Genesis 2 · Verse 7

Genesis 2:7

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, King James Version

Genesis 2:7 in other translations

BSBThen the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.
WEBThe LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
ASVAnd Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
YLTAnd Jehovah God formeth the man--dust from the ground, and breatheth into his nostrils breath of life, and the man becometh a living creature.
DARBYAnd Jehovah Elohim formed Man, dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and Man became a living soul.
BBEAnd the Lord God made man from the dust of the earth, breathing into him the breath of life: and man became a living soul.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Genesis 2:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. Here the sacred writer supplies a few more particulars about the first pair. formed--had FORMED MAN OUT OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND. Science has proved that the substance of his flesh, sinews, and bones, consists of the very same elements as the soil which forms the crust of the earth and the limestone that lies embedded in its bowels. But from that mean material what an admirable structure has been reared in the human body (Psa 139:14). the breath of life--literally, of lives, not only animal but spiritual life. If the body is so admirable, how much more the soul with all its varied faculties. breathed into his nostrils the breath of life--not that the Creator literally performed this act, but respiration being the medium and sign of life, this phrase is used to show that man's life originated in a different way from his body--being implanted directly by God (Ec 12:7), and hence in the new creation of the soul Christ breathed on His disciples (Joh 20:22). Ge 8-17. The Garden of Eden.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 God formed man of the dust - In the most distinct manner God shows us that man is a compound being, having a body and soul distinctly, and separately created; the body out of the dust of the earth, the soul immediately breathed from God himself. Does not this strongly mark that the soul and body are not the same thing? The body derives its origin from the earth, or as עפר aphar implies, the dust; hence because it is earthly it is decomposable and perishable. Of the soul it is said, God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; נשמת חיים nishmath chaiyim, the breath of Lives, i.e., animal and intellectual. While this breath of God expanded the lungs and set them in play, his inspiration gave both spirit and understanding.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 2:4-7

Here is a name given to the Creator, "Jehovah." Where the word "LORD" is printed in capital letters in our English Bibles, in the original it is "Jehovah." Jehovah is that name of God, which denotes that he alone has his being of himself, and that he gives being to all creatures and things. Further notice is taken of plants and herbs, because they were made and appointed to be food for man. The earth did not bring…

Read the full comment on Genesis 2:4-7 →

Genesis 2:7 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּיצֶר֩vai.yi.Tzerand he formedH3335
יְהוָ֨הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֱלֹהִ֜ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָֽאָדָ֗םha.'a.Damthe manH120
עָפָר֙'a.FardustH6083
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הha.'a.da.Mahthe groundH127
וַיִּפַּ֥חvai.yi.Pachand he blewH5301
בְּאַפָּ֖יוbe.'a.Pavin nostrils hisH639
נִשְׁמַ֣תnish.Mat[the] breath ofH5397
חַיִּ֑יםchai.YimlifeH2416
וַֽיְהִ֥יvay.Hiand he becameH1961
הָֽאָדָ֖םha.'a.Damthe manH120
לְנֶ֥פֶשׁle.Ne.fesh<into> a creatureH5315
חַיָּֽה\׃chai.YahlivingH2416

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 2:7

  • Ecclesiastes 12:7

    Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:45

    And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

  • Job 33:4

    The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

  • Isaiah 64:8

    But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

  • Acts 17:25

    Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

  • 1 Corinthians 15:47

    The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

  • Job 27:3

    All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

  • Genesis 3:19

    In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

  • Genesis 7:22

    All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.

  • Ecclesiastes 3:20-21

    All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

  • Psalms 103:14

    For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

  • Zechariah 12:1

    The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
formed man.
Ps 100:3; 139:14,15; Isa 64:8
of the dust. Heb. the dust of, etc. dust.
3:19,23; Job 4:19; 33:6; Ps 103:14; Ec 3:7,20; 12:7; Isa 64:8
Ro 9:20; 1Co 15:47; 2Co 4:7; 5:1
and breathed.
Job 27:3; 33:4; Joh 20:22; Ac 17:25
nostrils.
7:22; Ec 3:21; Isa 2:22
a living.
Nu 16:22; 27:16; Pr 20:27; Zec 12:1; 1Co 15:45; Heb 12:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 2:6

    But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

  • Genesis 2:7

    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 2:8

    And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Read all of Genesis 2

Genesis 2:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Formó, pues, Jehová Dios al hombre del polvo de la tierra, y alentó en su nariz soplo de vida; y fué el hombre en alma viviente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’ Éternel Dieu forma l’homme, poussière du sol, et souffla dans ses narines une respiration de vie, et l’homme devint une âme vivante.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Jehova Gott bildete den Menschen, Staub von dem Erdboden, und hauchte in seine Nase den Odem des Lebens; und der Mensch wurde eine lebendige Seele.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Formavit igitur Dominus Deus hominem de limo terræ, et inspiravit in faciem ejus spiraculum vitæ, et factus est homo in animam viventem.