Genesis 2:16
And the LORD God commanded him, "You may eat freely from every tree of the garden,
And the LORD God
The phrase "LORD God" combines the Hebrew words "Yahweh" (יהוה) and "Elohim" (אֱלֹהִים). "Yahweh" is the personal name of God, often associated with His covenantal faithfulness and relational aspect with humanity. "Elohim" is a plural form, emphasizing God's majesty and power. This combination underscores the personal yet sovereign nature of God, who is both intimately involved with His creation and supremely authoritative. Historically, this duality reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding of deities, yet the Bible uniquely presents one God embodying both personal and powerful attributes.

commanded him
The Hebrew word for "commanded" is "tsavah" (צָוָה), which implies a directive given with authority and expectation of obedience. This is the first recorded command given to man, highlighting the beginning of a moral framework within which humanity is to operate. The use of "commanded" indicates that God’s instructions are not mere suggestions but are meant to be followed, establishing a divine order and purpose for human life. This sets a precedent for the relationship between God and humanity, where obedience to God's word is central.

You may eat freely
The phrase "eat freely" comes from the Hebrew "akol tokel" (אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל), which is an emphatic expression meaning to eat without restriction. This reflects God's abundant provision and generosity towards humanity. The repetition in Hebrew emphasizes the freedom and permission granted by God, indicating that His creation is meant to be enjoyed. This provision is a testament to God's goodness and His desire for human flourishing, setting a tone of grace and abundance in the relationship between God and man.

from every tree of the garden
The phrase "every tree of the garden" signifies the vastness and variety of God's provision. The garden, likely located in the region known as Mesopotamia, symbolizes a place of divine blessing and sustenance. The mention of "every tree" suggests that God's gifts are not limited but are plentiful and diverse, reflecting His creativity and care. This abundance is a reminder of the original harmony and balance intended in creation, where humanity is to live in a state of trust and reliance on God's provision.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD God
The Creator, who is sovereign and authoritative, giving commands to His creation. The term "LORD God" combines "Yahweh" (YHWH) and "Elohim," emphasizing both His covenantal and powerful nature.

2. Adam
The first man, created by God, who is the recipient of God's command. He represents humanity in its original state of innocence and responsibility.

3. The Garden of Eden
A place of perfection and provision, where God placed Adam. It symbolizes God's abundant provision and the ideal environment for human flourishing.

4. Command
The directive given by God to Adam, highlighting the relationship between God and man, where God provides and man obeys.

5. Trees of the Garden
Representing God's provision and generosity, allowing Adam to enjoy the fruits of creation with the exception of one tree, which is specified in the following verse.
Teaching Points
God's Generosity
Recognize that God is generous and provides abundantly for our needs. We should trust in His provision and be grateful for His blessings.

Obedience to God's Commands
Understand that God's commands are given for our good. Obedience leads to life and blessing, while disobedience leads to consequences.

Freedom with Boundaries
Appreciate the freedom God gives us within the boundaries He sets. These boundaries are for our protection and well-being.

Stewardship of Creation
As Adam was given the responsibility to care for the garden, we are called to be good stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

The Importance of Choice
Reflect on the choices we make daily and their alignment with God's will. Our choices have significant spiritual and practical implications.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the command in Genesis 2:16 reflect God's character and His relationship with humanity?

2. In what ways can we see God's generosity in our own lives, and how should we respond to it?

3. What are some modern "trees" that God has commanded us to avoid, and how can we remain obedient to His commands?

4. How does the concept of freedom with boundaries apply to our daily lives, and what are some examples of this principle?

5. How can we practice good stewardship of the resources God has given us, both in our personal lives and in our communities?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 1:29
This verse also speaks of God's provision of food, showing His care and generosity towards humanity from the beginning.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20
The choice between life and death, blessing and curse, echoes the choice given to Adam in the garden, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's commands.

John 10:10
Jesus speaks of coming to give life abundantly, which reflects the abundance God provided in the Garden of Eden.

Romans 5:12-19
Discusses the consequences of Adam's disobedience and contrasts it with the obedience of Christ, highlighting the importance of following God's commands.
Man's First Dwelling-PlaceR.A. Redford Genesis 2:8-17
A View of the Covenant of WorksGenesis 2:16-17
God's CommandProf. J. G. Murphy.Genesis 2:16-17
In What Does Man's Death as a Sinner ConsistHomilistGenesis 2:16-17
ObservationsJ. White, M. A.Genesis 2:16-17
Of the Covenant of WorksT. Boston, D. D.Genesis 2:16-17
The Fall of ManArchdeacon Farrar.Genesis 2:16-17
The First CovenantArchdeacon Hannah.Genesis 2:16-17
The First LawThe ProtoplastGenesis 2:16-17
The Forbidden TreeD. Moore, M. A.Genesis 2:16-17
The Knowledge of Good and EvilArchdeacon Hannah.Genesis 2:16-17
The Law of ParadiseN. Emmons, D. D.Genesis 2:16-17
The LimitationJ. Parker, D. D.Genesis 2:16-17
The Missionary TreesWord and WorkGenesis 2:16-17
The ProhibitionH. Bonar, D. D.Genesis 2:16-17
The Threatened DeathD. N. Sheldon, D. D.Genesis 2:16-17
Will God Punish SinJ. M. Sherwood, D. D.Genesis 2:16-17
People
Adam, Shoham
Places
Assyria, Cush, Eden, Euphrates River, Tigris River
Topics
Charge, Commanded, Eat, Eating, Elohim, Free, Freely, Fruit, Garden, Layeth, Mayest, Orders, Saying, Tree
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Genesis 2:16

     5020   human nature

Genesis 2:4-23

     4468   horticulture

Genesis 2:8-17

     4526   tree of life

Genesis 2:8-25

     4241   Garden of Eden

Genesis 2:15-16

     4029   world, human beings in

Genesis 2:15-17

     4438   eating
     5856   extravagance

Genesis 2:15-24

     5002   human race, and creation

Genesis 2:16-17

     4017   life, animal and plant
     5004   human race, and sin
     5031   knowledge, of sin
     5376   law, purpose of
     5483   punishment
     5978   warning
     6155   fall, of Adam and Eve
     6203   mortality
     6703   peace, divine OT
     8310   morality, and creation
     8404   commands, in OT

Genesis 2:16-18

     1443   revelation, OT

Library
Third Day. Holiness and Creation.
And God blessed the Sabbath day, and sanctified it, because that in it He had rested from all the work which God created and made.'--Gen. ii. 3. In Genesis we have the Book of Beginnings. To its first three chapters we are specially indebted for a Divine light shining on the many questions to which human wisdom never could find an answer. In our search after Holiness, we are led thither too. In the whole book of Genesis the word Holy occurs but once. But that once in such a connection as to open
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Of the First Covenant.
Gal. iii. 12.--"The law is not of faith; but the man that doeth them shall live in them."--Gen. ii. 17.--"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." The Lord made all things for himself, to show forth the glory of his name; and man in a more eminent and special manner, for more eminent manifestations of himself; therefore all his dealings towards men, whether righteous or sinful, do declare the glory
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Disciple, -- Sometimes this Question is Asked, "Since God is Fully Aware of Our...
The Disciple,--Sometimes this question is asked, "Since God is fully aware of our needs, and knows how to supply them in the best way, not for the good only but for the evil, how should we pray to Him about them? Whether our necessities be temporal or spiritual, can we by our prayers alter the will of God?" The Master,--1. Those who ask such a question show clearly that they do not know what prayer is. They have not lived a prayerful life, or they would know that prayer to God is not a form of begging.
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

The Covenant of Works
Q-12: I proceed to the next question, WHAT SPECIAL ACT OF PROVIDENCE DID GOD EXERCISE TOWARDS MAN IN THE ESTATE WHEREIN HE WAS CREATED? A: When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge upon pain of death. For this, consult with Gen 2:16, 17: And the Lord commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Paradise of God
T. P. Gen. ii. 18; Eph. v. 32 In the Paradise of glory Is the Man Divine; There my heart, O God, is tasting Fellowship with Thine. Called to share Thy joy unmeasured, Now is heaven begun; I rejoice with Thee, O Father, In Thy glorious Son. Where the heart of God is resting, I have found my rest; Christ who found me in the desert, Laid me on His breast. There in deep unhindered fulness Doth my joy flow free-- On through everlasting ages, Lord, beholding Thee. Round me is creation groaning, Death,
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Forasmuch as Each Man is a Part of the Human Race...
1. Forasmuch as each man is a part of the human race, and human nature is something social, and hath for a great and natural good, the power also of friendship; on this account God willed to create all men out of one, in order that they might be held in their society not only by likeness of kind, but also by bond of kindred. Therefore the first natural bond of human society is man and wife. Nor did God create these each by himself, and join them together as alien by birth: but He created the one
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage

Turn Away Thine Eyes from Me, Because they have Made Me to Flee Away; Thy Hair is as a Flock of Goats that Appear from Gilead.
It is impossible to conceive the delicacy of the love of God, and the extremity of purity which He requires of souls that are to be His Brides; the perfection of one state is the imperfection of another. Heretofore the Bridegroom rejoiced infinitely that His Spouse never turned her eyes away from Him; now, He desires her not to look at Him; He tells her that her eyes have made Him to flee away. When once the soul has begun to flow into her God, as a river into its original source, she must be wholly
Madame Guyon—Song of Songs of Solomon

Epistle xiv. To the Count Narses .
To the Count Narses [1642] . Gregory to Narses, &c. Your Charity, being anxious to learn our opinion, has been at the pains of writing to us to ask what we think of the book against the presbyter Athanasius which was sent to us. Having thoroughly perused some parts of it, we find that he has fallen into the dogma of Manichæus. But he who has noted some places as heretical by a mark set against them slips also himself into Pelagian heresy; for he has marked certain places as heretical which
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Epistle xxxiv. To Eulogius, Bishop.
To Eulogius, Bishop. Gregory to Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria, and Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch [1717] . The charity wherewith I am greatly bound to you allows me by no means to keep silence, that your Holiness may know all that is going on among us, and, deceived by no false rumours, may keep more perfectly the way of your justice and rectitude, as you have perfectly begun to do. Now the representatives (responsales) of our brother and fellow-bishop Cyriacus came to me, bringing me his synodical
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Formation of the Old Testament Canon
[Sidenote: Israel's literature at the beginning of the fourth century before Christ] Could we have studied the scriptures of the Israelitish race about 400 B.C., we should have classified them under four great divisions: (1) The prophetic writings, represented by the combined early Judean, Ephraimite, and late prophetic or Deuteronomic narratives, and their continuation in Samuel and Kings, together with the earlier and exilic prophecies; (2) the legal, represented by the majority of the Old Testament
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

The Interpretation of the Early Narratives of the Old Testament
[Sidenote: Importance of regarding each story as a unit] Of all the different groups of writings in the Old Testament, undoubtedly the early narratives found in the first seven books present the most perplexing problems. This is primarily due to the fact that they have been subject to a long process of editorial revision by which stories, some very old and others very late and written from a very different point of view, have been closely joined together. While there is a distinct aim and unity
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall.
Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall. [182] All Adam's posterity, or mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, as to the first Adam, or earthly man, is fallen, degenerated, and dead; deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward testimony or seed of God; and is subject unto the power, nature, and seed of the serpent, which he soweth in men's hearts, while they abide in this natural and corrupted estate; from whence it comes, that not only their words and deeds, but all their imaginations, are
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

Though Ye Know Him Not
"I have known cases of young ministers dissuaded from facing the missionary call by those who posed as friends of Foreign Missions, and yet presumed to argue: 'Your spiritual power and intellectual attainments are needed by the Church at home; they would be wasted in the Foreign Field.' 'Spiritual power wasted' in a land like India! Where is it so sorely needed as in a continent where Satan has constructed his strongest fortresses and displayed the choicest masterpieces of his skill? 'Intellectual
Amy Wilson-Carmichael—Things as They Are

Of Creation
Heb. xi. 3.--"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."--Gen. i. 1. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." We are come down from the Lord's purposes and decrees to the execution of them, which is partly in the works of creation and partly in the works of providence. The Lord having resolved upon it to manifest his own glory did in that due and predeterminate time apply his
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit as Revealed in his Names.
At least twenty-five different names are used in the Old and New Testaments in speaking of the Holy Spirit. There is the deepest significance in these names. By the careful study of them, we find a wonderful revelation of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. I. The Spirit. The simplest name by which the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Bible is that which stands at the head of this paragraph--"The Spirit." This name is also used as the basis of other names, so we begin our study with this.
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Sin a Power in Reversed Action.
"If ye live after the flesh ye shall die."--Rom. viii. 13. Altho sin is originally and essentially a loss, a lack, and a deprivation, in its working it is a positive evil and a malignant power. This is shown by the apostolic injunction not only to put on the new man, but also to put off the old man with his works. The well-known theologian Maccovius, commenting on this, aptly remarks: "This could not be enjoined if sin were merely a loss of light and life; for a mere lack ceases as soon as it is
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Providence of God
Q-11: WHAT ARE GOD'S WORKS OF PROVIDENCE? A: God's works of providence are the acts of his most holy, wise, and powerful government of his creatures, and of their actions. Of the work of God's providence Christ says, My Father worketh hitherto and I work.' John 5:17. God has rested from the works of creation, he does not create any new species of things. He rested from all his works;' Gen 2:2; and therefore it must needs be meant of his works of providence: My Father worketh and I work.' His kingdom
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Millennium in Relation to Creation.
The blessings which will be brought to the world upon the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom will not be confined to the human family but will be extended to all creation. As we have shown in earlier chapters, the Curse which was pronounced by God upon the ground in the day of Adam's fall, and which resulted in a creation that has groaned and travailed ever since, is yet to be revoked. Creation is not to remain in bondage for ever. God has set a hope before it, a hope, which like ours, centers
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

The Unjust Steward - Dives and Lazarus - Jewish Agricultural Notes - Prices of Produce - Writing and Legal Documents - Purple and Fine Linen -
Although widely differing in their object and teaching, the last group of Parables spoken during this part of Christ's Ministry are, at least outwardly, connected by a leading thought. The word by which we would string them together is Righteousness. There are three Parables of the Unrighteous: the Unrighteous Steward, the Unrighteous Owner, and the Unrighteous Dispenser, or Judge. And these are followed by two other Parables of the Self-righteous: Self-righteousness in its Ignorance, and its dangers
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Covenanting Adapted to the Moral Constitution of Man.
The law of God originates in his nature, but the attributes of his creatures are due to his sovereignty. The former is, accordingly, to be viewed as necessarily obligatory on the moral subjects of his government, and the latter--which are all consistent with the holiness of the Divine nature, are to be considered as called into exercise according to his appointment. Hence, also, the law of God is independent of his creatures, though made known on their account; but the operation of their attributes
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Growth of the Old Testament Prophetic Histories
[Sidenote: Analogies between the influences that produced the two Testaments] Very similar influences were at work in producing and shaping both the Old and the New Testaments; only in the history of the older Scriptures still other forces can be distinguished. Moreover, the Old Testament contains a much greater variety of literature. It is also significant that, while some of the New Testament books began to be canonized less than a century after they were written, there is clear evidence that
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

Sovereignty of God in Administration
"The LORD hath prepared His Throne In the heavens; and His Kingdom ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19). First, a word concerning the need for God to govern the material world. Suppose the opposite for a moment. For the sake of argument, let us say that God created the world, designed and fixed certain laws (which men term "the laws of Nature"), and that He then withdrew, leaving the world to its fortune and the out-working of these laws. In such a case, we should have a world over which there was no intelligent,
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

Death by Adam, Life by Christ
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. F rom Mr. Handel's acknowledged abilities as a composer, and particularly from what I have heard of his great taste and success in adapting the style of his music to the subject, I judge, that this passage afforded him a fair occasion of displaying his genius and powers. Two ideas, vastly important in themselves, are here represented in the strongest light,
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Links
Genesis 2:16 NIV
Genesis 2:16 NLT
Genesis 2:16 ESV
Genesis 2:16 NASB
Genesis 2:16 KJV

Genesis 2:16 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Genesis 2:15
Top of Page
Top of Page