What does Genesis 2:2-3 mean?

Well God doesn’t tire or get weary so let’s rule that out.
It must mean something else.

John Walton suggests that the Genesis account of creation is a Temple text, primarily based upon this observation that God is resting.

He notes that in ancient literature that “deity rests in a temple, and only in a temple’. This is what temples were built for.”

“What does divine rest entail? Most of us think of rest as disengagement from the cares, worries and tasks of life. What comes to mind is sleeping in or taking an afternoon nap. But in the ancient world rest is what results when a crisis has been resolved or when stability has been achieved, when things have “settled down.” For deity this means that the normal operations of the cosmos can be undertaken. This is more a matter of engagement without obstacles rather than disengagement without responsibilities.” John Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One [Amazon Link]​

He notes Psalm 132:7-8, 13-14,

Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool.
Rise up, LORD, come to your resting place, you and your powerful ark.

For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his home:
“This is my resting place forever;
I will make my home here because I have desired it.​

'When deity rests in the temple it means that he is taking command, that he is mounting to his throne to assume his rightful place and his proper role.'

The LORD's “rest” is located in his “resting place” in Psalm 132, which identifies it as the temple from which he rests.

...and the place from which he rules.​

Rob

 

In Genesis 2:3 the word rested is שָׁבַת (Shavath). The Lord "Sabbathed" on the 7th day, hence the day. The Hebrew word I have there is actually pronounced with a "v" as it is absent of a dagesh (aka "dot") in the middle of the bet. But it's the same meaning as Sabbath. The Lord simply stopped His work because it was complete. Not rest as in sleeping.

 

Here's how the author of Hebrews preached God's rest.

Hebrews 3:12 - 4:11 (CSB)

Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. 14 For we have become participants in Christ if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start. 15 As it is said:

Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.,​

16 For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses? 17 With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short. 2 For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith., 3 For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what he has said,

So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest,”,​

even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works., 5 Again, in that passage he says, They will never enter my rest. 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 he again specifies a certain day—today. He specified this speaking through David after such a long time:

Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.,​

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

 

God uses a term that means something to us - "rest".

In Exodus 20: "11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy". So while we do not need to know "all" about infinite God and "how He rests" - God does tell us how it is supposed to translate into our actions. He says that his act alone - obligates mankind to do likewise.

Genesis 2:2 (KJV) And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Blessed, sanctified, made holy - "obligates" mankind to honor it - "doing likewise" even though we do not also have infinite knowledge of infinite God - and "how" He rests.

What the text does NOT say is "make your own god-like selection of a day to rest and to sanctify and to bless--- you too are creator-God... pick whatever cycle and day you wish". Rather God gives us details not to be swept under a rug - but to guide and inform us.

 

Indeed - we know that in conveys that fact that God was not creating any more things/people/animals on Earth - but we do not have infinite knowledge about infinite God to say "all" that He was doing or not doing. He tells us enough about it - so that we know what we are supposed to do to honor what has been made holy by God.

 

That is certainly true.