Genesis 2

Summary: God has finished the creation and rests on the seventh day. The creation story is retold(?). Man (Adam) is created and placed in Eden, plants and animals come forth, among all the animals no mate is found for Adam. Eve is created. Adam and Eve are innocent.

Reflection: Sorry guys, I didn't get a chance to really look at commentary, but I'll give you some of what I remember from studying this before. Unfortunately, no references. First, it's a little strange that two chapters in a row describe the creation of the world. Some scholars have suggested that there are two authors to these chapters. They are referred to as the El author and the Jehovah author because they use two different Hebrew terms for God.

I really like this particular chapter because it seems to get closer to the actual process of what's going on in creation. Man has a name. He looks through all the animals, names them, and realizes he has no mate. Eve is created from his rib. There is much more in depth character development than in chapter 1. Steven Walker, one of my professors, suggested that Adam reviewing all the animals and not finding a mate is really quite sweet because as he searches through the animals he realizes that all of them have a second half but that he is alone. Only after he realizes this is Eve created.

Finally, I like the following quote.

"From the rib of Adam, Eve was formed (see Gen. 2:22; Moses 3:22; Abr. 5:16). Interesting to me is the fact that animals fashioned by our Creator, such as dogs and cats, have thirteen pairs of ribs, but the human being has one less with only twelve. I presume another bone could have been used, but the rib, coming as it does from the side, seems to denote partnership. The rib signifies neither dominion nor subservience, but a lateral relationship as partners, to work and to live, side by side." ~ Elder Russel M. Nelson. "Lessons from Eve."Ensign, Nov. 1987, pg. 86.

Adam and Eve were created as partners. Can you imagine being the only two people on the face of the earth and one of you dominating the other. Think how lonely it would be with no one at your side, only someone under your heel or over your head.