1._Thus the heavens and the earth were finished _(100) Moses summarily repeats that in six days the fabric of the heaven and the earth was completed. The general division of the world is made into these two parts, as has been stated at the commencement of the first chapter. But he now adds, all the... [ Continue Reading ]
2._And he rested on the seventh day _The question may not improperly be put, what kind of rest this was. For it is certain that inasmuch as God sustains the world by his power, governs it by his providence, cherishes and even propagates all creatures, he is constantly at work. Therefore that saying... [ Continue Reading ]
3._And God blessed the seventh day _It appears that God is here said to bless according to the manner of men, because they bless him whom they highly extol. Nevertheless, even in this sense, it would not be unsuitable to the character of God; because his blessing sometimes means the favor which he b... [ Continue Reading ]
4._These are the generations _(108) The design of Moses was deeply to impress upon our minds the _origin _of the heaven and the earth, which he designates by the word _generation_. For there have always been ungrateful and malignant men, who, either by feigning, that the world was eternal or by obli... [ Continue Reading ]
5._And every plant _This verse is connected with the preceding, and must be read in continuation with it; for he annexes the plants and herbs to the earth, as the garment with which the Lord has adorned it, lest its nakedness should appear as a deformity. The noun שיה (_sicah_, (110)) which we trans... [ Continue Reading ]
7._And the Lord God formed man _He now explains what he had before omitted in the creation of man, that his body was taken out of the earth. He had said that he was formed after the image of God. This is incomparably the highest nobility; and, lest men should use it as an occasion of pride, their fi... [ Continue Reading ]
8._And the Lord God planted _(117) Moses now adds the condition and rule of living which were given to man. And, first, he narrates in what part of the world he was placed, and what a happy and pleasant habitation was allotted to him. Moses says, that God had _planted _accommodating himself, by a si... [ Continue Reading ]
9_And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow _The production here spoken of belongs to the third day of the creation. But Moses expressly declares the place to have been richly replenished with every kind of fruitful trees, that there might be a full and happy abundance of all things. This was... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And a river went out _Moses says that one river flowed to water the garden, which afterwards would divide itself into four heads. It is sufficiently agreed among all, that two of these heads are the Euphrates and the Tigris; for no one disputes that הידקל (_Hiddekel_) is the Tigris. But there is... [ Continue Reading ]
15._And the Lord God took the man _Moses now adds, that the earth was given to man, with this condition, that he should occupy himself in its cultivation. Whence it follows that men were created to employ themselves in some work, and not to lie down in inactivity and idleness. This labor, truly, was... [ Continue Reading ]
16._And the Lord God commanded _Moses now teaches, that man was the governor of the world, with this exception, that he should, nevertheless, be subject to God. A law is imposed upon him in token of his subjection; for it would have made no difference to God, if he had eaten indiscriminately of any... [ Continue Reading ]
18._It is not good that the man should be alone _(136) Moses now explains the design of God in creating the woman; namely, that there should be human beings on the earth who might cultivate mutual society between themselves. Yet a doubt may arise whether this design ought to be extended to progeny,... [ Continue Reading ]
19._And out of the ground the Lord God formed, etc _(144) This is a more ample exposition of the preceding sentence, for he says that, of all the animals, when they had been placed in order, not one was found which might be conferred upon and adapted to Adam; nor was there such affinity of nature, t... [ Continue Reading ]
21._And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall, etc. _Although to profane persons this method of forming woman may seem ridiculous, and some of these may say that Moses is dealing in fables, yet to us the wonderful providence of God here shines forth; for, to the end that the conjunction of the hu... [ Continue Reading ]
22._And brought her, etc _Moses now relates that marriage was divinely instituted, which is especially useful to be known; for since Adam did not take a wife to himself at his own will, but received her as offered and appropriated to him by God, the sanctity of marriage hence more clearly appears, b... [ Continue Reading ]
23._And Adam said, etc _It is demanded whence Adam derived this knowledge since he was at that time buried in deep sleep. If we say that his quickness of perception was then such as to enable him by conjecture to form a judgment, the solution would be weak. But we ought not to doubt that God would m... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Therefore shall a man leave _It is doubted whether Moses here introduces God as speaking, or continues the discourse of Adam, or, indeed, has added this, in virtue of his office as teacher, in his own person. (151) The last of these is that which I most approve. Therefore, after he has related h... [ Continue Reading ]
25._They were both naked _That the nakedness of men should be deemed indecorous and unsightly, while that of cattle has nothing disgraceful, seems little to agree with the dignity of human nature. We cannot behold a naked man without a sense of shame; yet at the sight of an ass, a dog, or an ox, no... [ Continue Reading ]