Genesis 2:9

“And YHWH Elohim made every tree sprout from the ground that is pleasing to the sight and good for food, and the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
Genesis 2:9 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

AndוַYHWHיְהוָהElohimאֱלֹהִיםmadeיַּצְמַחeveryכָּלtreeעֵץsproutיַּצְמַחfrom the groundמִן הָאֲדָמָהthat ispleasingנֶחְמָדto the sightלְמַרְאֶהand goodוְטוֹבfor food,לְמַאֲכָלand the treeוְעֵץof lifeהַחַיִּיםin the middleבְּתוֹךְof the garden,הַגָּןand the treeוְעֵץof the knowledgeהַדַּעַתof goodטוֹבand evil.וָרָע

Allusion · Revelation 2:7

Go to Revelation 2:7

Both texts name “the tree of life”: in Genesis 2:9, in the middle of the garden; in Revelation 2:7, in the paradise of God.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

עֵץetsH6086ξύλουxylouG3586“tree, wood”
חַיִּיםjayimH2416ζωῆςzōēsG2222“living; animal”

Allusion · Revelation 22:2

Go to Revelation 22:2

Both texts name “the tree of life”; Genesis 3:22-24 tells that the way to it was closed off.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

עֵץetsH6086ξύλονxylonG3586“tree, wood”
חַיִּיםjayimH2416ζωῆςzōēsG2222“living; animal”

Genesis 2:9, 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

madeיַּצְמַחyatsmach

sprout

Sprout, spring up; begin to grow.

Where else “yatsmach” appears

treeעֵץets

tree

A tall plant with trunk and branches, giving fruit, shade or timber.

Where else “ets” appears

from the groundאֲדָמָהadama

soil

Farmland, or dust.

Where else “adama” appears

pleasingנֶחְמָדnechmad

precious

What is desirable, valuable.

Where else “nechmad” appears

to the sightמַרְאֶהmare

sight

What is seen; how something appears before the eyes.

Where else “mare” appears

and goodטוֹבtov

good

What is as it should be and gives delight: sound, useful, beautiful or valuable.

Where else “tov” appears

for foodמַאֲכָלmaachal

food

Food.

Where else “maachal” appears

of lifeחַיִּיםchayim

life

The span and strength of being alive, which come from God.

Where else “chayim” appears

in the middleתוֹךְtoch

midst

The central point of something, or the company of several: in the midst of them.

Where else “toch” appears

of the gardenגָּןgan

garden

Garden: an enclosed and tended piece of land, with trees and water.

Where else “gan” appears

of the knowledgeדַּעַתdaat

knowledge

What one has learned; or a close bond with God.

Where else “daat” appears

and evilרָעra

evil

What is evil, the opposite of good.

Where else “ra” appears

The context

8And YHWH Elohim planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

9 · This verse (above)

10And a river went out from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four branches.

Read all of Genesis 2

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?

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