King James Bible
"And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground."
This describes a primordial state when vegetation existed in potential but not yet in physical form. The text emphasizes the pre-creation moment, suggesting God's foreknowledge and intentional design before actualizing the plant kingdom. Rain, the primary natural mechanism for plant growth, had not yet been established in the creation order. This highlights God's sovereign control over natural processes and suggests a different watering system (likely the mist mentioned in verse 6) preceded the familiar rain cycle. Human cultivation represents the second missing element for agriculture. This anticipates humanity's role as earth's caretaker and hints that creation was designed with human partnership in mind, establishing the theological foundation for work as part of God's original plan.