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.
What does Genesis 2:9 mean?
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.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Genesis 2:8-10 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Genesis 2:9
Having located the newly-formed man of whom he had spoken in the preceding paragraph, the author now returns to detail the planting and the watering of the garden. "And the Lord God made to grow out of the soil every tree likely for sight and good for food." We look on while the ornamental trees rise to gratify the sight, and the fruit trees present their mellow fare to the craving appetite. But pre-eminent among all we contemplate with curious wonder the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. These will come under consideration at a future stage of our narrative.
Key words
- ground
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And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food,.
- every
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And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food,.
- pleasant
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And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food,.
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.
Related topics
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Passages on lowliness, modesty, the contrast between pride and humility, and the way God exalts those who humble themselves.