And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
What does Genesis 2:19 mean?
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.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Genesis 2:18-20 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Genesis 2:19
Here, as in several previous instances Genesis 1:5 ; Genesis 2:4 , Genesis 2:8-9 , the narrative reverts to the earlier part of the sixth day. This is, therefore, another example of the connection according to thought overruling that according to time. The order of time, however, is restored, when we take in a sufficient portion of the narrative. We refer, therefore, to the fifth verse, which is the regulative sentence of the present passage. The second clause in the verse, however, which in the present case completes the thought in the mind of the writer, brings up the narrative to a point subsequent to that closing the preceding verse.
Key words
- ground
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And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air,.
- formed
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And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air,.
- every
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And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air,.
Context in Genesis 2
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Genesis 2 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as primeval history from creation to Babel. Genesis opens the whole Bible with creation, fall, flood, Babel, and the long patriarchal story that carries the reader from Eden to Egypt. Read this chapter with the wider themes of creation, fall, and covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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A collection of passages on hope under pressure, future inheritance, resurrection expectation, and confidence in God’s final faithfulness.