Formed man of the dust of the earth— Having given us a general account of the formation of man, and of the dignity of his species, in that he was made in the image of his Maker; Moses proceeds to give us a more circumstantial account of his formation; his first station, Genesis 2:8 employment, Genesis 2:15 obligations, Genesis 2:17 and union in the marriage state: particulars all of great importance, the information whereof could not fail to interest all mankind. His body, we are told, was formed by the Almighty Creator, out of the dust of the earth. As a potter hath power over, and forms the clay into what vessels he pleases; so the Lord God formed (for such is the import of the original word יצר iatzar) Adam from the clay or dust. The Hebrew is expressive, God formed man, dust of the earth. There is no particle before dust. He is, as to his corporeal part, mere dust and clay.
REFLECTIONS.—1. Man in innocence had much to humble him, when he could look upon the earth under his feet, and call it mother. He was but dust of dust. But how much more cause hath fallen man to be humble, when he is not only of the dust, but must return to the dust again. It is ignorance of our original, and forgetfulness of our end, which lead us to high thoughts of our vile and sinful selves. And yet it must be acknowledged, that the body of man is curiously wrought. Materiem superabat opus. "The workmanship excelled the materials." Let us then present our bodies to God as living sacrifices, and as living temples, and, vile as they now are, they shall shortly be new formed like Christ's glorious body.
And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life— The original words חיים נשׁמת nishmath chiim, signify the breath of lives, including the vegetative, sensitive, and rational life of man.
And man became a living soul— Consider here, the high original, and yet the admirable serviceableness of the soul of Man 1:1. It takes its rise from the breath of heaven, and is produced by it! It is pity then it should cleave to the earth, and mind earthly things. It came immediately from God. Hence God is not only the Former but the Father of Spirits. Let the soul, which God hath breathed into us, breathe after him; and let it be for him, since it is from him. 2. It takes its lodging in a house of clay, and is the life and support of it. The body would be a worthless, useless, loathsome carcase, if the soul did not animate it. Since then the extraction of the soul is so noble, and its nature and faculties so excellent, let us not be of those fools who despise their own souls, by preferring their bodies before them.