Gen. 2:2,3 Rested means that God did not continue creating after all the work he did had ended. The seventh day: created for the good of the human being, the day of rest was ordained by God and he sanctified it in the sense that those who observe it will receive divine blessings. Thus, God established the seven-day week as part of the universal order.

Gen. 2:4 Origins: Literally "generations", which means "lineage", a word which appears eleven times in Genesis; a term usually used to introduce a new genealogy or narration. This chapter presents creation from a different perspective, more centered and localized on the human beings.

Gen. 2:5,6 Putting aside many of the details contained in chapter 1, these verses correspond to 1:2. A mist: Probably "a shower" or "fresh water from the ocean"; the water of the deep apparently appeared on the still undefined land (continents).

Gen. 2:7 Formed: Six of the Hebrew terms used in these first chapters to describe the process of the Creation are very similar, so much so that modern translators employ different words on each occasion so that the reader knows he's confronted with a distinct Hebrew term. These all apply to God's creative activity: bara' (1:1), "to create"; 'asah (1:7), "to make"; nathan (1:17), "to put"; yatsar (2:7) "to form"; banah (2:22) "to make" or "to build"; and qanah (4:1; 14:19), "to create", "to possess, own" or "to purchase, acquire". This was a very special moment when the Creator blew into his nose the breath of life. "In him was the life" (John 1:4) and he gave to humanity this precious life that only God could give.

Gen. 2:8 A garden refers to a real place; it's not a mere allegory. In Eden, to the east: Indicates a region that is found east of present-day Israel, somewhere in Mesopotamia or Arabia.

Gen. 2:9 In this fertile reserve, the two trees are found, around which all of human history would revolve from that point on. They might have been the physical means God used to communicate spiritual realities. The tree of life is associated with the life of God, including immortality. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents human autonomy, that is, to govern himself and assume an independent posture before God in all spheres of life.

Gen. 2:10-14 Two of the four rivers have been identified: Hidikel (the Tigris) and the Euphrates. Bdellium is an aromatic yellowish resin.

Gen. 2:17 The tragedy of human autonomy is evident in the divine warning: you shall surely die. Human autonomy includes death, which extends to the spiritual, moral, social, relational and, ultimately, physical being.

Gen. 2:18 Helpmeet: Indicates that Adam wasn't capable of achieving by himself everything he was called to be and do. Suitable for him denotes a compliment to him. The helpmeet is necessary for daily work, procreation, and help and mutual companionship.

Gen. 2:19 That is its name: Confirms that which God had said to man in chapter 1: "and rule over the earth and its creatures. The one who holds authority is called to name those members of the community for whom he is responsible.

Gen 2:21 one of his ribs: As in other miracles in the Scripture, God begins with a "piece", like the dish of food with which Elijah was fed for two and a half years, and the bread and fish with which Jesus fed the 5,000 people. The rib was probably selected as a symbolic spot of Adam's most intimate anatomy.

Gen. 2:24 will leave: Connotes a change of priorities for whoever marries. And will be joined contains the idea of loving passion and, at the same time, permanence. Only one flesh has several implications, which include sexual union, conception of children, spiritual and emotional intimacy, and showing the same respect that is reserved for parents or close family. This is complimented in the New Testament, where it is explained that Christian spouses are furthermore brothers and sisters to each other.

SIN, ITS CONSEQUENCES, AND GOD'S SAVING GRACE (GEN 3:1-10:32) (HBH)

The privilege of dominion also carried responsibility and limitation. Being placed in the garden to "work it an watch over it" represented human responsibility (2:15). The tree in the midst of the garden from which humans should not eat represented those areas of dominion reserved to Yahweh alone. The man and woman, however, disobeyed GOD and ate of the tree. They "died" with respect to their covenant privileges (2:17) and suffered the indictment and judgment of their Sovereign (3:14-19,22-24). This entailed suffering and sorrow and eventual physical death. GOD had created man and woman to enjoy fellowship with Himself and with each other. Their disobedience alienated them from GOD and each other.

The Pattern of sin and its consequences set in the garden is replayed throughout Genesis in the accounts of Cain, the generation of the flood, and the men of Sodom. The fall means that we humans are predisposed to sin. Though GOD punishes sin, sin does not thwart GOD's ultimate, gracious purpose for His human creation. Embedded in the curse was the gleam of a promise that the offspring of the woman would someday lead the human race to triumph (3:15).

The consequences of sin became clear in the second generation when Cain, the oldest son, killed Abel his brother (4:8). Just as his parents had been expelled from the presence of GOD in the garden (3:23), so now Cain was expelled from human society to undertake a nomadic life in the east (4:16). Embedded in the curse was the gleam of grace, the "mark on Cain" (4:15), symbolizing GOD's protection.

Gen. 3:1-24 This chapter, about the fall of humanity, introduces two dominant themes in the theology of the Old Testament:

1. God is a person and is a savior God;
2. The human being is a sinner.

Gen. 3:1-5 See TRUTH IN ACTION at the end of Genesis.

Gen. 3:1 The serpent is identified in Rev. 12:9 as the same as Satan, here in a corporeal form. It's not clear why he chose the serpent from amongst all the animals...that Jehovah God had made. So! God has said: "All this isn't sufficient", suggests the tempter. "You can have more!" The question was easily rephrased: of every tree?

Gen. 3:2,3 The woman's response reveals her original innocence, but the serpent made her reconsider the subject.

Gen. 3:4 This shameless lie can be translated: "Die? You won't die!" That is to say, "God has falsely threatened you with death".

Gen. 3:5 You will be like God: The tempting thirst for power can be inexhaustable, even when people have all their needs covered. Knowing includes the significance of "experiencing"; which might now be making it a greater challenge: "God is depriving them of something good (self-sufficiency) in order to keep them dependent on Him".

Gen. 3:6 See TRUTH IN ACTION at the end of Genesis.

Gen. 3:6 The desire to achieve wisdom seems reasonable to the woman. Unfortunately, her definition of wisdom was human autonomy, not dependence on God, as is taught in Prov. 1:7.

Gen. 3:7 Were naked The new "wisdom" obtained by Adam and Eve didn't bring them the promised knowledge of good and evil, but the shame of discovering that they were naked.

Gen. 3:8 Sinners have always hidden from the presence of God, and will continue doing so: "Let us hide from the face of him who is seated on the throne". (Rev. 6:16)

Gen. 3:9 Jehovah God didn't ask out of ignorance, but as a father who directs a disobedient son to tell him, "What have you been doing?"

Gen. 3:12,13 Another human weakness appears for the first time: the man blames the woman and God. The woman also tries to avoid the blame.

Gen. 3:14,15 You will be cursed contains the idea of being under God's justice. Although the exact significance of how the serpent had ben cursed among all the beasts isn't clear, Paul later confirmed the idea that all of creation was affected by Adam's fall (Rom. 8:20-22). Upon your belly you will walk doesn't mean that the serpent had had feet before; rather it appears to be a poetic way of speaking that the animal world could not recover for itself the position it had prior to the fall. You will eat dust is also symbolic of extreme humiliation.

The New Testament allusions to verse 15 (Rom. 16:20; Heb. 2:14; Rev. 12) seem to indicate that the cursing of the serpent had a more extensive applications. Interpreted messianically, enmity represents the conflict between Satan (thy seed) and the people of God, especially Jesus Christ (her seed). It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel alludes to the great struggle between good and evil, that God won in the end by means of Jesus Christ, the second Adam. Verse 15 is often cited a the first messianic prophecy of the Old Testament, the "Proto-gospel".