Genesis 2:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

NIV: That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

NASB: For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

CSB: This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.

NLT: This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

KJV: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

NKJV: Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

The story of Adam and Eve pauses to make an aside to all who read it: we should follow the pattern of marriage as revealed in the rest of God's Word. Men must leave—or "forsake"—both of their parents and hold fast to—or "stick to"—their wives. They must become one flesh together. This is unmistakable, because of the way God designed this relationship between the two of them. Because we know that marriage is from God. Because it is not good for mankind to be alone. Because God saw that need and provided the woman to Adam as helper, companion, and wife. Because she was taken out of man and built from his own rib.

This verse implies significant ideas about how cultures should function. In the ancient world, one of the highest values was allegiance and honor to one's parents. The Bible makes clear, though, that a man's duty is to forsake his parents in the sense that he transfers his loyalty from them to his wife. Providing, living with, and caring for her must take priority in his life over doing the same for his parents.

Second, a man must stick to his wife in a willful and lasting way. The idea of a covenant or contract is implied. The husband's commitment must be iron clad.

Finally, the two will become one flesh. This speaks of their exclusive sexual bond, but also speaks of their family relationship. As one flesh, the husband and wife will become family to each other, with all of the legal and relationship rights and privileges that come with being so closely connected.

Genesis 2:15–25 returns to provide details about the sixth-day creation of human beings. After being crafted out of the substance of earth, man is placed in a garden by God. He is then given responsibility to care for the plants and trees there. God's first and only prohibition to the man is not to eat from the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, in the middle of the garden, on promise of death. Man is also charged with naming the animals, an act reflecting his God-given authority. God recognizes that it is not good for man to be alone and makes woman to be his helper, companion, and wife, establishing the pattern of God's design for human marriage.

Genesis 2 begins with a description of the seventh day of creation, in which God rested from His work. Then it returns to the sixth day and describes in more detail the creation of man, the garden God placed him into, and the work God gave him to do. God recognizes that it is not good for man to be alone and makes a helper for him out of his own rib. This woman becomes Adam's companion and wife, setting the original example of God's design for marriage. The two exist in pure innocence, naked yet unashamed before sin enters into the world.

Genesis 2 concludes the description of God's week of creation and then zooms in on the creation of man, his work, his perfect environment, and the creation of woman as his helper and wife. It is our last glimpse of the world before it is ravaged by human sin and death with the disobedience of Adam and Eve in chapter 3. Where chapter 1 gave a full overview of creation, this chapter focuses more on a few specific events. These are crucial to understanding the fall of man.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.