Genesis 2:7 kjv

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Genesis 2:7 nkjv

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Genesis 2:7 niv

Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Genesis 2:7 esv

then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

Genesis 2:7 nlt

Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person.

Genesis 2 verses

Genesis 2 7 Meaning

Genesis 2:7 describes the unique and intimate creation of humanity by God. It presents man as a dual being: physically formed from the earthly dust, signifying his connection to creation and finitude, and spiritually animated by God's direct life-giving breath, indicating his divine origin and special relationship with the Creator. This verse reveals humanity's unique dignity, dependence on God for life, and distinction from the rest of creation.

Genesis 2 7 Context

Genesis chapter 2 provides a more detailed, anthropocentric account of creation, focusing specifically on the formation of humanity and the Garden of Eden. While Genesis 1 offers a broad, cosmic overview of God creating by spoken word ("Let there be"), Genesis 2 emphasizes God's personal, hands-on involvement, particularly in the formation of man. This verse (Gen 2:7) is central to understanding humanity's unique status, dignity, and relationship with God within the creation narrative. It precedes the placement of man in the Garden, the formation of woman, and the instructions given to humanity. Historically, it stood in stark contrast to pagan creation myths of the ancient Near East, which often depicted humanity as an afterthought or as formed from the remains of defeated deities to serve as slaves for other gods. Genesis 2:7 establishes a personal, purposeful creation of man by the singular, sovereign God.

Genesis 2 7 Word analysis

• And: Connects this detailed act of creation with the preceding narrative, establishing a sequence in God's creative work.
• the Lord God: Yahweh Elohim (Hebrew: יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים). Yahweh (LORD) emphasizes God's personal, covenantal, and redemptive nature; Elohim (God) refers to His supreme power and creator role. The combination underscores both His intimate involvement and ultimate authority.
• formed: Yatsar (Hebrew: יָצַר). This verb signifies the work of a potter, someone who molds and shapes with skill and intention. It implies careful craftsmanship and a hands-on approach, differentiating human creation from the creation by mere command as seen in Genesis 1 for other creatures. It conveys artistry and purpose.
• man: Adam (Hebrew: אָדָם). The term is inherently connected to the ground. It can refer to humanity generally or to the first man specifically.
• of the dust: Min-ha'apar (Hebrew: מִן־הֶעָפָר). Emphasizes humanity's material origin, connection to the earth, and inherent fragility. It sets humanity apart from purely spiritual beings (angels) and emphasizes our finite nature.
• of the ground: Ha'adamah (Hebrew: הָאֲדָמָה). This reinforces the terrestrial origin. There's a wordplay: adam (man) is from adamah (ground), illustrating a deep connection between human nature and the earth from which he came.
• and breathed: Vayyippach (Hebrew: וַיִּפַּח). A forceful, intimate action. God actively infuses life into the previously inanimate form. This distinguishes humanity from animals (who were made "from the ground" in Gen 1:24, but this specific act of breathing is unique to man's initial creation).
• into his nostrils: Be'appayv (Hebrew: בְּאַפָּיו). This detail emphasizes the direct and personal nature of God's life-giving act. Breathing into the nostrils is a vivid image of intimacy and the immediate transfer of life.
• the breath of life: Nishmat chayyim (Hebrew: נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים). This is the vital principle that gives animate existence. While animals also have "breath" or "spirit" (ruach) and are "living beings," this specific term "breath of life" marks a unique, direct divine endowment to Adam. It refers to the vital force, not necessarily an immortal soul in the later theological sense, but rather the principle of life itself that distinguishes a living being from a dead one.
• and man became: Indicates a transformative result from God's dual act of formation and animation.
• a living soul: Nephesh chayyah (Hebrew: נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה). Nephesh typically refers to a "living being," "life," "person," or "self." When paired with chayyah (living), it literally means "a living being." This phrase is also used for animals (Gen 1:20, 24; 9:10, 12). For humans, it signifies a unified living person, emphasizing that humanity is not just a body or just a spirit, but a combination of both – a whole, integrated being, fully alive due to the divine infusion. It does not primarily denote an immortal, separable part of man but rather the sum of the physical and spiritual components that constitute life.

Words-group analysis:

• "Formed man of the dust of the ground": This phrase highlights humanity's physicality, humility, and solidarity with the created order. We are not ethereal spirits, but beings deeply rooted in the earth, subject to its laws and returning to its substance.
• "And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life": This powerfully portrays the divine origin of human life and our unique connection to God. It shows that human life, unlike any other form of life described thus far, required a direct, personal infusion from God, giving humanity a spiritual dimension beyond mere biological existence. This divine breath is the distinguishing factor that makes humanity an image-bearer of God.
• "And man became a living soul": This summarizes the culmination of the creative act, demonstrating that the human being is a psycho-physical unity. It underscores that human life is not inherent but is a result of God's active imparting of His life-giving power into the physical form. Our existence and vitality are utterly dependent on God.

Genesis 2 7 Bonus section

• The dual aspect of human creation (material from dust, spiritual from God's breath) lays the groundwork for understanding the human person throughout the Bible – not as body vs. soul, but as an integrated living being who needs both physical sustenance and spiritual communion.
• This specific action of breathing into nostrils is never replicated for other living beings in the Genesis creation account, highlighting the special dignity and distinction of humanity as the pinnacle of God's creative work, uniquely equipped to bear His image.
• The dependence shown here means that for humanity to truly "live," not just physically but in flourishing, a relationship with the source of life, God, is essential. Separation from God leads to a spiritual form of death, ultimately impacting the physical.
• The phrase "living soul" (nephesh chayyah) here speaks to animated, self-aware existence. While shared with animals, in the context of Genesis 2:7's unique method of creation, it signals a distinct kind of living being capable of moral agency and spiritual relationship.

Genesis 2 7 Commentary

Genesis 2:7 is a foundational text revealing the dual nature and profound dignity of humanity. Unlike the animals, which came forth "from the ground" or "from the waters," man is explicitly "formed" (yatsar, like a potter molding clay) by the Lord God, demonstrating intentionality and personal care. This earthly component (dust/adamah) emphasizes humanity's creatureliness, finitude, and reliance on the physical environment, foreshadowing his eventual return to dust after the fall. However, this is only half the story. The act of God "breathing into his nostrils the breath of life" is a unique and intimate act of divine animation. This specific "breath of life" (nishmat chayyim) infused a vital spiritual principle, setting humanity apart and enabling conscious awareness, moral capacity, and the potential for relationship with the divine. The result, "and man became a living soul" (nephesh chayyah), signifies that humanity is not merely a material body inhabited by a spirit, nor an ethereal spirit temporarily residing in matter. Instead, man is a unified, psycho-physical living being, an integrated person, entirely dependent on God's active, sustained impartation of life. This verse establishes that life is a gift from God, personally bestowed, rendering humanity supremely valuable yet entirely dependent on its Creator. It underscores that human dignity and life's very essence flow directly from God's personal engagement, rather than solely through biological processes.