In Genesis 2:10, we read about a river that flowed out of Eden to water God’s garden. This river then divided into four rivers, and the text provides specific details about each of them. The first, the Pishon, is particularly interesting because Moses gives more information about it than the others.
We read several details about this river: it flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold, bdellium, and onyx stone. What’s the significance of this? Why does Moses draw attention to these elements?
1. The Abundance and Beauty of Creation
First, this passage highlights the abundance and beauty of creation. Gold is God’s creation, as are beautiful stones and other elements. All the wealth and riches of this world belong to God, and humanity is simply a steward of them.
All the money we have, all the precious things we possess—God created them. We can give thanks, praise him, and enjoy these things, using them for his glory and praise. Genesis 2, mentions gold, bdellium, and onyx to highlight God’s abundant provision in the world he created.
2. An Allusion to the Tabernacle
A second reason Moses mentions gold, bdellium, and onyx stone may be that they point to the Tabernacle and the Temple. The construction of both the Tabernacle and the Temple took a lot of gold. Gold overlays almost everything. It is a part of the Ark of the Covenant and other elements in the Tabernacle.
In Exodus 25:1-9, the Lord tells Moses to gather a contribution from the people for the Tabernacle. Included in this contribution was gold and also onyx stones. These items were to be used for the priests’ ephod and breastpiece to “make a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst,” (Ex 25:8). The mention of gold and onyx stone in Genesis 2:12 may be another allusion to the reality that Eden was God’s dwelling place with man.
Now the reference to bdellium is a bit more difficult. Bdellium is a kind of yellowish resin. In Numbers 11:7, manna is compared to bdellium in its appearance. There is also some debate whether the Hebrew word refers to this resin or another precious gem (the NET Bible translates it as “pearls”).
If it is referring to bdellium, since this resin may have been used in incense, it could be another allusion to the worship of God in the Tabernacle. Otherwise, the comparison to manna may allude to God’s provision for his people. This is a bit less clear, but at the very least, the mention of bdellium is a reference to God’s abundance and provision, and there may possibly be a connection to the Tabernacle as well.
Genesis 2:10-12 continues to highlight that God created this world with abundance and beauty. He created this world, and the Garden specifically, to be his dwelling place, where humanity could know him, hear his Word, and serve and worship him forever. In Adam, we lost that. But Jesus regains it for us so that we might one day dwell with God once again and serve him in his temple.
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