"These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created" (Genesis 2:4) . This is the last line of the first creation story. Genesis then goes into another creation story, completely different from the first. The second story deals with a whole new set of questions and answers. Like many passages or stories throughout the Bible, especially in Genesis and Exodus, it is short and simplistic. This story, being one of the first stories in the Bible, is among the most important ones and therefore deserves a close look at what the author, through his telling/writing, was really trying to tell us. There are numerous lessons and rules locked into Genesis 2:4-25 as well as many reoccurring themes and topics. In this exegesis of the story of the "The Garden of Eden" I will be talking about a variety of points including: how it compares/contrasts with the first creation story, how man differs from animals, how man differs from woman, how and why man was created, how and why woman was created, man and woman's relationship with each other and with God. I will even talk about some methods the author might have used in telling this story.
This story focuses mainly on man; it starts right up to where God has created the earth and heavens, but hadn't yet created man, plants or animals. He decides to make a man so that he can "till the ground"(Genesis 2:5). He forms the man out of clay (dust and water) and gave him life by breathing into him with his own breath. Then he created a garden with "every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food" and the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Lord tells the man not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge or else he will die. The story also tells of one river flowing out of Eden (the garden) and separating into four rivers: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. God then decides that the man should not be alone, so he makes animals and allows the man to name them all.
