature and placed him in the garden to take c |
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Through the Bible - Exodus - Part 2 by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the tabernacle described in the book of Exodus. He explains that the tabernacle is a picture of the body of Christ, with believers closely hel |
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Surrender at the Cross by David Ravenhill | In this sermon, the speaker, an old man named James, addresses a young couple who are excitedly talking about their future plans and dreams. James expresses his concern that they h |
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(Genesis) - Part 6 by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of hard work and discipline in the life of a believer. He references the example of Paul, who worked tirelessly and faced hard |
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Ye Are Come to Zion - Part 3 by T. Austin-Sparks | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of the message being shared during their gatherings. They express concern that the teachings should not just be ideas or conce |