Ordinary tasks can bear his image

The two verbs in this verse - work it, keep it - are the same pair used later for what the Levites did inside the tabernacle. Serve and guard. Beale's point is that Adam is being drawn deliberately against the picture of Israel's priests: he is the archetypal priest, and Eden is God's first temple.
Which means the first job description in the Bible is not religious work as opposed to ordinary work. It is ordinary work, described in priestly language. Tending a place and keeping it is a sacred task because of whose place it is.
Scripture links:
- Genesis 2:15 - "The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it." - abad and shamar, the priestly pair.
- Numbers 3:7-8 - The Levites serve and guard the tabernacle with the same two verbs.
The work nobody is watching today is still being done inside his house.