Genesis 2:21

Genesis 2:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
• New International Version (NIV)So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

Context of Genesis 2:21

19The Lord God formed out of the ground every living animal of the field and every bird of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them, and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20So the man named all the animals, the birds of the air, and the living creatures of the field, but for Adam no companion who corresponded to him was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man’s side and closed up the place with flesh. 22Then the Lord God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23Then the man said, “This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”

Genesis 2:21 word by word

וַיַּפֵּל֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים׀ תַּרְדֵּמָ֛ה עַל־הָאָדָ֖ם וַיִּישָׁ֑ן וַיִּקַּ֗ח אַחַת֙ מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר בָּשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• causedנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• a deep sleepתַּרְדֵּמָהtardêmâh · deep sleepH8639
• to fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• upon Adamאָדָם'âdâm · AdamH121
• and he sleptיָשֵׁןyâshên · to sleepH3462
• and he tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• of his ribsצֵלָעtsêlâ‛ tsal‛âh · sideH6763
• and closed upסָגַרsâgar · to shutH5462
• the fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320

Cross-references for Genesis 2:21

• Genesis 15:12When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him.
• 1 Samuel 26:12So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got out of there. No one saw them or was aware of their presence or woke up. All of them were asleep, for the Lord had caused a deep sleep to fall on them.
• Job 4:13In the troubling thoughts of the dreams in the night when a deep sleep falls on men,
• Job 33:15In a dream, a night vision, when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in their beds.
• Proverbs 19:15Laziness brings on a deep sleep, and the idle person will go hungry.
• Daniel 8:18As he spoke with me, I fell into a trance with my face to the ground. But he touched me and stood me upright.

Commentaries on Genesis 2:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, etc. - This was neither swoon nor ecstasy, but what our translation very properly terms a deep sleep. And he took one of his ribs - It is immaterial whether we render צלע tsela a rib, or a part of his side, for it may mean either: some part of man was to be used on the occasion, whether bone or flesh it matters not; though it is likely, from verse Genesis 2:23, that a part of both was taken; for Adam…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21- XIV. The Woman 21. תרדמה tardēmâh “deep sleep,” ̓́ ekstasis Septuagint. צלע tsēlā‛ “rib, side, wing of a building.” 23. פעם pa‛am “beat, stroke, tread, anvil.” אישׁ 'ı̂ysh “man,” vir. אשׁה 'āshah “be firm, as a foundation;” ישׁה yāshah “be firm as a substance;” אנש 'ānash “be strong;” אושׁ 'ûsh “to give help: hence, the strong, the brave, the defender, the nourisher.” אשׂה 'ı̂śâh “woman,” feminine of the above; “wife.” The second creative step…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 Power over the creatures was given to man, and as a proof of this he named them all. It also shows his insight into the works of God. But though he was lord of the creatures, yet nothing in this world was a help meet for man. From God are all our helpers. If we rest in God, he will work all for good. God caused deep sleep to fall on Adam; while he knows no sin, God will take care that he shall feel no pain. God, as her Father, brought the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-23Human creation was the most important part of chapter 1, and human intimacy is the highlight of chapter 2. God's focus on mutual support and companionship among humans is unique in ancient Near Eastern writings.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. deep sleep--probably an ecstasy or trance like that of the prophets, when they had visions and revelations of the Lord, for the whole scene was probably visible to the mental eye of Adam, and hence his rapturous exclamation. took one of his ribs--"She was not made out of his head to surpass him, nor from his feet to be trampled on, but from his side to be equal to him, and near his heart to be dear to him."Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 2:21

• Adam
• Eve
• God
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Adam
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Deep Sleep
• 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