A non-Agustinian hermeneutic

As mentioned in Gen 1 comments, 2:5 is the proper ending for the first chapter. We have no contradictory account to explain.

v.6

אד - humidity. Earlier we said that mist represents general revelation. This is derived from the letters.

א - The primary metaphor is that God spoke and created the heavens and the earth. As a metaphor it can refer to the whole creation. The dalet ד is a metaphor for speaking. The mist is the creation testifying.

We have seen before that mem ם represents the Son finishing the work on earth. Add it to mist, and we get Adam or human. Humans are the testimony of Christ.

The mist watered the whole earth: the testimony of Christ fills the earth.

Ro 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Ro 1:19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.

We should also observe that אד and אוד are related. אד is mist (water) and אוד is fire. Fire and water are two related metaphors. They both destroy and purify. The fire refines, and the water gives life and floods. As such they are different aspects of the word.

v. 7 formed: He created man spiritually and physically יי through distress צר.

Yahweh: יהוה The name means 'the creator י who is sovereign הוה'. Sovereignty derives from הוה 'be' as a distinction ו between two responses הה, as a hint that the essence of being is to have a choice. As the creator, he has the ultimate choice. Yahweh is first used in Ge 2.4 at the end of the creation story to say that God created because he wanted to. Now it is being used to say that he wanted to create man.

soil (dust) עפר: It also means casting, calf, young. The sacrificial calf represents the sacrificial man as soil. It is a metaphor: Flesh ע with a mystery פ revelation ר.

ground אדמה: Adamah is the feminine of Adam. This is the probable source of the 'Mother earth' belief held by ancient pagan religions. The earth was created by God and should not be deified.

breathed פח: mystery פ life ח.

nostrils אפ: also, anger, bind, girdle of the priest

breath נשמת: The son of man's נ reputation שמ as an object ת. The breath of life in man is the reputation of the son of man.

Lives חיים: Plural form indicates a physical and spiritual life.

As a picture of Christ, God chose to form Christ from the dust of the earth (incarnation and kenosis), the anger of God's breath (reputation) (on the cross) brought forth life.