And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
What does Genesis 2:13 mean?
The place fixed upon for Adam to dwell in, was not a palace, but a garden. The better we take up with plain things, and the less we seek things to gratify pride and luxury, the nearer we approach to innocency.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Genesis 2:11-15 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Genesis 2:13
Gihon, the second river, flows by the land of Kush. It is possible that the name Kush remains in Caucasus and in the Caspian. The Gihon is the stream that breaks or bursts forth; a quality common to many rivers. The name is preserved in the Jyhoon, flowing into the sea of Aral. Here it probably designates the leading stream flowing out of Armenia into the Caspian, or in that direction. Hiddekel, the third, goes in front, or on the east of Asshur. The original Asshur embraced northern Mesopotamia, as well as the slopes of the mountain range on the other side of the Tigris. Perath, the fourth, is the well-known Frat or Euphrates.
Key words
- second
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And the name of the second river is Gihon,.
- river
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And the name of the second river is Gihon,.
- Gihon
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And the name of the second river is Gihon,.
Context in Genesis 2
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Genesis 2 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as primeval history from creation to Babel. Genesis opens the whole Bible with creation, fall, flood, Babel, and the long patriarchal story that carries the reader from Eden to Egypt. Read this chapter with the wider themes of creation, fall, and covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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A collection of passages on hope under pressure, future inheritance, resurrection expectation, and confidence in God’s final faithfulness.
Passages on lowliness, modesty, the contrast between pride and humility, and the way God exalts those who humble themselves.
Glossary
- Cush Place
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Country of burnt faces; the Greek word by which the Hebrew Cush is rendered. Modern identification: Babylon.