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These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
Genesis 2:4 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens.
  • BSB This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made them.
  • NKJV This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
  • NASB This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.
  • NLT This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

A new section begins, recounting the creation of the heavens and earth. The narrative now focuses on God's relationship with humanity.

Overview

This verse introduces a new account ('the history of the generations') and is the first place the covenant name Yahweh is joined to God in Genesis. The focus shifts from the cosmic sweep of chapter 1 to a closer, more personal portrait of God forming and caring for humanity. The use of the divine name signals that the transcendent Creator is also the personal, covenant-keeping God who draws near to his people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 24

  • Gen 5:1This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
  • Rev 1:8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
  • Exod 15:3The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
  • Gen 36:1Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.
  • Gen 1:31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
  • Gen 1:4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
  • Gen 1:1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
  • 1 Kgs 18:39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
  • Exod 6:16And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.
  • 2 Chr 20:6And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
  • Gen 36:9And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:
  • Gen 11:10These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:
  • Ps 18:31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
  • Gen 1:28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
  • Job 38:28Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
  • Gen 10:1Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
  • Gen 25:12Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:
  • Gen 25:19And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:
  • Ps 90:1–2Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
  • Rev 16:5And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
  • Rev 11:17Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
  • Rev 1:4John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
  • Isa 44:6Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
  • Ps 86:10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

Resources, by level

Lay

  • ★ Start hereVideoOverview: Genesis 1–11BibleProject · 9 min · Free

    The single best free starting point for Genesis 1–11 — clear, visual, and faithful to the literary design.

Pastoral

  • CommentaryCommentary on Genesis 1Matthew Henry · Free

    The beloved devotional-pastoral classic, free and public domain — warm, quotable, verse by verse.

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Genesis videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Genesis 2:4YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on GenesisMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.

How Genesis 2:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.