Genesis 2.4-4.26

Life In and Out of the Garden (Genesis 2-4)

This section begins with the first toledot statement in Genesis: "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created." The idea of this introduction is, "This is what came forth from the heavens and the earth..." These stories build upon the creation story of chapter one to describe what became of the good land God prepared for his creatures, as well as what happened to the humans he made and put there.

Some call this section (especially chapter 2) a "second creation account." In the prehistory of the text, this narrative may have stood on its own, however, it is not accurate to imply that the author who put chapters 1-4 together is setting two creation stories side by side without relating them to one another.

For in its context this is not really a "creation" story, despite the fact that it depicts God forming the Adam and the first woman. The focus of the narrative is a ground-level view of what happened to the land and the people (introduced in ch. 1) who were put there as God's representatives. This narrative further explicates what it means that God provided a good land, what it means that he made people in his image, and what his purpose was in making them male and female.

THE GOOD LAND (2.4-17)
The land is first described in its pre-fall condition (2.5-6): no curse had yet made it so that man had to cultivate the plants of the field by the sweat of his brow, and the Lord had not yet sent the rains of the flood upon the land. God's good provision is seen in the fact that it was a well-irrigated, fertile, abundant place.

The Adam is created (2.7). The man (adam) is formed from the dust of the ground (adamah). The human being is described in two ways: (1) of dust, (2) filled with the breath of life from God. In one sense, humans are creatures like all the others, brought forth from the ground (1.24). In another sense, humans are made in God's image and likeness (1.26), filled with his divine breath.

(2.8-14) The garden is planted in Eden (the "land" of ch. 1), and the Adam is put there, with every provision for his nourishment. Two particular trees are mentioned but not explained, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil. Verses 10-14 describe the precious stones and rivers of the land. As many have noted, these descriptions of beauty and verdancy bring to mind the richly decorated Tabernacle (and Temple) and reinforce the concept that the land is God's dwelling place, wherein humankind is blessed. The rivers most likely mark the boundaries of the Promised Land later given to Abraham (Gen 15.18ff).

In 2.15-17, the Adam is put in the Garden. "Put" is a special verb that implies being "made to rest" and is also used to describe the "consecration" of the priests in the Tabernacle. Adam rested in God's provision and was called to serve him as a priest in the Garden. This duty is further specified in the subsequent phrase, "to till it and keep it". These words are better rendered, "for serving and for keeping". Humans were not created to be gardeners, but priests. Their duty before God (in whatever their specific activity) was to worship (serve) and obey (keep).

2.18-25 is the climactic conclusion of the Garden narrative. In order to fully display God's image and fulfill his priestly responsibility, the Adam must have partner. And so, a female "like him" is formed from the man's side, brought to him, the Adam recognizes her and names her "Woman". The author then interjects an editorial comment affirming that this is why we continue to follow God's good plan of marriage. In context this relationship is portrayed as an ultimate illustration that God provides "the good" for his creatures. 2.25 envisions perfect harmony between the Adam and the Woman and a lack of sinful shame.

EXILE FROM THE GOOD LAND (Ch. 3)
Gen 2.25 provides a transition into the themes of the next narrative. Those who were "naked and not ashamed" will be tempted by the "crafty" serpent (a Hebrew word that sounds like "naked"), their eyes will be opened and they will discover, in distress and shame, that they are "naked" (a different word, one which implies being shamed by enemies—Deut 28.48).

The temptation and first sin are described in 3.1-7. As we watch, the serpent questions God's word, the woman misinterprets God's command (making it even more strict), and then the serpent flatly contradicts God's warning. The woman falls for it, and she and the Adam eat of the forbidden fruit. They realize the shame of their nakedness, and try to cover themselves. A turning point in this passage is when "the woman saw that the tree was good..." Throughout these early narratives, it is God who sees that "the good" is provided for humankind. When people try to see to getting the good for themselves, that's when trouble arises. This will be a consistent theme throughout Genesis (e.g. 6.1-2, 12.10-11).

God confronts them (3.8-24). English translations make it sound like God was taking a stroll through the Garden when he responded to the first sin. The Hebrew text pictures this rather like the people being terrified before the Lord at Mt. Sinai or God in his awesome majesty confronting Job in the whirlwind. Needless to say, Adam and Eve hide themselves. As God approaches and confronts them, note that he does so in questions, not accusations. Graciously, he allows them to speak for themselves, though their first responses are anything but repentant.

God pronounces judgment on the serpent (3.14-15), the woman (3.16), and the man (3.17-19). The serpent is cursed to ultimate defeat. The woman is subjected to pain in childbirth and perpetual conflict in marriage. The man is subjected to the hard toil of bringing forth food from a cursed ground, the ground to which he will return in death. (See my earlier study for the significance of Genesis 3.15.)

In the aftermath of this tragedy, Eve receives her name and God clothes their nakedness with animal skins (the first sacrifice that covered sin). The word for "garments" in this text is the same word describing the priests' tunics later in the Torah. Covered by God's grace, they remain his representatives in the world. However, they are cast from the good land itself. Separated from the Tree of Life, God casts them from the garden, and sets angels to guard its entrance. This reality will be represented in the Tabernacle, the holy dwelling place of God, where humans are forbidden to enter except when utilizing God's means of atonement. We will also see intimations of these angels again in the Torah (e.g. in Jacob's life—Gen 29.10-22, 32.1-2, 32.22-32) as guardians at the borders of the Promised Land. This once more suggests that we should identify Eden with that land.

LIFE OUTSIDE THE LAND (Ch. 4)
The first child born in the Bible is Cain. Eve's words may suggest that she is taking credit for bringing forth a child, as God had created the man. She then had a second son, Abel. This story initiates the theme of the chosen younger son that will dominate the patriarchal narratives. It also sets forth proper worship as the primary concern of life outside the Garden. Cain and Abel bring "offerings" (not sacrifices) from their respective vocations. There is no indication that Cain's was rejected because it was from the soil rather than the flock. Instead, the text by subtle means shows that Abel brought his offering in faith, while Cain did not. Ultimately, it is Cain's reaction that reveals his heart. Anger opens the door for temptation, he is overcome, and he rises up and slays his younger brother.

Cain's reaction to God's confrontation (once again, in questions) has typically been seen as remorse rather than repentance. However, his words may be understood as, "My iniquity is too much for me to bear"—a statement of sorrow for his sin. As John Sailhamer has observed in his analysis of this passage, the entire section is filled with language that anticipates later Mosaic laws about the cities of refuge, which were set up to ensure justice for those who kill. The "mark" of Cain in this passage may therefore actually be the city that he built and where his descendants lived. In the key poetic passage at the end of the chapter we read the words of Lamech, which may be interpreted as his appeal for justice in the light of an act of self-defense.

The chapter returns to the theme of genuine worship at the end. And Eve, perhaps chastened by being ultimately unable to protect what she thought she had created by herself (4.1), now recognizes God as the One who graciously gave them their new son, Seth.

CONCLUSION
The echoes of Deuteronomy 30 are all over these chapters. The same themes resonate again and again:

1. God provides the good land for his people.
2. From the good land, God's people are called to be his priestly representatives in the world.
   
3. God gives his commandments to his people that they may enjoy the good land.
4. Disobeying God's commandments will lead to exile from the good land.
5. God graciously provides a covering for his people who sin.
6. It is essential that God's people approach him in faith when they worship.
7. In his goodness, God provides refuge and justice for the community of his people.
   

See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30.15-20)

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