The Meaning of Genesis 2:7 Explained

Genesis 2:7

KJV: And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

YLT: And Jehovah God formeth the man -- dust from the ground, and breatheth into his nostrils breath of life, and the man becometh a living creature.

Darby: And Jehovah Elohim formed Man, dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and Man became a living soul.

ASV: And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  God  formed  man  [of] the dust  of  the ground,  and breathed  into his nostrils  the breath  of life;  and man  became a living  soul. 

What does Genesis 2:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The "breath of life" (Heb. nesama) was God"s breath that gave Adam life, spiritual understanding ( Job 32:8), and a functioning conscience ( Proverbs 20:27). Adam"s life came from God"s breath. [1] His uniqueness consisted in his having been made in God"s image. God"s breath may be a synonym for His word (cf. Psalm 33:6). [2]," Bibliotheca Sacra145:580 (October-December1988):400-9.] Prayer of Manasseh , therefore, is a combination of dust and divinity. [3]

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 2:7 mean?

And formed Yahweh God - man [from] the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and became the man a being living
וַיִּיצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־ הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־ הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה

וַיִּיצֶר֩  And  formed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
יְהוָ֨ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהִ֜ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
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.
הָֽאָדָ֗ם  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
עָפָר֙  [from]  the  dust 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
וַיִּפַּ֥ח  and  breathed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַח  
Sense: to breathe, blow, sniff at, seethe, give up or lose (life).
בְּאַפָּ֖יו  into  his  nostrils 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, mdc, third person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
נִשְׁמַ֣ת  the  breath 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נְשָׁמָה  
Sense: breath, spirit.
חַיִּ֑ים  of  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
וַֽיְהִ֥י  and  became 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הָֽאָדָ֖ם  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ  a  being 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
חַיָּֽה  living 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.