Genesis 2:4-17

4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.

5 Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.

6 But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.

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

8 The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

9 Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four rivers.

11 The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.

12 The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there.

13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush.

14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;

17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Other Scripture References:

Proverbs 1:7

Quotes:

“Breathed is warmly personal, with the face-to-face intimacy of a kiss and the significance that this was giving as well as making; and self-giving at that.” (Dr. D. Kidner)

“On the one hand, he [man] is described as being formed from the dust of the ground—an image of lowliness… On the other hand, man has been breathed into by God—an image of glory.  It is man’s unique role to combine both dust and glory.” (Dr. James Montgomery Boice.) 

“Adam’s church, altar, and pulpit.  Here he was to yield to God the obedience he owed, give recognition to the Word and will of God, give thanks to God, and call upon God for aid against temptation.” (Martin Luther)

“Moreover, there is knowledge that God possesses that man should not seek apart from revelation; to obtain this knowledge is to act with moral autonomy.  By obtaining it through disobedience, the first couple expressed their independence of God and obtained wisdom possessed by God through moral autonomy.  This autonomous action meant death because this wisdom was obtained unlawfully; transgression against the law of God carried the penalty of death.” (Dr. Kenneth Mathews)