Genesis 2:7

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, etc.] Not of dry dust, but, as Josephus f112 says, of red earth macerated, or mixed with water; the like notion Hesiod f113 has; or out of clay, as in (<183306>Job 33:6) hence a word is made use of, translated “formed”, which is used of the potter that forms his clay into what shape he pleases: the original matter of which man was made was clay; hence the clay of Prometheus f114 with the Heathens; and God is the Potter that formed him, and gave him the shape he has, (see <236408>Isaiah 64:8), there are two “jods”, it is observed, in the word, which is not usual; respecting, as Jarchi thinks, the formation of man for this world, and for…”

“Here the sacred writer supplies a few more particulars about the first pair. formed--had FORMED MAN OUT OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND. Science has proved that the substance of his flesh, sinews, and bones, consists of the very same elements as the soil which forms the crust of the earth and the limestone that lies embedded in its bowels. But from that mean material what an admirable structure has been reared in the human body (Psa 139:14). the breath of life--literally, of lives, not only animal but spiritual life. If the body is so admirable, how much more the soul with all its varied faculties. breathed into his nostrils the breath of life--not that the Creator literally performed this act,…”

“- Part II. The development - Section II - The Man - X. The Field 4. תולדות tôledôt “generations, products, developments.” That which comes from any source, as the child from the parent, the record of which is history. יהוה yehovâh. This word occurs about six thousand times in Scripture. It is obvious from its use that it is, so to speak, the proper name of God. It never has the article. It is never changed for construction with another noun. It is never accompanied with a suffix. It is never applied to any but the true God. This sacred exclusiveness of application, indeed, led the Jews to read always in place of it אדוני 'adônāy, or, if this preceded it, אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym, to intimate…”

“2:7 In 1:1–2:3, creation happens at a distance, by divine command (“Let there be . . . and that is what happened”). In this account, the creative act is much more intimate (see also 2:8-9, 21-22). • from the dust of the ground: In Hebrew, ’adamah (“ground”) forms a wordplay with ’adam (“man”). The earth remains the definitive reference point for humans, who in death return to dust (3:17-19; 4:11; Job 4:19; 10:8-9; Isa 29:16). • breathed . . . into the man’s nostrils: God’s breath is not imparted to other animals; only humans are formed in God’s image (Gen 1:27) and enjoy dialogue with their Creator (2:16-17; 3:8-13). They alone have spiritual awareness and moral conscience (see Job 32:8).”

“formed man: Psa 100:3, Psa 139:14, Psa 139:15; Isa 64:8 of the dust: Heb. the dust of, etc dust: Gen 3:19, Gen 3:23; Job 4:19, Job 33:6; Psa 103:14; Ecc 3:7, Ecc 3:20, Ecc 12:7; Isa 64:8; Rom 9:20; Co1 15:47; Co2 4:7, Co2 5:1 and breathed: Job 27:3, Job 33:4; Joh 20:22; Act 17:25 nostrils: Gen 7:22; Ecc 3:21; Isa 2:22 a living: Num 16:22, Num 27:16; Pro 20:27; Zac 12:1; Co1 15:45; Heb 12:9 Genesis 2:8”

“"Then Jehovah God formed man from dust of the ground." is the accusative of the material employed (Ewald and Gesenius). The Vav consec. imperf. in Gen 2:7, Gen 2:8, Gen 2:9, does not indicate the order of time, or of thought; so that the meaning is not that God planted the garden in Eden after He had created Adam, nor that He caused the trees to grow after He had planted the garden and placed the man there. The latter is opposed to Gen 2:15; the former is utterly improbable. The process of man's creation is described minutely here, because it serves to explain his relation to God and to the surrounding world. He was formed from dust (not de limo terrae, from a clod of the earth, for is not a…”