Genesis 2:9

Genesis 2:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Context of Genesis 2:9

7then the Lord God formed [that is, created the body of] man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit]. 8And the Lord God planted a garden (oasis) in the east, in Eden (delight, land of happiness); and He put the man whom He had formed (created) there. And [in that garden] the Lord God caused to grow from the ground every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the [experiential] knowledge (recognition) of [the difference between] good and evil. 10Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four [branching] rivers. 11The first [river] is named Pishon; it flows around the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.

Genesis 2:9 word by word

וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כָּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And outמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• of the groundאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
• madeצָמַחtsâmach · to springH6779
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• every treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• that is pleasantחָמַדchâmad · to desireH2530
• to the sightמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
• and goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• for foodמַאֲכָלma'ăkâl · foodH3978
• of lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• also in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• of the gardenגַּןgan · gardenH1588
• of knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
• of goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
• and evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451

Cross-references for Genesis 2:9

• Ezekiel 31:8The cedars in the garden of God could not hide or rival it; The cypress trees did not have boughs like it, And the plane trees did not have branches like it. No tree in the garden of God was like it in its beauty.
• Genesis 3:22And the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), knowing [how to distinguish between] good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take from the tree of life as well, and eat [its fruit], and live [in this fallen, sinful condition] forever”—
• Proverbs 3:18She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy [blessed, considered fortunate, to be admired] is everyone who holds her tightly.
• Proverbs 11:30The fruit of the [consistently] righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise captures and wins souls [for God—he gathers them for eternity].
• Ezekiel 47:12By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They shall bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
• John 6:48I am the Bread of Life [the Living Bread which gives and sustains life].
• Revelation 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege] to eat [the fruit] from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’
• Revelation 22:2in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
• Genesis 2:17but [only] from the tree of the knowledge (recognition) of good and evil you shall not eat, otherwise on the day that you eat from it, you shall most certainly die [because of your disobedience].”
• Genesis 3:3except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You shall not eat from it nor touch it, otherwise you will die.’ ”
• Deuteronomy 6:25It will be [considered] righteousness for us [that is, right standing with God] if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God—just as He has commanded us.
• Isaiah 44:25Frustrating the signs and confounding the omens of boasters (false prophets), Making fools out of fortune-tellers, Counteracting the wise And making their knowledge ridiculous,
• Isaiah 47:10For you [Babylon] have trusted and felt confident in your wickedness; you have said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and your knowledge have led you astray, And you have said in your heart (mind), ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’
• 1 Corinthians 8:1Now about food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge [concerning this]. Knowledge [alone] makes [people self-righteously] arrogant, but love [that unselfishly seeks the best for others] builds up and encourages others to grow [in wisdom].

Commentaries on Genesis 2:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Every tree that is pleasant to the sight, etc. - If we take up these expressions literally, they may bear the following interpretation: the tree pleasant to the sight may mean every beautiful tree or plant which for shape, color, or fragrance, delights the senses, such as flowering shrubs, etc. And good for food - All fruit-bearing trees, whether of the pulpy fruits, as apples, etc., or of the kernel or nut kind, such as dates, and nuts of different…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 - XI. The Garden 8. גן gan “garden, park,” ́ paradeisos “an enclosed piece of ground.” עדן ‛ēden “Eden, delight.” קדם qedem “fore-place, east; foretime.” 11. פישׁון pı̂yshôn Pishon; related: “flow over, spread, leap.” חוילה chăvı̂ylâh Chavilah. חול chôl “sand.” חבל chebel “region.” 12. בדלם bedolam ̓́ anthrax “carbuncle,” (Septuagint) ́ bdellion a gum of eastern countries, Arabia, India, Media (Josephus, etc.). The pearl (Kimchi). שׁהם…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 The place fixed upon for Adam to dwell in, was not a palace, but a garden. The better we take up with plain things, and the less we seek things to gratify pride and luxury, the nearer we approach to innocency. Nature is content with a little, and that which is most natural; grace with less; but lust craves every thing, and is content with nothing. No delights can be satisfying to the soul, but those which God himself has provided and appointed…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Beauty and abundance characterized humanity's original environment (see 13:10). the tree of life: This represented God's presence and care. Eating from it would give everlasting life (3:22), making it a powerful image for later Israelite and Christian thought (Proverbs 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19). The candlestick in Israel’s tabernacle may have been a stylized representation of the tree of life (Exodus 25:31–35). Eating the fruit…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. tree of life--so called from its symbolic character as a sign and seal of immortal life. Its prominent position where it must have been an object of daily observation and interest, was admirably fitted to keep man habitually in mind of God and futurity. tree of the knowledge of good and evil--so called because it was a test of obedience by which our first parents were to be tried, whether they would be good or bad, obey God or break His commands.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 2:9

• Eden
• God
• Ground
• Knowledge
• Life
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Tree
• Types

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Tree of life
• Adam
• Alone
• Bdellium
• Bless
• Breathe
• Cleave
• Close

Commentaries on Genesis 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings