Genesis 2:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush.

NIV: The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.

NASB: The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush.

CSB: The name of the second river is Gihon, which flows through the entire land of Cush.

NLT: The second branch, called the Gihon, flowed around the entire land of Cush.

KJV: And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

NKJV: The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush.

Verses 10 through 14 describe the great river that flowed out of the region of Eden, dividing into four smaller rivers. These rivers correspond to rivers and lands we know in the modern world, helping us to understand where the region of Eden was. It does not, however, give us enough information to know the exact location of the garden. The first river mentioned was named Pishon, and its territory is said to have been rich in gold, onyx, and bdellium.

The second river described is the Gihon river, one that flowed around the land of Cush. As used in the Bible, the region of "Cush" usually refers to the land of Ethiopia, which is quite some distance from the other territories mentioned in this passage. Scholars suggest this may be a different area known in ancient times as Cush, perhaps in the mountains of Mesopotamia.

As with the Pishon, we cannot make a strong link between this river and one known in the modern world. As this description is of a pre-flood world, there is a possibility that the river was destroyed and no longer exists. It is also possible that what this passage calls the Pishon and Gihon might be tributaries of the larger Euphrates river.

Genesis 2:10–14 is a side-note in the chapter's description of the creation of man. The details given here would have helped the original readers of Genesis understand the location of the Garden of Eden. The reason for this description is not given. In later verses, the Bible will make it clear that God does not intend for man to return to Eden (Genesis 3:24). However, the garden might have been destroyed in the flood, at which point there would be no harm in knowing where it used to be.

Genesis 2 begins with a description of the seventh day of creation, in which God rested from His work. Then it returns to the sixth day and describes in more detail the creation of man, the garden God placed him into, and the work God gave him to do. God recognizes that it is not good for man to be alone and makes a helper for him out of his own rib. This woman becomes Adam's companion and wife, setting the original example of God's design for marriage. The two exist in pure innocence, naked yet unashamed before sin enters into the world.

Genesis 2 concludes the description of God's week of creation and then zooms in on the creation of man, his work, his perfect environment, and the creation of woman as his helper and wife. It is our last glimpse of the world before it is ravaged by human sin and death with the disobedience of Adam and Eve in chapter 3. Where chapter 1 gave a full overview of creation, this chapter focuses more on a few specific events. These are crucial to understanding the fall of man.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.