Genesis 2:19

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD God forms the field animals and birds, then brings them to the man to observe what names he would assign. This occurs immediately after God declares the man's solitude is not good and announces a suitable helper.

The words — The verb וַ/יִּצֶר (va/i.yi.Tzer) literally means "he formed," describing God's direct shaping of creatures from the ground (הָֽ/אֲדָמָ֗ה, ha./'a.da.Mah). This divine action establishes the physical reality that precedes the man's naming.

The thread — The man's naming activity parallels the creative ordering in Genesis 1:20 and the delegated authority to rule over creation in Genesis 1:28. The focus on human dignity before God also aligns with the perspective in Psalms 8:4.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge the man's assigned role of defining and ordering the animal kingdom. It presents naming as a functional stewardship under God's prior formation, not as an independent creative power.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּצֶר֩va/i.yi.Tzerand/ he formed יְהוָ֨הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהִ֜ים'E.lo.HimGod מִן־min-from הָֽאֲדָמָ֗הha./'a.da.Mahthe/ ground כָּל־kol-every חַיַּ֤תchai.Yat<the> animal of הַשָּׂדֶה֙ha./sa.Dehthe/ field וְאֵת֙ve./'Etand/ <obj.>כָּל־kol-every ע֣וֹףof<the> bird of הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha./sha.Ma.yimthe/ heavens וַיָּבֵא֙va/i.ya.Ve'and/ he brought [them]אֶל־'El-to הָ֣אָדָ֔םha./'a.Damthe/ man לִרְא֖וֹתli/r.'otto/ see מַה־mah-what?יִּקְרָא־yik.ra'-will he callל֑וֹl/oto <the>/ itוְכֹל֩ve./Kholand/ all אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherthat יִקְרָא־yik.ra'-he calledל֧וֹl/oto <the>/ itהָֽאָדָ֛םha./'a.Damthe/ man נֶ֥פֶשׁNe.fesha creature חַיָּ֖הchai.Yahliving ה֥וּאhu'it שְׁמֽוֹ׃she.M/o[was] name/ its

King James Version

And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Cross-references

Psalms 8:4 what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?
Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
Genesis 1:20 And God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.”
Genesis 9:2 The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand.
Genesis 2:22 And from the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him.
Genesis 6:20 Two of every kind of bird and animal and crawling creature will come to you to be kept alive.