4. And that is how the universe was created.When the Lord God made the universe,
5. there were no plants on the earth and no seeds had sprouted, because he had not sent any rain, and there was no one to cultivate the land;
6. but water would come up from beneath the surface and water the ground.
7. Then the Lord God took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; he breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man began to live.
8. Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the East, and there he put the man he had formed.
9. He made all kinds of beautiful trees grow there and produce good fruit. In the middle of the garden stood the tree that gives life and the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad.
10. A stream flowed in Eden and watered the garden; beyond Eden it divided into four rivers.
11. The first river is the Pishon; it flows round the country of Havilah.
12. (Pure gold is found there and also rare perfume and precious stones.)
13. The second river is the Gihon; it flows round the country of Cush.
14. The third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria, and the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15. Then the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it.
16. He said to him, “You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden,
17. except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. You must not eat the fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day.”