Springs ¹  would well up ²  from the earth and water ³  the whole surface of the ground. ⁴ 

biblegateway Gen 2:6

But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.

But water would come out of the ground and water the entire surface of the land.

Instead, underground water would come up from the earth and water the entire surface of the ground.

biblegateway Gen 2:6

but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground—

and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground--

bibleoremus Gen 2:6

but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground—

Moisture used to well up out of the earth and water all the surface of the ground.

biblegateway Gen 2:6

but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.

But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

biblegateway Gen 2:6

Springs ¹  would well up ²  from the earth and water ³  the whole surface of the ground. ⁴ 

¹ tn The conjunction vav (ו) introduces a third disjunctive clause. The Hebrew word אֵד (’ed) was traditionally translated “mist” because of its use in Job 36:27. However, an Akkadian cognate edu in Babylonian texts refers to subterranean springs or waterways. Such a spring would fit the description in this context, since this water “goes up” and waters the ground.

² tn Heb “was going up.” The verb is an imperfect form, which in this narrative context carries a customary nuance, indicating continual action in past time.

³ tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same nuance as the preceding verb. Whenever it would well up, it would water the ground.

⁴ tn The Hebrew word אֲדָמָה (’adamah) actually means “ground; fertile soil.”

⁴ sn Here is an indication of fertility. The water would well up from the earth (אֶרֶץ, ’erets) and water all the surface of the fertile soil (אֲדָמָה). It is from that soil that the man (אָדָם, ’adam) was made (Gen 2:7).