Genesis 2:4-15

Genesis 2:4–15

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

5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we open God’s Word to Genesis 2:4–15—a passage that takes us from the sweeping, cosmic creation of chapter 1 into the intimate, personal shaping of humanity’s dwelling place and vocation. In these verses, we see God not only as the Almighty Creator, but also as the personal Covenant Lord. Let us hear the Word of God:

Gen. 2:4

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

Moses begins with the phrase, “These are the generations…” This is a toledot formula—a structure used throughout Genesis to trace the development of God's purposes through history. The formula often introduces a new section of the text, sometimes followed by a genealogy, but also sometimes followed by a narrative account.  What follows is not a second creation account, but a zoomed-in look at the creation of man in covenant with God.

Vv. 5-6

5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—

In verses 5–6, we learn that no shrub or plant had yet sprung up—why? Two reasons: the LORD had not yet caused rain, and there was no man to work the ground. This tells us something critical: God's design for creation included humanity as a steward. The earth was never meant to be wild and abandoned. It was always intended to be cultivated under man’s care. God’s creation is not autonomous—it was made to function under His sovereign governance and covenantal order.

Take note, also, the shift in the name of God: from “God” (Elohim) in Genesis 1 to “LORD God” (Yahweh Elohim) in chapter 2. This signals a move from the Creator’s majesty to the Covenant LORD’s intimacy. Yahweh is the name by which God reveals Himself to His covenant people.

Vv. 7

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

Here is one of the most tender and profound images in all of Scripture: God, like a potter, forms man from the dust—intimately, personally. But man is not merely dust. God breathes into him the breath of life, and man becomes a living being. Humanity is both earthly and spiritual, reflecting heaven and earth, made for communion with God.

Vv. 8-9

8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God then plants a garden in Eden—and plants it for man. Note the intentionality: God is the first gardener. He prepares a place not just for survival, but for flourishing. In it are trees that are “pleasing to the eye and good for food.” God’s provision is abundant, aesthetic, and nourishing. But at the center of the garden, God places two specific trees:

• The Tree of Life

• The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

These are not magical trees; they are sacramental signs. They are means of covenantal blessing or curse. The Tree of Life represents God’s promise of eternal life in fellowship with Him. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is a probationary test: Will man trust God's wisdom, or will he seek to define good and evil on his own?

Vv. 10-14

10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Verses 10–14 may feel like a digression, but they’re not. The river that waters the garden flows out to the whole earth, splitting into four rivers. The names of the rivers—Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates—tie the garden to real geography, grounding it in history. But more than that, the imagery tells us that life flows from the presence of God.

The Garden of Eden is not just a paradise—it is a sanctuary, a proto-temple, where God dwells with man. Just as the temple in Jerusalem had rivers and golden vessels, so too, Eden has gold, bdellium, and onyx. The imagery anticipates the tabernacle and later the new creation.

Revelation 22:1–2

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Eden is the beginning of God’s redemptive story.

Vv. 15

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

Two Hebrew words here are crucial:

• "Work" (ʿābad) – to serve, to cultivate

• "Keep" (šāmar) – to guard, to protect

These are priestly terms. Later in Scripture, the same words are used for Levites serving in the tabernacle.

Numbers 3:7–8

7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. 8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle.

Adam is not just a gardener—he is a priest-king. He is to guard the sanctuary, worship God through his labor, and expand the boundaries of the garden until all the earth reflects God’s glory.

This is the original human vocation: to live under God’s lordship, in loving obedience, reflecting His image, stewarding His creation, and expanding His kingdom.

So then how are we to live in light of these truths? Here are four takeaways in response to the text.

1. God's Covenant is Personal and Purposeful

We are not accidents. God formed us with care, and placed us where we are for a purpose. In Christ, the second Adam, God restores us to that purpose—to be priests and kings in His service.

1 Peter 2:9

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Rev. 5:10

10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

2. Our Work is Worship

Work is not a result of the Fall—it was part of paradise. Whatever your job, if done unto the Lord, it is sacred. Do you see your labor as part of God’s calling?

3. God’s Presence is the Source of Life

The rivers flowing from Eden remind us that all flourishing begins in God’s presence. Jesus Christ is the true Temple and the river of living water.

John 7:38

38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’

Apart from Him, we are dust. In Him, we are made alive.

4. Christ is the Greater Adam

Where Adam failed to keep and guard the garden, Jesus fulfilled the covenant. He obeyed, suffered, and rose again—so that through Him, we might return to the true Eden: communion with God, forever.

Genesis 2:4–15 is not merely a story about ancient origins. It is about God’s covenantal purpose in creation, our dignity and calling, and the beginning of the redemptive drama that leads to Jesus Christ. May we see in Eden not just a lost paradise—but a foreshadowing of the new heavens and new earth, where we shall once again walk with God in the cool of the day. Soli Deo Gloria!