Dress and Keep Interpretation and Application

Dress and Keep Interpretation and Application

Genesis 2:8 "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. "

Genesis 2:15 "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. "

The information below is taken from Strong's Concordance with Hebrew help.

"to dress it"

Word analysis: עָבַד (a.vad) 'to serve: labour' (H5647I)

This word occurs about 300 times in the Old Testament

Meaning: labour/do(work)

1) to work, serve
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to labour, work, do work
1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour
1a3) to serve as subjects
1a4) to serve (God)
1a5) to serve (with Levitical service)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land)
1b2) to make oneself a servant
1c) (Pual) to be worked
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve
1d2) to cause to serve as subjects
1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve

"to keep it"

Word analysis: שָׁמַר (sha.mar) 'to keep: guard' (H8104H)

This word occurs about 474 times in the Old Testament

Meaning: guard

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to keep, have charge of
1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)
1a3) to watch for, wait for
1a4) to watch, observe
1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)
1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain
1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)
1a8) to keep, preserve, protect
1a9) to keep, reserve
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware
1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain
1b3) to be kept, be guarded
1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed
1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from