GARDEN OF EDEN (HEAVEN)

[Genesis 2, 8-17]

The Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden (delight, land of happiness); and He put the man whom He had created. The Lord God caused to grow from the ground every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good for food.

And The Tree of LIFE and The Tree of the KNOWLEDGE [the difference between good and evil] were there.

Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four [branching] rivers.

1. The first river is named PISHON; it flows around the entire land of HAVILAH, where there is gold. The gold of that land is good; bdellium and the onyx stone are found there.
2. The second river is named GIHON; it flows around the entire land of Cush [in Mesopotamia].
3. The third river is named HIDDEKEL (Tigris); it flows east of Assyria.
4. The fourth river is named EUPHRATES.

The Lord God took the man [He had made] and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

The Lord God commanded the man, You may freely eat from every tree of the garden. But you shall not eat the tree of the knowledge (recognition of good and evil), if you eat you shall most certainly die on the day because of your disobedience.