16
AndוַYHWHיְהוָהElohimאֱלֹהִיםcommandedיְצַוthe man,עַל הָאָדָםsaying,לֵאמֹר“From everyמִכֹּלtreeעֵץof the gardenהַגָּןyou may freelyאָכֹלeat;תֹּאכֵל
Genesis 2:16
Study it in the app“And YHWH Elohim commanded the man, saying, “From every tree of the garden you may freely eat;”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 2:16, word by word
- YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- Elohimאֱלֹהִיםelohim
Elohim
The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.
Where else “elohim” appears- commandedיְצַוyetsav
command
To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".
Where else “yetsav” appears- the manאָדָםadam
Adam
Adam, the first man.
Where else “adam” appears- sayingאמֹרmor
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “mor” appears- treeעֵץets
tree
A tall plant with trunk and branches, giving fruit, shade or timber.
Where else “ets” appears- of the gardenגָּןgan
garden
Garden: an enclosed and tended piece of land, with trees and water.
Where else “gan” appears- you may freelyאָכֹלachol
eat
To bring food to the mouth and swallow it, above all at a shared table.
Where else “achol” appears
The context
15And YHWH Elohim took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and to keep it.
16 · This verse (above)
17but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat from it, for in the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.”
To study Genesis 2 in a group
1. What it says
How did YHWH Elohim form the man, and what did he give him so that he became a living being (v. 7)?
2. What it means
Why does YHWH Elohim say it is not good for the man to be alone (v. 18)?
3. How I live it
What friendship or relationship can you care for this week so you do not walk alone?