Genesis 2:8-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 2:8-15

Man consisting of body and soul, a body made out of the earth and a rational immortal soul the breath of heaven, we have, in these verses, the provision that was made for the happiness of both; he that made him took care to make him happy, if he could but have kept himself so and known when he was well off. That part of man by which he is allied to the world of sense was made happy; for he was put in the paradise of God: that part by which he is allied to the world of spirits was well provided... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 2:8

And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden ,.... Or "had planted" F13 ויטע "plantaverat", V. L. Vatablus, Piscator, Pareus, Drusius, Cartwright; "ornaverat plantis", Junius & Tremellius. , for this was not now done after the formation of man, but before; and so the word translated "eastward" may be rendered, as it is by some, "before" F14 מקדם "a principio", V. L. so Onkelos; "antes vel antequam", same in Fagius, Cartwright. : for the plain meaning is, that God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 2:9

And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food ,.... That is, out of the ground of the garden of Eden; and this was done on the third day, when the whole earth brought forth grass, herbs, and trees: but a peculiar spot of ground was fixed on for man, and stocked with trees of all sorts for his use, not only to bear fruit, which would be suitable and agreeable food for him, but others also, which would yield him delight to look at;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 2:10

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden ,.... Before man was created, as Aben Ezra observes, this river went out of Eden and watered it on every side; but what river is here meant, is hard to say. It is more generally thought to be the river Euphrates, when that and the Tigris met, and became one stream or river, and as such entered and passed through Eden; and as it was parted into four rivers afterwards, in two of which they retained their names: the learned Reland F11 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 2:11

The name of the first is Pison ,.... Not the river Nile in Egypt, as Jarchi, who thinks it is derived from "Pashah", which signifies to increase, expand, and diffuse, as that does at certain times, and spreads itself over the land of Egypt, or from "Pishten", linen, which grows there, Isaiah 19:9 nor the river Ganges in India, as Josephus F13 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 1. sect. 3. , and others; for the country where it is afterwards said to run agrees with neither Egypt nor India: rather it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 2:12

And the gold of that land is good ,.... Arabia was famous for gold: Diodorus Siculus F24 Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 133. speaks of gold in Arabia, called "apyrus", which is not melted by fire out of small filings, as other; but as soon as dug is said to be pure gold, and that in the size of chestnuts, and of such a flaming colour, that the most precious stones are set in it by artificers for ornament: and in Colchis and Scythia, as Strabo F25 Geograph. l. 1. p. 31. & l. 11. p. 344. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 2:13

And the name of the second river is Gihon ,.... There was one of this name in the land of Israel, which, or a branch of it, flowed near Jerusalem, 1 Kings 1:33 this Aben Ezra suggests is here meant, and which favours the notion of the above learned man, that the garden of Eden was in the land of Israel. Josephus F8 Antiqu, l. 1. c. 1. sect. 3. Philostorg. Eccl. Hist. l. 3. c. 10. p. 482. takes it to be the river Nile, as do many others; it seems to have been a branch of the river... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 2:14

The name of the third river is Hiddekel ,.... A river which ran by Shushan in Persia, and retained its name in the times of Daniel, Daniel 10:4 where it is called the great river; and it seems it bears the same name now among the Persians; at least it did an hundred and fifty years ago, when Rauwolff F13 Travels, part. 2. c. 9. p. 159. ed. Ray. travelled in those parts. The Targum of Jonathan here calls it Diglath, the same with the Diglito of Pliny F14 Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 27. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 2:15

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden ,.... This is observed before in Genesis 2:8 and is here repeated to introduce what follows; and is to be understood not of a corporeal assumption, by a divine power lifting him up from the place where he was, and carrying him into another; rather of a manuduction, or taking him by the hand and leading him thither; so Onkelos renders it, he "led" him, that is, he ordered and directed him thither: hence Jarchi paraphrases... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 2:8

A garden eastward in Eden - Though the word עדן Eden signifies pleasure or delight, it is certainly the name of a place. See Genesis 4:16 ; 2 Kings 19:12 ; Isaiah 37:12 ; Ezekiel 27:23 ; Amos 1:5 . And such places probably received their name from their fertility, pleasant situation, etc. In this light the Septuagint have viewed it, as they render the passage thus: Εφυτευσεν ὁ Θεος παραδεισον εν Εδεν , God planted a paradise in Eden. Hence the word paradise has been... read more

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