Gen. 2:10-14 – Placement of Eden
Here, we will take a brief look at the placement of Eden.
It’s a testimony to man’s attempt to solve things himself that pretty much everyplace has been considered as the place for Eden. Some, in their foolish pride, tried to place it in Europe. Others, trying to ignore the actual meanings of words, tried to place it in the air. Some people say something a bit more logical – they say it is a place which the Flood of Noah not only destroyed, but placed underwater. So, where was it?
First, we get a clue a few verses back that it was eastward. This would be from the perspective of the readers. Moses’ first readers were Hebrews, meaning it was somewhere east of where they were.
Two rivers are major ones we know today – the Tigris and Euphrates. The other two may be in far northern Iraq or the Armenia area, while others believe it may have been in southern Iraq. While it doesn’t matter, there are a few things to think about here.
First, it’s true that the world changed a lot after Noah’s Flood. The waters of the deep were opened, so that water flew into the air like a million geysers, at the same time that the rains poured down on the earth. So did the geography change, too? It might have – that would explain what scientists believe about there being one large continent at one time, called Pangaea. The earth could have been ripped apart, as the Flood lasted months, the “40 days and 40 nights” mist think of was only the amount of rain. However, it isn’t necessary. The Flood could have deposited billions of dead things in layers – mostly near water – all over the Earth quite well without a breakup. See the website www.answersingenesis.org for more details, searching terms like Pangaea or underwater. It should be noted that an earthquake in Revalation is said to be like no other, and islands will even disappear or be combined with land. So, it is at least possible; but the disruption would have to be less than the Revelation earthquake.
Second, the important thing in this verse is not where, but the fact that there was such an idyllic place It was a region which was more fabulous and pristine than any other on earth. It didn’t survive to the present day, but Paradise will be restored one day. However, in describing the land, notice that even in Moses’ day, he talks about the goodness of parts of it; not only with the wealth in stones he mentions, but the gold. He says the golf of the land is good – of course, pure gold is always good. However, he is emphasizing this, again, to show God’s grace. He left some of that beauty through the minerals and stones, even though the real blissfulness isn’t there anymore.
