Then the Lord God took dust from the ground and formed a man from it [^Cthere is wordplay between “ground” (adama) and “man” (adam)]. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living person.

·Then the Lord God [or The Lord God had] planted a garden in the east [^Cprobably east of Palestine], in a place called Eden [^Crelated to a word meaning “luxurious”], and put the man he had formed into it.

The First Woman

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper [^Cin the sense of a partner or ally; the word does not imply subordinate status; see Ps. 79:9] who ·is right for [is suitable for; corresponds with] him.”

Adam and Eve Have a New Son

Adam ·had sexual relations with [^Lknew; 4:1] his wife Eve again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth [^Crelated to the Hebrew word for “give” or “appoint”] and said, “God has ·given [appointed for] me another child. He will take the place of Abel, who was killed by Cain.”

But Abram said, “Lord God [^CHebrew Adonai Yahweh; combination of covenant name YHWH (2:4) with common Hebrew word for “sir,” “lord,” or “master”], what can you give me? I ·have no son [am childless], so my ·slave [servant] Eliezer from Damascus [^Ca major city in Syria] will ·get everything I own after I die [be my heir; ^Ca household servant would take care of a childless couple in their old age and in turn inherit their possessions].”

Joseph named the second son Ephraim [^Crelated to the Hebrew word for “fruitful”; 1:22] and said, “God has ·given me children [^Lmade me fruitful] in the land of my ·troubles [afflictions].”