What was the Garden of Eden?
Quick Answer - What Was the Garden of Eden?
After God created the world in Genesis 1 and 2, He made a home for Adam (the first man). This home was a garden in a land called Eden.
Genesis 2:8 – And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom He had formed.
When Eve, the first woman, was created, she lived in the garden with Adam.
Location of the Garden of Eden
The exact location of the Garden of Eden is unknown. We have very few details about its geographic whereabouts.
We know the garden was positioned in the east of the country known as Eden (Gen 2:8).
We are told in Genesis 2:10-14 that a stream of water flowed out from the garden before splitting into 4 rivers, the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. The Euphrates and Tigris Rivers still exist today in the region once known as Mesopotamia.
Two Special Trees
The garden had many trees, but two are central to the events of Genesis 1-3, the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam was given the job of tending the garden and keeping the trees. He was allowed to eat the fruit from every tree in the garden except one, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God told Adam that if he ate from the forbidden tree, he would “surely die.”
Adam and Eve Get Kicked Out of the Garden of Eden
Unfortunately, Adam and Eve didn’t listen to God’s instructions, they eventually ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil after being tempted by a serpent. God punished them for their disobedience by kicking them out of the garden and separating them from the Tree of Life, which allowed them to live forever.
What Happened to the Garden of Eden?
After kicking the man and woman out of the garden, God set cherubim (heavenly beings) and a flaming sword to guard the Tree of Life.
We are not given any additional details about the Garden of Eden after the expulsion of Adam and Eve. It’s possible it remained until it was destroyed by the global flood of Noah’s day, which is documented in Genesis 6-8.
