וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כָּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְטֹ֣וב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּתֹ֣וךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת טֹ֥וב וָרָֽע׃
(Genesis 2:9)
This verse brings us into the heart of the Garden of Eden. It’s rich with imagery and grammar—perfect for beginners learning how Hebrew builds meaning through verbs, adjectives, word pairs, and construct chains. Let’s take a close look at how this verse is put together.
English Translation (Simple and Clear)
And YHWH God caused to sprout from the ground every tree that is desirable in appearance and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Word Order: Hebrew Starts with Action
In Hebrew narrative, the verb often comes first, especially with a vav-consecutive (וַ) that shows sequential action. That’s what happens here:
- וַיַּצְמַ֞ח — “And He caused to sprout” (Verb first)
- יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ — “YHWH God” (Subject)
- מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה — “from the ground” (Source of action)
This is classic Hebrew storytelling structure: Verb → Subject → Details.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
| Hebrew Word | Meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| וַיַּצְמַ֞ח | And caused to sprout | Wayyiqtol verb (past narrative). From צָמַח (to sprout). The hiphil stem (causative) shows that YHWH caused the sprouting. |
| יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ | YHWH God | The subject of the verb. This compound title appears often in Genesis 2–3. |
| מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה | from the ground | מִן = “from.” הָאֲדָמָה = “the ground.” Together: the source from which the trees sprouted. |
| כָּל־עֵ֛ץ | every tree | כָּל = “every.” עֵץ = “tree.” Together: “every tree.” It begins the list of what God caused to grow. |
| נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה | pleasant to appearance | נֶחְמָד is a passive participle meaning “desirable” or “pleasant.” לְמַרְאֶה = “to the sight.” A poetic phrase describing beauty. |
| וְטֹ֣וב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל | and good for food | Parallel phrase to the last one. טוֹב = “good.” לְמַאֲכָל = “for eating” or “for food.” |
| וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ | and the tree of life | עֵץ = “tree.” הַֽחַיִּים = “the life” (plural in form). A construct chain: “the tree of life.” |
| בְּתֹ֣וךְ הַגָּ֔ן | in the midst of the garden | בְּתוֹךְ = “in the middle of.” הַגָּן = “the garden.” |
| וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת | and the tree of the knowledge | Another construct phrase. דַּעַת = “knowledge.” עֵץ הַדַּעַת = “the tree of knowledge.” |
| טֹ֥וב וָרָֽע | good and evil | Two opposites joined by וָ (“and”). Describes what the tree gives knowledge of: both good and evil. |
Visual: Structure of the Tree List
| Tree Description | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Every tree | Desirable in appearance, good for food |
| The tree of life | Located in the middle of the garden |
| The tree of the knowledge of good and evil | Also placed in the garden |
What We Learned from This Sentence
- Hebrew often starts with a verb, especially in narratives like וַיַּצְמַח.
- Construct chains like עֵץ הַחַיִּים show possession or connection—“tree of life.”
- Descriptive phrases use participles and prepositional phrases, like נֶחְמָד לְמַרְאֶה.
- Parallelism and poetic structure are used even in narrative verses to highlight important ideas.
With just one verse, you’ve practiced Hebrew verbs, poetic description, noun chains, and the flow of Biblical storytelling. You’re not just learning Hebrew—you’re stepping into the garden where every word grows meaning.
