The word paradise entered the English language through the Old Iranian term paridayjah, meaning a walled enclosure. This ancient term was borrowed into Akkadian as pardesu and eventually into Hebrew as pardes, originally signifying an orchard or royal park. The concept of the Garden of Eden was modeled after the lavish gardens of the Persian Empire.
The biblical text describes four rivers flowing from the Garden of Eden: the Pishon, the Gihon, the Tigris, and the Euphrates. The Tigris and Euphrates are well-known rivers of Mesopotamia, but the Pishon and Gihon remain unidentified, leading to centuries of speculation about the garden's location. Some scholars propose the garden was located at the head of the Persian Gulf, while others suggest the Armenian Highlands or the Apalachicola River in Florida.
In the heart of the Garden of Eden, a serpent tempted the first humans to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This act of disobedience, known as the Fall of Man, is a central theme in the biblical narrative and has been interpreted in various ways throughout history. The serpent, often associated with Satan, is depicted as a cunning and deceptive figure who leads Adam and Eve astray.
In Jewish eschatology, the Garden of Eden is divided into two realms: the lower garden, a terrestrial place of abundant fertility, and the higher garden, a celestial abode for the righteous. The lower garden is described as a place of lush vegetation and flowing rivers, while the higher garden is a place of eternal life and divine presence. The higher garden is also known as the Garden of Righteousness, where the righteous dwell and enjoy the sight of the heavenly throne of God.
In Islamic tradition, the Garden of Eden is known as Jannah, a place of eternal bliss and divine presence. The Quran describes the garden as a place of abundance and fertility, where the righteous dwell and enjoy the sight of the divine throne. The story of the Islamic garden continues to resonate with audiences today, as it speaks to the universal human experience of the quest for a place of eternal life and the struggle to maintain faith and obedience in a world of suffering and death.