Genesis 3:23 – Learn Chinese Bible

耶和華神把他趕出伊甸園，要他去耕種他所取出的土地。

The LORD God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Chinese Character	Pinyin	Meaning	Grammar Role
耶和華 / 耶和华	Yēhéhuá	The LORD (YHWH)	Proper noun
神	Shén	God	Noun
把	bǎ	Indicates a direct object in the sentence, often used to show a result of an action	Preposition
他	tā	He / Him	Pronoun
趕 / 赶	gǎn	To expel / To drive out	Verb
出	chū	Out / To go out	Verb
伊甸園 / 伊甸园	Yīdiàn yuán	Garden of Eden	Proper noun
要	yào	To want / To need	Verb
他	tā	He / Him	Pronoun
去	qù	To go	Verb
耕種 / 耕种	gēng zhòng	To cultivate / To farm	Verb
土地	tǔdì	Land / Soil	Noun
所	suǒ	Used in relative clauses	Particle
取出	qǔ chū	To take out / To remove	Verb
的	de	Possessive or descriptive particle	Particle

Sentence Structure:

耶和華神把他趕出伊甸園 (Yēhéhuá Shén bǎ tā gǎn chū Yīdiàn yuán): The sentence structure uses “把” (bǎ) to introduce the object (Adam) and describe the action (expelling him from the Garden of Eden).
要他去耕種他所取出的土地 (Yào tā qù gēng zhòng tā suǒ qǔ chū de tǔdì): This part indicates Adam’s new task: to go and cultivate the land from which he was taken.

Key Grammar Points:

把 (bǎ): A grammatical particle used to introduce the object and show the result of an action.
要 (yào): Used to express intention or need, in this case, “to make” or “to send” Adam to do something.
耕種 / 耕种 (gēng zhòng): A verb meaning “to cultivate” or “to farm,” emphasizing the action of working the soil.
的 (de): Used to form a descriptive clause, here indicating the land that Adam was to work.

Tone Practice:

耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): 1st tone (flat) + 1st tone (flat) + 2nd tone (rising)
神 (Shén): 2nd tone (rising)
把 (bǎ): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
他 (tā): 1st tone (flat)
趕 / 赶 (gǎn): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
出 (chū): 1st tone (flat)
伊甸園 / 伊甸园 (Yīdiàn yuán): 1st tone (flat) + 4th tone (falling) + 2nd tone (rising)
要 (yào): 4th tone (falling)
去 (qù): 4th tone (falling)
耕種 / 耕种 (gēng zhòng): 1st tone (flat) + 4th tone (falling)
土地 (tǔdì): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 4th tone (falling)
所 (suǒ): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
取出 (qǔ chū): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 1st tone (flat)

Key Characters:

耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): Refers to the personal name of God, used in the Hebrew Bible to represent God’s covenant relationship with humanity.
神 (Shén): Refers to “God” in a general sense and is used to represent divine beings in various religious contexts.
把 (bǎ): A structural particle indicating a shift in focus, showing that the object is directly affected by the verb.
趕 / 赶 (gǎn): To drive away or expel, indicating an action of moving someone or something out of a place.
伊甸園 / 伊甸园 (Yīdiàn yuán): The “Garden of Eden,” the biblical paradise from which Adam and Eve were expelled.
要 (yào): A verb indicating desire, need, or intention, often used to express an imperative or request.
耕種 / 耕种 (gēng zhòng): To cultivate or farm, referring to the human role in working the land, a theme rooted in the Genesis narrative.
土地 (tǔdì): Land or soil, referring to the earth that is worked for cultivation and sustenance.
所 (suǒ): A grammatical particle used to indicate something that is possessed or described by another word.
取出 (qǔ chū): To take out or remove, indicating the action of extraction or taking something from a place.

The Role of Work: In both the Hebrew Bible and Chinese culture, work is often seen as a foundational aspect of human existence. The idea of “cultivating the earth” aligns with the Chinese principle of working hard to sustain life and contribute to society.
Expulsion from Eden: The act of Adam being expelled from the Garden of Eden symbolizes the end of innocence and the beginning of toil and hardship, a concept that parallels the Chinese view of labor as a form of human development and moral responsibility.
Connection to the Earth: Both in the Hebrew and Chinese cultural context, the earth is a sacred and nurturing force, and humanity’s role is to care for it. The Genesis story emphasizes this relationship through the task of working the land.

耶和華 (Yēhéhuá): Imagine a majestic temple, representing God’s presence, and how He commands actions such as Adam’s expulsion from Eden.
耕種 / 耕种 (gēng zhòng): Picture a farmer tilling the soil, emphasizing the continuous effort required to maintain and nurture the earth.
土地 (tǔdì): Visualize the vast expanse of land that Adam and humanity are tasked with working, creating a connection to the earth and its abundance.

Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן (VaYishlahēhu YHWH Elohim MiGan-Edén): → 耶和華神把他趕出伊甸園 (Yēhéhuá Shén bǎ tā gǎn chū Yīdiàn yuán): Both describe the action of God sending Adam out of the Garden of Eden.
- לַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה (Laavod Et HaAdamah): → 要他去耕種 (Yào tā qù gēng zhòng): Both describe Adam’s new responsibility to work the land after his expulsion.
Comparison with English:
- “The LORD God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.” corresponds to 耶和華神把他趕出伊甸園，要他去耕種他所取出的土地 (Yēhéhuá Shén bǎ tā gǎn chū Yīdiàn yuán, yào tā qù gēng zhòng tā suǒ qǔ chū de tǔdì): Both express the idea of Adam being sent out and his subsequent task of working the land.
Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- The Role of Work: In Chinese culture, labor is not just a means of survival, but also a path to virtue and societal contribution. This aligns with the Biblical notion that Adam’s work on the earth is central to his existence.
- Expulsion and Labor: The expulsion from Eden can be compared to traditional Chinese stories where a person’s fall or exile results in them taking on new responsibilities, often in a moral or redemptive context.