The symbolistic geography of the Garden of Eden (Gn 2:8-14)

Abstract

The present study aims to map the symbolic geography of the Garden of Eden, which God created for Adam and Eve. It points to a mythical space loaded with eschatological symbolism. At the centre of the garden were two symbolic trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. While the tree of life confers eternal life, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents the reason for the fall into the sin of the first humans. The Garden of Eden evokes beauty and rest and has been part of the human imagination since ancient times. The river that flows out of Eden and divides into four arms, encircling the surrounding lands, symbolises the source of life and fertility and is known in religious history and linked to the concept of the 'centre' of the world. The study explores the meanings and origins of the names of the four rivers, analysing them in their geographical and symbolic context. It also considers possible links between the earthly Paradise, the river, the King of Judea and the sanctuary of Zion. Finally, it compares this representation of the Garden of Eden with the image of Gehenna, it's opposite in the Bible, the place where eternal fire burns and where God will manifest his wrath.