2:4
אֵ֣לֶּה תֹולְדֹ֧ות הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָ֑ם
These are the histories of Heaven and Earth,
when they were being created,
בְּיֹ֗ום עֲשֹׂ֛ות יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים
At a time the LORD God was preparing
אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם׃
Earth and Heaven,
2:5
וְכֹ֣ל ׀ שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה
and every bush of the field,
טֶ֚רֶם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ
before it would be on the earth,
וְכָל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה טֶ֣רֶם יִצְמָ֑ח
and every grass of the field,
before it would spring up:
כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר
יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ
For the LORD God had not
made it rain upon the earth,
וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
and there was no man to work the soil:
2:6
וְאֵ֖ד יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ
Now a mist-stream
used to arise from the earth,
וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה אֶֽת־כָּל־פְּנֵֽי־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
and it would irrigate the whole face of the ground.
2:7
וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם
And Jehovah God formed man,
עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה
as matter from the ground,
Stained glass window on Cathedral, Milan
Courtesy of the Web Gallery of Art
וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים
And He breathed into his nostrils life-force breath,
וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃
and man became a living being:
2:8
וַיִּטַּ֞ע יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים
And Jehovah God planted
גַּן־בְּעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם
a garden in Eden (Land of Bliss) in advance;
וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם
And there he placed man,
אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר׃
whom He had formed:
2:9
וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה
And Jehovah God caused to grow from the ground
כָּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה
every tree being pleasant to sight,
וְטֹ֣וב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל
and good for food;
וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּתֹ֣וךְ הַגָּ֔ן
And the Tree of Life, in the midst of the garden,
וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת טֹ֥וב וָרָֽע׃
and also the Tree of Knowing Good and Evil:
2:10
וְנָהָר֙ יֹצֵ֣א מֵעֵ֔דֶן
Now a river was flowing out of Eden
לְהַשְׁקֹ֖ות אֶת־הַגָּ֑ן
to water the garden;
וּמִשָּׁם֙ יִפָּרֵ֔ד
and from there it divided,
וְהָיָ֖ה לְאַרְבָּעָ֥ה רָאשִֽׁים׃
And it became four heads:
2:11-12
שֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד פִּישֹׁ֑ון
The name of the first was Pishon (spreading),
ה֣וּא הַסֹּבֵ֗ב
It was flowing around
אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחֲוִילָ֔ה
the whole sand-land (Havilah),
אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם הַזָּהָֽב׃
There where gold was;
וּֽזֲהַ֛ב הָאָ֥רֶץ הַהִ֖וא טֹ֑וב
Now the gold of that land was good;
שָׁ֥ם הַבְּדֹ֖לַח וְאֶ֥בֶן הַשֹּֽׁהַם׃
Bdellium was there,
and onyx stone;
2:13
וְשֵֽׁם־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַשֵּׁנִ֖י גִּיחֹ֑ון
And the name of the second river was Gihon (bursting forth/bubbling),
ה֣וּא הַסֹּובֵ֔ב אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ כּֽוּשׁ׃
It was flowing around
the whole land of Cush;
2:14
וְשֵׁ֨ם הַנָּהָ֤ר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי֙ חִדֶּ֔קֶל
And the name of the third river was Hiddekel (Tigris/rapid);
ה֥וּא הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְ קִדְמַ֣ת אַשּׁ֑וּר
It was going east of Assyria;
וְהַנָּהָ֥ר הָֽרְבִיעִ֖י ה֥וּא פְרָֽת׃ס
And the fourth river,
it was the Euphrates
(the Great River: Akkadian Purattu):
2:15
וַיִּקַּ֛ח יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם
And the LORD God took the man;
וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן
And He placed him in the Garden of Eden
לְעָבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשָׁמְרָֽהּ׃
To work it, and to take care of it:
2:16
וַיְצַו֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים
And the LORD God laid explicit instruction
עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר
upon the man, saying:
מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃
“from any tree of the garden
you may eat at will;”
2:17
וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ טֹ֣וב וָרָ֔ע
“But from the tree of Knowing Good and Evil,
לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ
You must not eat from off it;
כִּ֗י בְּיֹ֛ום אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ
For on the day of your eating from off of it,
מֹ֥ות תָּמֽוּת׃
you shall certainly die.”
2:18
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים
And the LORD God said:
לֹא־טֹ֛וב הֱיֹ֥ות הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדֹּ֑ו
“It is not good, the man being by himself;
אֶֽעֱשֶׂהּ־לֹּ֥ו עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדֹּֽו׃
I will prepare help for him, as his opposite.”
2:19
וַיִּצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה
And the LORD God formed out of the ground
כָּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙
every living creature of the field
וְאֵת֙ כָּל־עֹ֣וף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם
and every flying creature of the heavens
וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם
And he brought it to the man
לִרְאֹ֖ות מַה־יִּקְרָא־לֹ֑ו
to see what he would name it;
וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־לֹ֧ו הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה
And whatsoever the man would name a living entity,
ה֥וּא שְׁמֹֽו׃
that was it’s name:
2:20
וַיִּקְרָ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם שֵׁמֹ֗ות לְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָה֙
And the man gave names to every beast,
וּלְעֹ֣וף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם
and to the flying creatures of the heavens,
וּלְכֹ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה
and to every living creature of the field;
וּלְאָדָ֕ם לֹֽא־מָצָ֥א עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדֹּֽו׃
But with regard to the man,
he had not found help as his opposite:
2:21
וַיַּפֵּל֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ תַּרְדֵּמָ֛ה
And the LORD God made a deep sleep fall
עַל־הָאָדָ֖ם וַיִּישָׁ֑ן
upon the man, and he slept;
וַיִּקַּ֗ח אַחַת֙ מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו
And He took one of his sides,
וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר בָּשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה׃
And He closed up flesh in it’s place;
2:22
וַיִּבֶן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ אֶֽת־הַצֵּלָ֛ע
And the LORD God built the side
אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֥ח מִן־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְאִשָּׁ֑ה
that He had taken from the man,
into a woman;
וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ אֶל־הָֽאָדָֽם׃
And He brought her to the man;
2:23
וַיֹּאמֶר֮ הָֽאָדָם֒
Then the man said:
זֹ֣את הַפַּ֗עַם עֶ֚צֶם מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י
“This time, bone, from my bones!
וּבָשָׂ֖ר מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י
and flesh, from my flesh!
לְזֹאת֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א אִשָּׁ֔ה
This one, she will be called ‘Woman’,
כִּ֥י מֵאִ֖ישׁ לֻֽקֳחָה־זֹּֽאת׃
for from man was this one taken!”
2:24
עַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזָב־אִ֔ישׁ
Therefore, a man shall leave
אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמֹּ֑ו
his father and his mother
וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתֹּ֔ו וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד׃
and shall cleave to his wife,
and they shall become one flesh.
2:25
וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ עֲרוּמִּ֔ים
And the two of them were naked,
הָֽאָדָ֖ם וְאִשְׁתֹּ֑ו
the man and his wife,
וְלֹ֖א יִתְבֹּשָֽׁשׁוּ׃ס
But they did not feel ashamed.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3:1
וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם
Now the serpent had become sly,
מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה
Out of every living creature of the field
אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים
that the LORD God had made;
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה
And he said to the woman:
אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ
“Did God really say that ye cannot eat,
מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃
from every tree of the garden?”
3:2
וַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ
Then the woman said to the serpent:
מִפְּרִ֥י עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן נֹאכֵֽל׃
“From the garden tree fruit we may eat:”
3:3
וּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֮
“But from the fruit of the tree,
אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתֹוךְ־הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים
that which is in the middle of the garden,
God has said:
לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בֹּ֑ו
‘Ye must not eat from it,
and ye must not touch it,
פֶּן־תְּמֻתֽוּן׃
Lest ye should die!’”
3:4
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה
Then the serpent said to the woman:
לֹֽא־מֹ֖ות תְּמֻתֽוּן׃
“Ye shall certainly not die!”
3:5
כִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים
“On the contrary, God knows
כִּ֗י בְּיֹום֙ אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ
that on the day of your eating from it,
וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם
then your eyes shall be opened;
וִהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים
And ye shall become like gods,
יֹדְעֵ֖י טֹ֥וב וָרָֽע׃
knowing good and evil!”
3:6
וַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה
When the woman saw
כִּ֣י טֹוב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל
that the tree was good for food
וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם
and that it was a delight to the eyes
וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל
and the tree was desirable in order to give insight
וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְיֹ֖ו וַתֹּאכַ֑ל
Then she took of its fruit and she ate;
וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃
and she gave also to her husband,
in company with her, and he ate;
3:7
וַתִּפָּקַ֙חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם
And the eyes of the two of them were opened,
וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם
Then they knew that they were naked;
יִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה
So they stuck together fig foliage,
וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת׃ס
and they made loincloths for themselves.
3:8
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־קֹ֨ול יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים
And they heard the sound of the LORD God
מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיֹּ֑ום
walking to and fro in the garden
at the breeze of the day;
וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתֹּ֗ו
And the man and his wife kept themselves hidden,
מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים
from the presence of the LORD God,
בְּתֹ֖וךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃
in the midst of the trees of the garden.
3:9
וַיִּקְרָ֛א יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הָֽאָדָ֑ם
And the LORD God called to the man,
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לֹ֖ו אַיֶּֽכָּה׃
And He said to him “where are you!?”
3:10
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־קֹלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן
And he said,
“I heard your sound in the garden;
וָאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי וָאֵחָבֵֽא׃
And I was afraid, because I am naked,
and I hid myself.”
3:11
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֚י הִגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔
כִּ֥י עֵירֹ֖ם אָ֑תָּה
And He said “Who told you that you are naked!?”
הֲמִן־הָעֵ֗ץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר צִוִּיתִ֛יךָ
“From the tree, that which I commanded you
לְבִלְתִּ֥י אֲכָל־מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אָכָֽלְתָּ׃
not to eat from, have you eaten from it!?”
3:12
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָֽאָדָ֑ם
Then the man said:
הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה עִמָּדִ֔י
“The woman whom You gave standing with me,
הִ֛וא נָֽתְנָה־לִּ֥י מִן־הָעֵ֖ץ וָאֹכֵֽל׃
She gave me from that tree, and I ate.”
3:13
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָאִשָּׁ֖ה
מַה־זֹּ֣את עָשִׂ֑ית
And the LORD God said to the woman:
“What is this you have done!?”
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה
Then the woman said:
הַנָּחָ֥שׁ הִשִּׁיאַ֖נִי וָאֹכֵֽל׃
“The serpent deceived me,
and I ate.”
3:14
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֶֽל־הַנָּחָשׁ֮
Then the LORD God said to the serpent,
כִּ֣י עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּאת֒
אָר֤וּר אַתָּה֙ מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה
“Because you have done this,
you are cursed more than every beast,
וּמִכֹּ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה
and every living creature of the field;
עַל־גְּחֹנְךָ֣ תֵלֵ֔ךְ
Upon your belly shall you go,
וְעָפָ֥ר תֹּאכַ֖ל כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃
and ground-matter shall you consume,
all the days of your existence.”
3:15
וְאֵיבָ֣ה ׀ אָשִׁ֗ית בֵּֽינְךָ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה
“And I am setting hostility
between you and between the woman,
וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ וּבֵ֣ין זַרְעָ֑הּ
and between your seed and between her Seed;
ה֚וּא יְשׁוּפְךָ֣ רֹ֔אשׁ
וְאַתָּ֖ה תְּשׁוּפֶ֥נּוּ עָקֵֽב׃ ס
He Himself shall crush you as to the head,
and you yourself shall crush Him as to the Heel.”
3:16
אֶֽל־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה אָמַ֗ר
To the woman He said:
הַרְבָּ֤ה אַרְבֶּה֙ עִצְּבֹונֵ֣ךְ וְהֵֽרֹנֵ֔ךְ
“I will greatly increase
your birth-pains and your pregnancies, —
בְּעֶ֖צֶב תֵּֽלְדִ֣י בָנִ֑ים
In pain shall you bring forth children;
וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָתֵ֔ךְ
And your longings for your husband shall increase, —
וְה֖וּא יִמְשָׁל־בָּֽךְ׃ ס
And he shall rule over you.”
3:17
וּלְאָדָ֣ם אָמַ֗ר
Now to Adam He said:
כִּֽי־שָׁמַעְתָּ֮ לְקֹ֣ול אִשְׁתֶּךָ֒
“Because you listened to the voice of your wife,
וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ
and you ate from the tree,
אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוִּיתִ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר
of which I had commanded you, saying:
לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ
‘you must not eat from it’:
אֲרוּרָ֤ה הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּֽעֲבוּרֶ֔ךָ
The ground is bound under curse on account of you/for your sake,
בְּעִצָּבֹון֙ תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֔נָּה
In toil shall you partake of it,
כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃
all the days of your life;”
3:18
וְקֹ֥וץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ
“And it shall make both thorn and thistle
spring up for you;
וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
Furthermore you shall eat the green plant of the field;”
3:19
בְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם
“By the sweat of your face shall you eat bread,
עַ֤ד שֽׁוּבְךָ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה
Until your return to the ground,
כִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה לֻקָּ֑חְתָּ
Because from out of it you were taken;
כִּֽי־עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־עָפָ֖ר תָּשֽׁוּב׃
For ground-matter you are,
and to ground-matter shall you return.”
3:20
וַיִּקְרָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם שֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתֹּ֖ו חַוָּ֑ה
And the man gave his wife the name Eve;
כִּ֛י הִ֥וא הָֽיְתָ֖ה אֵ֥ם כָּל־חָֽי׃
Because she became mother of all living.
3:21
וַיַּעַשׂ֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים
And the LORD God made
לְאָדָ֧ם וּלְאִשְׁתֹּ֛ו
for Adam and for his wife,
כָּתְנֹ֥ות עֹ֖ור וַיַּלְבִּשֵֽׁם׃פ
garments of skin,
and He clothed them.
Website translation into English by Eddie Van Gent,
together with his wife, Maraea Van Gent (Masters of Humanities in Social Sciences, Majoring in Education)
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.2 from tanach.us apart from Genesis 2:7-9, where the Aleppo Codex is used that has three vowels on the Divine Name.
Audio excerpts from
Tanakh audio recording by Rabbi Dan Be’eri
2:4 to 3:21 Hebrew Audio
