1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed {vayekhullu: total completion}, and all their host {tseva'am: ordered multitudes}.
2 By the seventh day God {Elohim, Perfecting Creator} had brought His work {melakhah: purposeful activity} to completion, and on the seventh day He rested from all the work He had done.
3 And God {Elohim, Creator and Blesser} blessed the seventh day and sanctified it {vayekadesh: set apart as holy}, because on it He rested from all His work—what God had created to do.
4 This is the record of the generations {toledot: narrative records} of the heavens and the earth when they were created—when the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Covenant Creator} made earth and heavens.
5 And every shrub of the field was not yet on the earth, and every plant of the field had not yet sprouted, for the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Provident Sovereign} had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground {adamah: fertile soil}.
6 But a mist {ed: vaporous flow} would arise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground {adamah: cultivated soil}.
7 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Personal Life-Giver} formed the man from dust {afar: humble origin} of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Covenant Gardener} planted a garden {gan: cultivated dwelling place} in Eden, toward the east, and there He set the man whom He had formed.
9 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Creative Sustainer} caused every tree {ets: abundant provision} that is pleasant to the sight and good for food to grow from the ground, and the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 And a river {nahar: life-giving flow} went out from Eden to water {hashkot: irrigate and sustain} the garden; and from there it divided and became four main branches.
11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that encircles all the land of Havilah {chavilah: notable region}, where there is the gold {zahav: precious metal}.
12 The gold {zahav: valuable metal} of that land is of good quality; bdellium {bedolach: aromatic resin} and onyx stone are found there.
13 And the name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that circles {sovev: continually surrounds} all the land of Cush {kush: region south of Egypt}.
14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel {chiddekel: also called Tigris}; it is the one that flows east of Asshur {ashur: early Assyrian region}. And the fourth river, it is Perat.
15 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Garden Ruler} took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden {gan eden: divinely planted home}, to work it and to keep it.
16 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Righteous Lawgiver} commanded the man, saying, “You may eat freely from every tree {ets: fruit-bearing growth} of the garden.”
17 But you must not eat from the tree {ets: appointed test} of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it, you will surely die {mot: irreversible death}.
18 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Relational Designer} said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper {ezer: supportive partner} for him as his counterpart.”
19 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Life-Giver and Sovereign} formed from the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the heavens, and He brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called each living creature {nefesh: living being}, that was its name.
20 And the man gave names {shemot: assigned designations} to all the livestock, and to the birds of the heavens, and to every beast of the field, but for the man no helper {ezer: strengthening companion} corresponding to him was found.
21 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Skillful Fashioner} caused a deep sleep {tardemah: supernatural slumber} to fall upon the man, and he slept. Then He took one of his ribs and closed the flesh in its place.
22 And the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Designer and Provider} built the rib—which He had taken from the man—into a woman {ishah: distinct counterpart}, and He brought her to the man.
23 And the man {ha-adam: first human} said, “This time, bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh—this one shall be called woman {ishah: corresponding partner}, for from man she was taken.”
24 For this reason a man will leave his father {av: family head} and his mother, hold fast to his wife {ishah: covenant partner}, and they will become one flesh.
25 And the man and his wife were both naked {arummim: without covering}, yet they were not ashamed {yitboshashu: felt no disgrace}.