New International Version
Genesis 2:9
9The 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Context of Genesis 2:9
7Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 8Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 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. 10A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.
Read all of Genesis 2Genesis 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 rival it, nor could the junipers equal its boughs, nor could the plane trees compare with its branches— no tree in the garden of God could match its beauty.
- Genesis 3:22And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
- Proverbs 3:18She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.
- Proverbs 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.
- Ezekiel 47:12Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
- John 6:48I am the bread of life.
- Revelation 2:7Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
- Revelation 22:2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
- Genesis 2:17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
- Genesis 3:3but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
- Deuteronomy 6:25And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”
- Isaiah 44:25who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,
- Isaiah 47:10You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
- 1 Corinthians 8:1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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