EDEN, a Province in the East, where Genes. ii.8. גן בעדןParadise was situated. The Lord planted East-ward a garden of Delights, or according to the Hebrew text, a Garden in Eden. We shall speak of Paradise in another place, here we shall content our selves with describing only the Province of Eden. There is mention of the country of Eden or Aden in several places of the Scripture. Isaiah speaks of the xxxvii. 12.Children of Eden, or the people of this country, who were at Telassar. The same is observable in the second book of Kings xix. 12,13. where the children of Eden are joined with Gozan, Haran and Rezeph. Ezekiel Ezek. xxvii. 23.likewise mentions the merchants of Eden with those of Haran, Cannah, Ashur, and Chilmad. Now Haran is the same as Charræ in Mesopotamia upon the river Chaboras; Canneh, or Calneh, perhaps Callinicum in Mesopotamia. We are of opinion, that the country of Eden extended itself into Armenia, and included the sources of the Euphrates, Tigris, Phasis and Araxes.
יאר עדן Jor-aden.Some believe the garden of Eden was situated about Jordan, and the very name of Jordan is derived from Jor, and Aden: Jor-Aden, the stream of Aden; that the lake Gennesareth, which is at some places below the source of this river, גנהשרהGanhasareth.comes from Gennat-Sara, the Prince’s garden, or the principal garden. Lastly, the Scripture says, that the country about Jordan, in the neighbourhood of Sodom and Gen. ii. 8.Gomorrah, was like the Paradise of the Lord. By the word Gennat-Adu, the Garden Bibl. Orient. p 36. Adu.of Eden, the Mahometans understand the Paradise of the Blessed, whither they believe Adam to have been transported, and from whence afterwards he was driven. They say, that when God made the Garden of Eden, he created there what Eye had not seen, nor Ear heard, neither hath entred into the Heart of man to conceive; that to this God gave the use of Speech, to this Paradise, and caused it to utter these words, There is no other God besides God himself. They add, that there are eight gates belonging to Paradise, whereas Hell has but seven; from whence they conclude, that the mercy of God surpasses his justice, and that it is more easy to be saved than to be damned.