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;
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening.

Context of Genesis 2:21

19Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. 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 gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 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. 22Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall 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 15:12As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.
• 1 Samuel 26:12So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.
• Job 4:13Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on people,
• Job 33:15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds,
• Proverbs 19:15Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.
• Daniel 8:18While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.

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