Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

GENESIS 2:24KJV
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Genesis 2:24 (KJV)

What does Genesis 2:24 mean?

Genesis 2:24 describes how a man is to leave his parents and form a new, close bond with his wife, so that the two become united as one. The verse highlights the beginning of a new family unit, where husband and wife are deeply joined together.

In Genesis 2:24, the narrator is explaining the significance of the first marriage between Adam and Eve. This statement is not spoken by a character but serves as a foundational explanation for marriage in the Bible. The verse comes right after the creation of woman and shows how marriage is meant to create a strong, lasting connection between two people.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 2:24

  • The word "cleave" is דָּבַק (dāvaq), which means to stick to, join, or cling closely. This word suggests a strong, lasting attachment, not just a casual connection.
  • The phrase "one flesh" uses אֶחָד (eḥad) for "one" and בָּשָׂר (basar) for "flesh." Together, these words point to a deep unity—physically, emotionally, and in life—between husband and wife, not just living together but becoming a single unit in a meaningful way.

Why Genesis 2:24 matters

  • Genesis 2:24 clarifies that marriage, as described here, involves a deliberate shift in loyalty and closeness from parents to spouse, which was a significant idea in ancient family-centered cultures.
  • The verse emphasizes that the bond of marriage is meant to be strong and lasting, using language that suggests more than just a legal or social arrangement.
  • This verse is often quoted throughout the Bible and in many cultures as a foundational explanation of what marriage is meant to be, showing its lasting influence on how people understand family and relationships.

Where else these words appear

“Therefore” Hebrew H3651 · used in 41 verses

  • Genesis 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
  • Genesis 44:10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
  • 1 Samuel 9:13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

“cleave” Hebrew H1692 · used in 52 verses

  • Genesis 19:19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
  • Judges 20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
  • Job 31:7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;