The Meaning of Genesis 2:5 Explained

Genesis 2:5

KJV: And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

YLT: and no shrub of the field is yet in the earth, and no herb of the field yet sprouteth, for Jehovah God hath not rained upon the earth, and a man there is not to serve the ground,

Darby: and every shrub of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; for Jehovah Elohim had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground.

ASV: And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Jehovah God had not caused it to rain upon the earth: and there was not a man to till the ground;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And every plant  of the field  before  it was in the earth,  and every herb  of the field  before  it grew:  for  the LORD  God  had not  caused it to rain  upon the earth,  and [there was] not  a man  to till  the ground. 

What does Genesis 2:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 2:1-17 - Man In Eden, Innocence
The first paragraph belongs to the previous chapter, as is clear from the use of the same term for God-Elohim. God's Rest was not from weariness, or exhaustion, but because His work of Creation was finished. He is ever at work, remember John 5:17. We enter into His rest, when we cease to worry, and trust Him in all and for all. In Genesis 2:4, Moses incorporates another of those wonderful God-given narratives, which had been handed down from the lips of the patriarchs. It is marked by the use of another term for God-Jehovah Elohim. Every man is entrusted with a garden, that he may keep it. God's goodness is no excuse for idleness. Whether your heart and life shall produce weeds, or flowers and fruits, depends on yourself. Ponder Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 24:30-31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 2

1  The first Sabbath
4  Further details concerning the manner of creation
8  The planting of the garden of Eden, and its situation;
15  man is placed in it; and the tree of knowledge forbidden
18  The animals are named by Adam
21  The making of woman, and the institution of marriage

What do the individual words in Genesis 2:5 mean?

And any plant of the field before was in the earth and any herb of the field had grown for not had caused it to rain Yahweh God on the earth and man [there was] not to cultivate - the ground
וְכֹ֣ל ׀ שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה טֶ֚רֶם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ וְכָל־ עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִצְמָ֑ח כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־ הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־ הָֽאֲדָמָֽה

וְכֹ֣ל ׀  And  any 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שִׂ֣יחַ  plant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שִׂיחַ  
Sense: bush, plant, shrub.
הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה  of  the  field 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
טֶ֚רֶם  before 
Parse: Adverb
Root: טֶרֶם  
Sense: before, not yet, before that.
בָאָ֔רֶץ  in  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְכָל־  and  any 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֵ֥שֶׂב  herb 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵשֶׂב  
Sense: herb, herbage, grass, green plants.
הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה  of  the  field 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
יִצְמָ֑ח  had  grown 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָמַח  
Sense: to sprout, spring up, grow up.
הִמְטִ֜יר  had  caused  it  to  rain 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָטַר  
Sense: to rain.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהִים֙  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְאָדָ֣ם  and  man 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
אַ֔יִן  [there  was]  not 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד  to  cultivate 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָֽאֲדָמָֽה  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.