Man from the Ground — adam and adamah
Four verses, 59 words. Verb form by verb form, see why the paused story starts moving again in verse 7.
Verse by verse: which patterns build each sentence, and why — so that you can read it without a translation.
1-1Before you read — יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים
In 2:4 the name of God, יְהוָה (four letters, י-ה-ו-ה), appears for the first time, paired with the title אֱלֹהִים (“God”): יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים. Only אֱלֹהִים appeared in 1:1–2:3. The pair occurs twenty times in Genesis 2–3.
On this page the explanations write “YHWH God.” The vowels the Masoretes placed on יְהוָה are not a record of how it is read aloud, so this word has no word-audio button.
1-2What each verse does — Genesis 2:4–7
Before the text, see for each verse of 2:4–7: (1) what it does in the story, (2) what it says, (3) the verbs and sentence structure it uses. Tap a row to go to that verse.
The storyline — the 3 verbs that carry the story of Genesis 2:4–7
Why only these verbs? — In Hebrew narrative the “and he did” verb (wayyiqtol, pattern 1) moves the events forward one by one. Read these verbs in order and you have the storyline of 2:4–7. The other clauses (descriptions, the verbs inside God’s speech, perfects and so on) are added to this line. See this storyline first, and in the text you will notice where a sentence moves forward and where it pauses.
These are the first wayyiqtols since 2:3. Verses 4–6 use only a verbless heading, infinitives, imperfects, a perfect (after לֹא) and a waw-perfect, holding the story still.
Tap a word to open its notes below. Pronunciation is by a modern Israeli Hebrew voice.
YLVThese are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that YHWH God made earth and heavens.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Two: [these are the generations of the heavens and the earth — when they were created] [in the day YHWH God made earth and heavens]. Neither is a wayyiqtol, and the first has no verb at all.
- What comes first?The demonstrative אֵלֶּה (“these”) → pattern 21, the heading (a verbless clause, a kind of pattern 4).
- So what fills the verb slot?In the first clause, nothing. The verbal ideas are carried by two infinitives: the Niphal (passive) הִבָּרֵא + the suffix ם (“their being created,” pattern 11) and the Qal עֲשׂוֹת + the following subject יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (“the making of YHWH God”). Infinitives have no person marker, so the suffix and the following noun say who.
- Which combination?Pattern 21 (heading) + pattern 22 twice (בְּ + infinitive, “when”). The two halves mirror each other: הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ … בְּהִבָּרְאָם | בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת … אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם — “heavens, earth” turns into “earth, heavens.”
- Why is it written this way?A sentence outside the story chain gives the section its name. The first half uses the words of chapter 1 (the passive of בָּרָא, “the heavens and the earth”); the second uses the new name יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים and “earth and heavens” without the article. Whether the verse closes what precedes or opens what follows is discussed in “Going deeper.”
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on בְּהִבָּרְאָם divides it: [generations · when created | in the day … made · earth and heavens] — the two sides of the mirror are the two halves.
Clause by clause
YLVThese are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created,
Why?What comes first is not a verb but the demonstrative אֵלֶּה (“these”). “These — the generations of the heavens and the earth”: two parts side by side, a verbless clause (pattern 4) serving as a heading. The last word, בְּהִבָּרְאָם, is בְּ + a Niphal (passive) infinitive + the suffix ם (“them”): “when they were created.” Being passive, it does not name the one who created.
YLVin the day that YHWH God made earth and heavens.
Why?בְּיוֹם (“in the day of”) + the infinitive עֲשׂוֹת (“making”). An infinitive has no person marker, so the following noun יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים says who: “in the day of the making of YHWH God” = “in the day that YHWH God made.” The object אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם has no article and reverses the first half’s order: earth → heavens.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on בְּהִבָּרְאָם divides the verse: “the generations of the heavens and the earth, when they were created | in the day that YHWH God made earth and heavens.” The second half pauses again at the revia (◌֗) on בְּיוֹם. There is no Masoretic section mark inside this verse; the section mark (פ) stands at the end of 2:3.
Word by word
אֵ֣לֶּהellehthese
Demonstrative pronoun “these” (common plural). It is plural because the following תוֹלְדוֹת (“generations”) is plural. The dot in לּ is a doubling dagesh: el-leh. This word is the subject, and the sentence has no verb.
- Parsing
- demonstrative pronoun · common · plural
- Grammar
- demonstrativeaccents
- Form
- singular זֶה (m.) · זֹאת (f.) → plural אֵלֶּה (both genders)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H428
תוֹלְד֧וֹתtoledotthe generations of
A feminine plural noun from the root י-ל-ד “to beget” — “what is begotten, what comes from.” Here it is in the construct, bound to “the heavens and the earth”: “the generations of the heavens and the earth.” Read on after a vowel, the ת has no dagesh. Only here in Genesis are both “o” sounds written with vav (ו) — consonants תולדות. Elsewhere one or both vavs are left out: תולדת (5:1, 6:9…), תלדות (36:1, 37:2), תלדת (25:12).
- Parsing
- noun · feminine · plural · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- root י-ל-ד (“beget”) → prefix תּ + feminine plural ־וֹת · same form in the construct
- Accent
- Darga conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H8435
הַשָּׁמַ֛יִםha-shamayimthe heavens
The word of 1:1, here the second member bound to the construct תוֹלְדוֹת. When the last word of a construct chain has the article, the whole chain is definite: “the generations of the heavens and the earth.” The order is as in 1:1: heavens → earth.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁמַיִם (“heavens”) + article הַ → שּׁ
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H8064
וְהָאָ֖רֶץve-ha-aretsand the earth
As in 1:2, וְ + the article הָ + אָרֶץ, but here it does not open a new clause; it is joined to “the heavens”: “and the earth.” Both are bound to תוֹלְדוֹת.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawdefinite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- וְ + הָ + אָרֶץ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H776
בְּהִבָּֽרְאָ֑םbe-hibbare’amwhen they were created
בְּ (“in”) + the Niphal (passive) infinitive construct of bara “create” + the suffix ם (“them”). Literally “in their being created” = “when they were created.” An infinitive has no person marker, so the suffix ם (3rd masculine plural) says who: “the heavens and the earth.” The Niphal infinitive has הִ in front and doubles the first root letter (the dot in בּ). With the suffix the vowel under ר reduces to shewa. This word carries the atnach (◌֑).
- Parsing
- preposition + verb · Niphal · infinitive construct + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine plural
- Grammar
- prepositionNiphal steminfinitive constructobject suffix on a verbaccents
- Form
- root ב-ר-א → Niphal infinitive הִבָּרֵא + suffix ם → הִבָּרְאָם · prefix בְּ
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H1254a
בְּי֗וֹםbe-yomin the day of
בְּ + the construct of יוֹם (“day”) — “in the day of.” With the infinitive עֲשׂוֹת after it: “in the day of making.” בְּיוֹם + infinitive construct is a fixed way of saying “in the day that, when” (2:17 בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ, “in the day you eat of it”). יוֹם keeps the same form in the construct. Its revia (◌֗) is a small pause opening the second half.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- יוֹם (“day”), construct = same form · prefix בְּ
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H3117
עֲשׂ֛וֹתasotmaking
The Qal infinitive construct of asah “to make.” Verbs whose last root letter is ה form this infinitive with ־וֹת (עָשָׂה → עֲשׂוֹת). An infinitive does not carry “who” in its letters, so, like a construct noun, it takes the following noun יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים as its subject: “the making of YHWH God.” It is the same form as לַעֲשׂוֹת at the end of 2:3.
- Parsing
- verb · Qal · infinitive construct
- Grammar
- Qal steminfinitive constructaccents
- Form
- root ע-שׂ-ה → Qal infinitive construct עֲשׂוֹת (־וֹת in place of the final ה)
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H6213a
יְהוָ֥הYHWHYHWH
אֱלֹהִ֖יםElohimGod
The word of chapter 1 now stands right after the name יְהוָה: “YHWH God” — one person called by name and title together (apposition). Only אֱלֹהִים appeared in 1:1–2:3; this pair occurs twenty times in Genesis 2–3. It is the subject of the infinitive עֲשׂוֹת.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H430
אֶ֥רֶץeretsearth
אֶרֶץ without the article. Unlike “the heavens and the earth” in the first half, there is no article, and the order is reversed: earth → heavens. It is what was made (the object), yet there is no אֵת, because אֵת marks only a definite object.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) · with the article הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H776
וְשָׁמָֽיִםve-shamayimand heavens
וְ + שָׁמַיִם, with no article. At the verse-end pause (silluq) the second vowel lengthens from patach to qamets — a pausal form (שָׁמַיִם → שָׁמָיִם). The שׁ with no dagesh shows there is no article (compare הַשָּׁמַיִם in 1:1).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁמַיִם (“heavens”) → pausal שָׁמָיִם · prefix וְ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H8064
YLVAnd every shrub of the field was not yet in the earth, and every herb of the field had not yet sprouted, for YHWH God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man (adam) to work (avad) the ground (adamah).
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Four: [no shrub yet] [no herb had yet sprouted] [YHWH God had not caused it to rain] [there was no man to work].
- What comes first?Clauses one and two open with וְ + subject (כֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה, כָל־עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה) → pattern 3. Clause three opens with כִּי (reason, pattern 20) + לֹא. Clause four again with וְ + the subject אָדָם.
- So what fills the verb slot?After טֶרֶם the imperfects יִהְיֶה and יִצְמָח (pattern 23) — imperfects though the time is past. With לֹא before the verb, clause three has the perfect הִמְטִיר (the same rule as pattern 2). Clause four has אַיִן (“there is not,” patterns 23 and 4) instead of a verb, + לַעֲבֹד (“to work,” pattern 13).
- Why is it written this way?It sets out not events but what was not yet there: shrub and herb → their two reasons (no rain, no one to work). Like 1:2, it is a picture of the stage with no wayyiqtol at all.
- A pair of wordsוְאָדָם אַיִן לַעֲבֹד אֶת־הָאֲדָמָה — אָדָם (“man”) and אֲדָמָה (“ground”) stand at the start and end of one clause. The two words share their first three letters, א-ד-מ.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on יִצְמָח divides it: [two things not yet there | two reasons].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd every shrub of the field was not yet in the earth,
Why?וְ + the subject “every shrub of the field” comes first — background, pattern 3. טֶרֶם (“not yet”) stands before the verb, and the verb after it is the imperfect יִהְיֶה though the time is past. “Every … not yet” = “no shrub yet.”
YLVand every herb of the field had not yet sprouted,
Why?The same build once more: וְ + the subject “every herb of the field” + טֶרֶם + the imperfect יִצְמָח (“sprout”). Two parallel clauses show that nothing had yet grown on the earth.
YLVfor YHWH God had not caused it to rain upon the earth,
Why?כִּי introduces the reason (pattern 20). Inside it, לֹא (“not”) stands before the verb, so the verb cannot be a wayyiqtol and is the perfect הִמְטִיר — the same rule as “X + perfect” (pattern 2). As a Hiphil (causative) it means “caused it to rain”; the subject, יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים, follows the verb.
YLVand there was no man (adam) to work (avad) the ground (adamah).
Why?Again וְ + the subject אָדָם (no article). In the verb slot stands not a verb but אַיִן (“there is not”): “there was no man” — a verbless clause (pattern 4). Then לְ + the infinitive לַעֲבֹד (“to work,” pattern 13) + the object אֶת־הָאֲדָמָה. Joined by וְ, this clause also belongs to the reason opened by כִּי.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on יִצְמָח divides the verse: “two things not yet there (shrub, herb) | their two reasons (rain, man).” The first clause ends at the zaqef (◌֔) on בָאָרֶץ, the third at the zaqef on הָאָרֶץ. The ׀ after the first word וְכֹל combines with munach to form the disjunctive accent legarmeh.
Word by word
וְכֹ֣לve-kholand every
The construct of כֹּל (“all, every”), bound to the next word. “And” (וְ) is attached to this noun, not to a verb, opening a descriptive clause with the subject first. After וְ (shewa) the כ has no dagesh: “khol.” Munach together with the following ׀ (paseq) forms the disjunctive accent “legarmeh.” With “not yet” following, “every … not yet” means “no … yet.”
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- כֹּל (“all”) with וְ → וְכֹל
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H3605
שִׂ֣יחַsiachshrub of
“Shrub, bush.” In the construct, bound to הַשָּׂדֶה (“the field”): “shrub of the field.” The patach under the final ח is read first: si-ach. The first letter is שׂ (dot on the left = “s” sound).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- שִׂיחַ (“shrub”) · same form in the construct
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H7880
הַשָּׂדֶ֗הha-sadehthe field
The article הַ with a dagesh in שּׂ. The final ה is not a feminine ending but a vowel letter for “-eh”; שָׂדֶה is masculine. As the last word of the chain “every shrub of the field,” its article makes the whole chain definite. A small pause at the revia (◌֗).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׂדֶה (“field”) + article הַ → הַשָּׂדֶה
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H7704b
טֶ֚רֶםteremnot yet
יִֽהְיֶ֣הyihyeh(it) was
Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular of hayah “to be.” The י in front = “it”; the “it” is “every shrub of the field” — כֹל is masculine singular, hence 3ms. The imperfect follows טֶרֶם; the sense is “was not yet.” This is not the short form יְהִי of 1:3 (“let there be”) but the full form, keeping the ending ־ֶה. The stroke in יִֽ is a meteg (lengthening mark).
בָאָ֔רֶץva-aretsin the earth
When the preposition בְּ meets the article, the ה disappears and its vowel moves to ב — before א, בָ (ba). Read on after a vowel, ב has no dagesh: a soft v. The zaqef (◌֔) closes the first clause.
- Parsing
- preposition + article + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositiondefinite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- בְּ + הָ + אָרֶץ → בָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H776
וְכָלve-kholand every
The same word as וְכֹל above, but joined by maqaf (־) to the next word, it loses its stress and is written כָל־ (short “o,” qamets hatuf). It opens the second descriptive clause, “and + subject.”
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל → before maqaf כָּל־ · with וְ → וְכָל־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
עֵ֥שֶׂבesevherb of
“Herb, plant.” In the construct, bound to הַשָּׂדֶה: “herb of the field.” Its first vowel is a tsere (עֵ), and the construct has the same form. It pairs with “shrub of the field” in the clause before.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- עֵשֶׂב (“herb”) · same form in the construct
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H6212
הַשָּׂדֶ֖הha-sadehthe field
The הַשָּׂדֶה of the first clause returns exactly — the two clauses stand side by side in the same build. Here it carries tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׂדֶה (“field”) + article הַ → הַשָּׂדֶה
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H7704b
טֶ֣רֶםteremnot yet
יִצְמָ֑חyitsmach(it) sprouted
Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular of tsamach “to sprout.” The י in front = “it”; the “it” is “every herb of the field.” After טֶרֶם the imperfect means “had not yet sprouted.” Because of the final ח the last vowel is “a,” and at the atnach (◌֑) pause the patach lengthens to qamets (יִצְמַח → יִצְמָח, pausal). Verse 5 divides here.
כִּי֩kifor
The same word as כִּי (“that”) in 1:4, but here it introduces the reason for what was just said: “no shrub, no herb yet — for ….” Standing first in its clause, it keeps the verb from being a wayyiqtol. The accent telisha qetanna (◌֩) is a conjunctive accent written above the end of the word.
- Parsing
- conjunction
- Grammar
- conjunction wawaccents
- Form
- כִּי, unchanging
- Accent
- Telisha qetana conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H3588a
לֹ֨אlonot
himtirhe caused it to rain
Hiphil perfect 3rd masculine singular of matar “to rain.” The bare form with no ending = “he did”; the “he” is יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים, which follows. The הִ in front and the ־ִי־ between the second and third root letters mark the Hiphil (causative): “caused it to rain.” The noun מָטָר (“rain”) is from the same root. After לֹא the verb is a perfect.
יְהוָ֤הYHWHYHWH
אֱלֹהִים֙ElohimGod
“God” after יְהוָה — “YHWH God.” Its pashta (◌֙) gives a small pause after the subject.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
עַלalupon
הָאָ֔רֶץha-aretsthe earth
Before א the article lengthens to הָ. “Upon the earth” (עַל־הָאָרֶץ), one unit with עַל by the maqaf. The zaqef (◌֔) closes the third clause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H776
וְאָדָ֣םve-adamand a man (adam)
וְ + אָדָם (“man”), with no article. Again “and + subject” comes first, opening a descriptive clause. A masculine singular noun. It begins with the same three letters א-ד-מ as הָאֲדָמָה (“the ground”) at the end of this clause — the two words stand at the start and end of one clause.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberaccents
- Form
- אָדָם (“man”) with וְ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H120
אַ֔יִןayinthere was no
Not a verb but a word meaning “there is not” (the opposite of יֵשׁ “there is”). So this clause has no verb. Standing alone after its subject it takes this form, אַיִן; placed before a noun it is the construct אֵין. Context sets the time (“there was no”). Zaqef (◌֔) pause.
לַֽעֲבֹ֖דla-avodto work
לְ + עֲבֹד, the Qal infinitive construct of avad “to work, serve.” This is the לְ of purpose (pattern 13). Because the next letter עֲ has hateph patach, לְ takes the same “a” vowel: לַ. An infinitive has no person marker; the one who would work is the subject of this clause, אָדָם.
- Parsing
- preposition + verb · Qal · infinitive construct
- Grammar
- prepositionQal steminfinitive constructaccents
- Form
- root ע-ב-ד → Qal infinitive construct עֲבֹד · לְ → לַ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H5647
אֶתet(object marker)
The same object marker as אֵת in verse 1. Joined by maqaf, it loses its stress and its vowel shortens (אֶת).
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הָֽאֲדָמָֽהha-adamahthe ground (adamah)
Before א the article is הָ. אֲדָמָה is a feminine noun ending in ־ָה: “ground, soil (the tilled earth).” In its letters it looks like the three letters of אָדָם, א-ד-מ, with ־ָה added. As the object of working it has אֶת־ before it. Of the two vertical strokes, the one in הָֽ is a meteg, the one in מָֽ the verse-end silluq.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֲדָמָה (“ground”) + article הָ → הָאֲדָמָה
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H127
YLVAnd a mist went up from the earth and watered all the face of the ground (adamah).
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Two: [a mist (ed) kept going up from the earth] [and kept watering all the face of the ground].
- What comes first?וְ + the subject אֵד → background, pattern 3.
- So what fills the verb slot?Not a wayyiqtol but the imperfect יַעֲלֶה → pattern 25. The second clause continues the same repetition with וְ + perfect, וְהִשְׁקָה (waw-perfect, pattern 14).
- Why is it written this way?Verse 5 said, “YHWH God had not caused it to rain upon the earth.” Verse 6 pictures the water that wet the ground then as coming up “from the earth,” not from above. Since it is an ongoing state, not a single event, no wayyiqtol is used.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on הָאָרֶץ divides it: [going up | watering].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd a mist went up from the earth
Why?וְ + the subject אֵד comes first, so this is background (pattern 3). The verb is not a wayyiqtol but the imperfect יַעֲלֶה (“go up”): an imperfect inside a past scene pictures not one event but something repeated or ongoing (pattern 25).
YLVand watered all the face of the ground (adamah).
Why?וְ + the perfect הִשְׁקָה (waw-perfect, pattern 14). It picks up the imperfect and continues the same repetition: “went up … and watered.” The final ה of הִשְׁקָה is a root letter, not the “she” ending ־ָה. The subject is not repeated; it is אֵד of the previous clause.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on הָאָרֶץ divides the verse: “going up from the earth | watering the ground.” In the second half four words joined by maqafs (אֶת־כָּל־פְּנֵי־הָאֲדָמָה) are read as one unit.
Word by word
וְאֵ֖דve-edand a mist (ed)
וְ + אֵד — “and + subject” comes first, so the clause paints background. Masculine singular, no article. אֵד occurs only twice in the Old Testament, here and Job 36:27 (לְאֵדוֹ), so whether it is “mist” or “rising water” is debated (see “Going deeper”).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֵד (“mist, ed”) with וְ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H108
יַֽעֲלֶ֣הya’aleh(it) went up
Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular of alah “to go up.” The י in front = “it”; the “it” is אֵד (masculine). There is no וַ + dagesh, so this is not a wayyiqtol: an imperfect inside a past scene pictures something that happened again and again or went on (pattern 25). Because the first root letter is the guttural ע, the prefix vowel is יַ and ע has hateph patach עֲ. The ending ־ֶה is the imperfect ending of verbs whose last root letter is ה.
מִןminfrom
The preposition “from,” joined to the next word by maqaf (־) and read as one unit. Before a word with the article it is written in full, מִן־, not shortened.
- Parsing
- preposition
- Grammar
- prepositionmaqqefaccents
- Form
- מִן · joined by maqaf · shortened מִ/מֵ
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H4480a
הָאָ֑רֶץha-aretsthe earth
“From the earth” (מִן־הָאָרֶץ). Before א the article is הָ. The atnach (◌֑) divides verse 6: going up | watering.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H776
וְve-hishqahand (it) watered
Hiphil waw-perfect (וְ + perfect) of shaqah “to give drink, to water.” The bare form = 3rd masculine singular “it”; the “it” is אֵד of the previous clause. The final ה is not the “she” ending ־ָה but the last root letter (root שׁ-ק-ה); “she watered” would be הִשְׁקְתָה. The וְ + perfect picks up the imperfect יַעֲלֶה and continues the same repeated action (pattern 14).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect · 3rd masculine singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawHiphil stemweqatalaccents
- Form
- root שׁ-ק-ה → Hiphil perfect הִשְׁקָה (prefix הִ) · with וְ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H8248
אֶֽתet(object marker)
The object marker, joined by maqaf: אֶת־. The stroke in אֶֽ is a meteg. It points to the definite object, “all the face of the ground.”
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
כָּלkolall
כֹּל loses its stress before the maqaf and is written כָּל־ (short “o,” qamets hatuf). The previous word אֶת־ ends in a consonant, so כּ has a dagesh — compare וְכָל־ in verse 5. “All of, the whole.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל → before maqaf כָּל־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
פְּנֵֽיpeneiface of
פְּנֵי (“face of”) as in 1:2. The plural construct binds it to הָאֲדָמָה: “the face of the ground”; with כָּל־, “all the face of the ground.” From אֶת־ on, four words are linked by maqafs.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · plural · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- פָּנִים → construct פְּנֵי (־ִים becomes ־ֵי)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H6440
הָֽאֲדָמָֽהha-adamahthe ground (adamah)
The הָאֲדָמָה that ended verse 5 ends verse 6 too: verse 5 closes with ground with no one to work it, verse 6 with ground watered. As the last word of the chain “all the face of the ground,” its article makes the chain definite. Silluq at the verse end.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֲדָמָה (“ground”) + article הָ → הָאֲדָמָה
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H127
YLVAnd YHWH God formed Adam of dust (aphar) from the ground (adamah), and breathed into his nostrils the breath (neshamah) of life, and Adam became a living soul (nephesh).
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [he formed — the man — of dust — from the ground] [he breathed — into his nostrils — the breath of life] [the man became a living soul].
- What comes first?All three open with a wayyiqtol (וַיִּיצֶר, וַיִּפַּח, וַיְהִי) → pattern 1. The story, paused since verse 4, moves here.
- The rest of the orderClause one: verb → subject יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים → object אֶת־הָאָדָם → material עָפָר → source מִן־הָאֲדָמָה. There are two objects (what, and out of what); the material is a second object with no preposition. Clause two does not repeat the subject, and the place phrase comes before the object.
- Clause threeוַיְהִי + the subject הָאָדָם + לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה → pattern 24, “became.” It is the same word as וַיְהִי (“there was”) in 1:3, but with לְ it means “became.”
- Why is it written this way?The order of the three wayyiqtols is the order of what was done: forming → breathing → becoming a living soul. The אָדָם who “was not” in verse 5 stands at the centre of all three clauses in verse 7 as הָאָדָם, with the article — object → (his nostrils) → subject.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on חַיִּים divides it: [forming · breathing | becoming].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd YHWH God formed Adam of dust (aphar) from the ground (adamah),
Why?The wayyiqtol וַיִּיצֶר comes first — the story moves forward for the first time since 2:3. Verb → subject יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים → object אֶת־הָאָדָם (what) → second object עָפָר (out of what, no preposition) → מִן־הָאֲדָמָה (“from the ground”).
YLVand breathed into his nostrils the breath (neshamah) of life,
Why?Again a wayyiqtol, וַיִּפַּח (“breathed”). The subject is not repeated — YHWH God of the previous clause. The place phrase בְּאַפָּיו (“into his nostrils”) comes before the object נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים (“the breath of life”).
YLVand Adam became a living soul (nephesh).
Why?Wayyiqtol וַיְהִי + the subject הָאָדָם + לְ + נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה. The לְ marks what he became: “became a living soul” (pattern 24). The adjective חַיָּה is feminine because נֶפֶשׁ is treated as feminine.
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on חַיִּים divides the verse: “forming and breathing | becoming a living soul.” The first clause ends at the zaqef (◌֔) on הָאֲדָמָה; the first word וַיִּיצֶר carries the conjunctive accent telisha qetanna (◌֩).
Word by word
וַיִּיצֶר֩va-yitserand he formed
Qal wayyiqtol of yatsar “to form, shape.” וַ + dagesh יּ; the י in front = “he”; the “he” is יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים, which follows. Here there are two yods: the first, יּ, is the person marker “he”; the second י is the first root letter, merging with the hireq before it into a single “i” sound. In 2:19 the same verb is written with one yod, וַיִּצֶר. The pronunciation is the same, and the text does not say why the spelling differs. The potter who shapes clay is called יוֹצֵר (“one who forms”), from the same root.
יְהוָ֨הYHWHYHWH
אֱלֹהִ֜יםElohimGod
“YHWH God” — the one who formed. A small pause at the geresh (◌֜).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Geresh a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
אֶתet(object marker)
The object marker אֶת־, pointing to what was formed: “the man.”
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הָֽאָדָ֗םha-adamthe man · Adam
אָדָם with the article — before א it lengthens to הָ. The אָדָם who “was not” in verse 5 (no article) is here, with the article, what is formed (the first object). The stroke in הָֽ is a meteg; a small pause at the revia (◌֗).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אָדָם (“man”) + article הָ → הָאָדָם
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H120
עָפָר֙afardust (aphar)
“Dust,” masculine singular, no article. It is a second object placed after the verb with no preposition, telling what he formed it from (the material): “formed the man — dust.” Hebrew often states the material this way, without a preposition. The same word returns in 3:19: “dust (aphar) you are, and to dust (aphar) you shall return.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- עָפָר (“dust”)
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H6083
מִןminfrom
“From” — where the dust came from: “from the ground” (מִן־הָאֲדָמָה).
- Parsing
- preposition
- Grammar
- prepositionmaqqefaccents
- Form
- מִן · joined by maqaf · shortened מִ/מֵ
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H4480a
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הha-adamahthe ground (adamah)
The הָאֲדָמָה (“the ground”) that ended verses 5 and 6. In this verse הָאָדָם (“the man”) and הָאֲדָמָה (“the ground”) stand close together — “the adam … from the adamah.” The two words share their first three letters, א-ד-מ; the word for ground adds ־ָה. The zaqef (◌֔) closes the first clause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֲדָמָה (“ground”) + article הָ → הָאֲדָמָה
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H127
וַיִּפַּ֥חva-yippachand he breathed
Qal wayyiqtol of naphach “to blow, breathe.” וַ + יּ; the י in front = “he” — the subject is not repeated; it is YHWH God of the previous clause. The first root letter נ has merged into the next letter, leaving a doubling dot in פּ (יִנְפַּח → יִפַּח). Because of the final ח the last vowel is patach.
בְּאַפָּ֖יוbe-appavinto his nostrils
בְּ (“in”) + the dual construct of אַף (“nose”) + the suffix ־ָיו (“his”). The dual אַפַּיִם means the two nostrils: “into his nostrils.” The dot in פּ is a doubling left by the root letter נ (א-נ-פ). The י in the ending ־ָיו is silent: “-av.” “His” refers to הָאָדָם.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · dual · construct + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct statepronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- אַף (“nose”) → dual אַפַּיִם → construct + ־ָיו (“his”) · prefix בְּ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H639
נִשְׁמַ֣תnishmatbreath (neshamah) of
The construct of נְשָׁמָה (“breath”). The feminine ending ־ָה becomes ־ַת in the construct, and the first vowel changes too (נְשָׁמָה → נִשְׁמַת). Bound to חַיִּים: “breath of life.” It is a different word from רוּחַ (“spirit, wind”) in 1:2. After the verb the place phrase בְּאַפָּיו comes first, and this object follows.
- Parsing
- noun · feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- נְשָׁמָה (“breath”) → construct נִשְׁמַת (־ָה → ־ַת)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H5397
חַיִּ֑יםchayyimlife
“Life” is always plural in form (־ִים), like מַיִם (“waters”). The dot in יּ is a doubling dagesh. The atnach (◌֑) divides verse 7: forming and breathing | becoming.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- חַיִּים (“life”) — always plural in form
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H2416e
וַֽיְהִ֥יva-yehiand (he) became
The wayyiqtol וַיְהִי of 1:3 (“there was”). Here the subject הָאָדָם is followed by a word with לְ, so it means “became” (pattern 24). The י in front = “he”; the “he” is הָאָדָם, which follows. The stroke in וַֽ is a meteg.
הָֽאָדָ֖םha-adamthe man · Adam
The הָאָדָם who was the object in the first clause is now the subject of וַיְהִי: “the man became.” Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אָדָם (“man”) + article הָ → הָאָדָם
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H120
לְנֶ֥פֶשׁle-nefesha soul (nephesh)
לְ + נֶפֶשׁ (“soul, life, living being”). After וַיְהִי, this לְ marks what he became: “became a soul.” No article. נֶפֶשׁ is stressed on its first syllable (נֶ֥), and here it is treated as feminine, as the adjective חַיָּה shows.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- נֶפֶשׁ (“soul”) with לְ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H5315
חַיָּֽהchayyahliving
The adjective “living,” feminine singular (ending ־ָה), agreeing with the feminine נֶפֶשׁ. Adjectives follow the noun they describe. The same phrase נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה is used in 1:20, 24, 30 and 2:19 of other living creatures (1:21 has נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה). Silluq at the verse end.
All the sentence patterns of this page in one table, and the places where views differ.
2-1Sentence patterns on this page
Which patterns build the clauses of this page, in one table.
| Pattern | On this page |
|---|---|
| 1. The wayyiqtol narrative sentence | 2:7 And YHWH God formed Adam of dust (aphar) from the ground (adamah),2:7 and breathed into his nostrils the breath (neshamah) of life,2:7 and Adam became a living soul (nephesh). |
| 2. The “X + perfect” sentence | 2:5 for YHWH God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, |
| 3. The “and + subject” descriptive sentence | 2:5 And every shrub of the field was not yet in the earth,2:5 and every herb of the field had not yet sprouted,2:6 And a mist went up from the earth |
| 4. The verbless sentence | 2:5 and there was no man (adam) to work (avad) the ground (adamah). |
| 11. The passive — Niphal (and Pual) | 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, |
| 13. לְ + infinitive construct, “to …” | 2:5 and there was no man (adam) to work (avad) the ground (adamah). |
| 14. The weqatal — what is to follow, inside speech | 2:6 and watered all the face of the ground (adamah). |
| 20. The causal כִּי clause, “because …” | 2:5 for YHWH God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, |
| 21. The heading “These are the generations of …” אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת | 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, |
| 22. בְּ + infinitive construct: “when …” | 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created,2:4 in the day that YHWH God made earth and heavens. |
| 23. “Not yet” and “there is no”: טֶרֶם · אַיִן | 2:5 And every shrub of the field was not yet in the earth,2:5 and every herb of the field had not yet sprouted,2:5 and there was no man (adam) to work (avad) the ground (adamah). |
| 24. הָיָה לְ: “become” | 2:7 and Adam became a living soul (nephesh). |
| 25. “And + subject + imperfect”: repeated background | 2:6 And a mist went up from the earth2:6 and watered all the face of the ground (adamah). |
2-2Going deeper
2:4, “These are the generations …” — does it close 1:1–2:3, or open what follows?
What the text makes clear — 2:4 is one verse, and its first half has no verb. The atnach is on בְּהִבָּרְאָם, and the two halves mirror each other: “the heavens and the earth … when created | in the day … made … earth and heavens.” The first half uses the words of chapter 1 (בָּרָא, “the heavens and the earth”), the second the new name יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים. The Masoretic section mark (פ) stands at the end of 2:3, and there is none inside 2:4. אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת occurs ten times in Genesis (5:1 has זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת), and everywhere else it stands before the account of those who came from the one named.
① The whole of 2:4 is a heading that opens what follows
- Evidence
- The other nine places in Genesis all open what follows: after 6:9, “These are the generations of Noah,” comes Noah’s story; after 11:27, “And these are the generations of Terah,” comes “Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran” and Abram’s story; after 37:2, “These are the generations of Jacob,” comes the story of Joseph and his brothers. תּוֹלְדוֹת comes from “beget” (י-ל-ד), “what comes from it,” and 2:5ff. tells of the man formed from the ground (adamah). The Masoretic section mark also stands before 2:4, and the mirror build binds the two halves into one verse.
- Problems
- Everywhere else a person’s name follows תּוֹלְדֹת; only here is it “the heavens and the earth.” And “when they were created” (בְּהִבָּרְאָם) can also be read as looking back to the creation of 1:1–2:3.
- Sources
- Umberto Cassuto, A Commentary on the Book of Genesis, Part I (Hebrew 1944, English 1961) · Gordon Wenham, Genesis 1–15 (WBC, 1987)
② 2:4 is a closing note (colophon) to 1:1–2:3
- Evidence
- Ancient Mesopotamian clay tablets ended with a colophon naming the tablet’s title or owner, and on this view each תּוֹלְדֹת sentence in Genesis is the colophon of a “tablet” (the tablet theory). In the first half of 2:4, בְּהִבָּרְאָם (the passive of בָּרָא) and “the heavens and the earth” repeat the words of 1:1 and 2:1–3, like a summary of what precedes.
- Problems
- Elsewhere it is the following material that fits the name, while the preceding often does not: before 37:2, “the generations of Jacob,” comes chapter 36, the descendants of Esau; before 25:19, Isaac’s, come Ishmael’s descendants, which open with their own heading at 25:12. The Masoretic section mark stands before 2:4, not after it. The comparison with clay tablets rests on material outside the text.
- Sources
- P. J. Wiseman, New Discoveries in Babylonia about Genesis (1936) · R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament (1969)
③ Split the verse — 2:4a closes what precedes, 2:4b opens what follows
- Evidence
- The first half uses the words of chapter 1 (בָּרָא, “the heavens and the earth”), the second יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים and the reversed “earth and heavens,” and the atnach divides the verse right there. The second half, “in the day of making” (בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת), is read as a “when …” opening continued in 2:5–7. The view spread after the documentary hypothesis (Julius Wellhausen and others) assigned the two halves to different sources.
- Problems
- אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת is nowhere in Genesis used as a closing. Splitting the verse breaks the mirror (heavens · earth | earth · heavens) that binds the halves. The Masoretic text keeps 2:4 as one verse (one verse-end mark) with no section mark inside. And this reading rests on a theory of sources outside the text.
- Sources
- Julius Wellhausen, Prolegomena zur Geschichte Israels · Gerhard von Rad, Genesis (commentary) · E. A. Speiser, Genesis (Anchor Bible, 1964)
However it is read, the single verse 2:4 holds both chapter 1’s “the heavens and the earth” and chapter 2’s “earth and heavens” and יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים. The YLV renders 2:4 as one sentence.
2:5–6, אֵד — “mist,” or “a stream, a spring”?
What the text makes clear — אֵד occurs only twice in the Old Testament, here and Job 36:27 (לְאֵדוֹ). In 2:6 the אֵד goes up “from the earth” (מִן־הָאָרֶץ) and waters “all the face of the ground.” Verse 5 has just said, “YHWH God had not caused it to rain upon the earth.” The verbs are an imperfect + a waw-perfect: something repeated or ongoing, not a single event.
① Mist, vapour
- Evidence
- The only other place, Job 36:27, is about rain: “For he draws up the drops of water; they distill as rain to his mist.” So אֵד is taken as moisture linked with rain. “Going up from the earth” also fits rising vapour. The Aramaic Targum Onkelos renders “cloud” (עֲנָנָא), and the King James Version (1611) “a mist.”
- Problems
- A mist watering “all the face of the ground” seems a great deal of water. Job 36:27 is itself a hard verse and cannot settle the meaning in Genesis on its own. Onkelos’ “cloud” is the translator’s interpretation.
- Sources
- Targum Onkelos · King James Version (1611) · Job 36:27
② Water rising from the ground — a spring, a stream
- Evidence
- The Septuagint renders “πηγή” (spring), the Latin Vulgate “fons” (spring). “Went up from the earth and watered all the face of the ground” fits water rising from below. In 2:10 a river goes out “to water the garden” (לְהַשְׁקוֹת) — the same root שׁ-ק-ה. Comparative studies link the word with Akkadian edû (a surge of water) and the Sumerian word for “river.”
- Problems
- Hebrew has common words for spring (מַעְיָן) and river (נָהָר), which leaves open why a rare word is used. The comparison with Akkadian and Sumerian rests on material outside the text, and whether the words are related is itself debated. The Septuagint and Vulgate are later translations.
- Sources
- Septuagint · Vulgate · E. A. Speiser, “Ēd in the Story of Creation” (BASOR 140, 1955) · David Toshio Tsumura, The Earth and the Waters in Genesis 1 and 2 (1989)
The YLV renders “mist.” Either way, what the text makes clear is that, when there was no rain, water coming up “from the earth,” not from above, watered the ground.