Genesis 2:21

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD God initiates a divine sleep on the man, then removes one of his ribs while he is unconscious. This action occurs immediately after the man failed to find a suitable helper among the created animals.

The words — תַּרְדֵמָה (tardeMah) signifies a divinely imposed deep sleep, and וַ/יִּקַּח (va/yiKach) translates to and he took, marking the physical extraction of the rib.

The thread — The text links this phenomenon to Genesis 15:12, where Abram experiences a similar sleep, and Job 4:13, which describes deep sleep falling upon men during night visions.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to acknowledge that human relational structure originates from deliberate divine intervention rather than natural development.

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

וַיַּפֵּל֩va/i.ya.Peland/ he made fall יְהוָ֨הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהִ֧ים׀'E.lo.HimGod תַּרְדֵּמָ֛הtar.de.Maha deep sleep עַל־'al-on הָאָדָ֖םha./'a.Damthe/ man וַיִּישָׁ֑ןva/i.yi.Shanand/ he fell asleep וַיִּקַּ֗חva/i.yi.Kachand/ he took אַחַת֙'a.Chatone מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יוmi./tzal.'o.Ta/vof/ ribs/ his וַיִּסְגֹּ֥רva/i.yis.Gorand/ he closed up בָּשָׂ֖רba.Sarflesh תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה׃tach.Te./nahin place of/ it

King James Version

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

Cross-references

Genesis 15:12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
Job 4:13 In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
1 Samuel 26:12 So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
Job 33:15 In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
Daniel 8:18 While he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, helped me to my feet,
Proverbs 19:15 Laziness brings on deep sleep, and an idle soul will suffer hunger.