In the beginning, Yahweh caused humanity to rest in Eden. He didn’t just place them in Eden (Gen 2:8, וַיָּשֶׂם). He “caused them to rest” (Gen 2:15, וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ). For some reason the translation don’t highlight this (ESV, NIV, NRSVue, CSB, JPS). I discussed this instance of hifil נוח more in this post.

The case for translating וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ as “caused them to rest”—rather than just “put them” or “placed them”—is strengthened when you consider how this same expression is used throughout the OT story. In this post, I discussed multiple other instances relate to Israel’s Exodus and entrance into the promised land.

Here, I want to highlight how Isaiah uses the same expression (hifil נוח) twice in chapter 14 to very clearly frame Israel’s eschatological hope. In Isaiah 14:1, the prophet states that after the judgment of exile, Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob and choose Israel again. Yahweh’s compassion and redeeming election provides the frame for understanding what is meant by וְהִנִּיחָם in 14:2 — “And he will cause them to rest upon the land; the sojourner will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob.”

A couple verses later, we have another frame that highlights how hifil נוח means more than “put” or “place.” Isaiah 14:3 states, “And it will happen in that day that Yahweh will give you rest (הָנִיחַ לְךָ) from your toil, your anxiety, and the hard work you are subjected to.” The idea of rest in hifil נוח is made unmistakably clear by (1) the eschatological frame (in that day) and (2) the prepositional complements: “from your toil, anxiety, and hard work.” Isaiah promises that a day will come when humanity will enjoy the rest they were intended to experience in Eden and Canaan.

The translations should really help readers out in Genesis 2:15 and render וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ something like this: “and he caused them to rest” in the garden of Eden. Doing so would make these connections more clear.