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Pre-Adamic Garden of Eden and Adamic (Biblical) Garden of Eden

by Joaozinho da S. F. A. Martins
(Goa, India)

It is unbelievable; but it is true! It may come as a real surprise to almost everyone to know that there was a pre-Adamic Garden on primeval earth in a place already then named and known as Eden. This was long long before the creation of the Adamic Garden of Eden of which we all are very familiar being the same clearly described in Genesis 2.

However, has it ever occurred to you that the first mention in the Bible of a geographical term denoting to a specific location on earth is "Eden"? (Genesis 2:8). Still more surprising is the fact that the location Eden in Genesis 2:8, 10, 15 is mentioned as if it was a well-known location at the time of Adam's creation. We are next simply or rather casually told that the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden. Now the phrase "eastward in Eden", that is to say, "East of Eden" implies that Eden must have been already geographically known, and that pre-historical Eden was then a very familiar location on primeval earth. Now this could be the case only if such a place bearing the name Eden was already in existence long before the creation of Adam. More, we are told that God next placed Adam in the garden He had planted Eastward of Eden. We are not told that God created a garden, and then named it: Garden of Eden, in which next He placed Adam. As such, there must have been a location on earth prior to Genesis 1:2 and still much prior to Genesis 2:8 that was then geographically known as Eden.

The above conclusions or inferences drawn imply that there must have been an earlier pre-historical pre-Adamic place on primal earth created in the beginning itself, and known as Eden. It further goes to prove that pre-Adamic life existed on earth prior to the chaos described in Genesis 1:2. This fact is further confirmed by the clear references to some earlier Garden referred to in Ezekiel 28 and again in 31. Further, the Hebrew word translated as "eastward" in Genesis can be equally translated as "of old". That is, we could translate Genesis 2:8 to mean God planted a Garden, as of old, in Eden. All the above inferences should lead us to conclude the creation of an earlier Garden called Garden of Eden populated by the angels and pre-Adamic men which was eventually destroyed as a consequence of pre-historical sin. And that, subsequently God next restored a miniature Garden during the six-day work to be given to Adam once created.

All the above pertinent observations should lead us to convincingly conclude the creation and, as such, the existence of a pre-historical pre-Adamic Garden located in a pre-historical place then called and known as Eden. This prehistoric Garden in earlier Eden had to be eventually destroyed as a consequence pre-historic universal sin. Subsequently, God restored light and life and a new Garden after creating Adam in which he was to dwell in.

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Jan 18, 2023
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Biblical Creation Truth NEW
by: Joaozinho Martins

For an in depth Biblically-based explanation and theological understanding of God's works of physical and spiritual creation, Please do visit my Book website, below. From this website, You may download the PDF of my Book titled "Biblical Creation Truth: https://christianreading.com/jmartins/

Jul 27, 2019
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Eden is an ANTI-THESIS? NEW
by: Anonymous

My research suggests the Garden -in-Eden is an ANTI-THESIS, a refutation to an earlier Sumerian myth or THESIS which explained where, how, when man came to be created i a place called the EDIN. The Sumerians understand man is a sinner because he was made in the image of his gods, who are portrayed as being sinner-gods as they rape goddesses, have incest with their daughters, have sex with animals, lie to each other, break oaths, murder each other, and hold man in contempt as a lowly naked, gardening slave for their fruit-tree gardens in the EDIN. The authro of Genesis refutes all this, God made the fruit-tree garden _in_ Eden to provide food for man, not food for God. Yet, elsewhere in the Bible we are informed that the Levitical priests are to serve God two meals daily, morning and evening, for ever, at the Temple of Solomon. The Mesopotamian gods also receive two meals daily, morning and evening, having fleshly bodies they will starve to death if not fed fruits from their gardens in the EDIN. Obviously, the Hebrews never questioned why their God, who is immotal and cannot die, would need to be fed twice a day like a Mesopotamian god. The Hebrew author understands his God is not a sinner-god, he is just, righteous and ethical, and man, made in this God's image, is expected to be just, righteous and ethical too. The sinner-gods of EDIN have been transformed into ONE GOD, a God who is not a sinner-god.

Jul 27, 2019
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From EDIN to EDEN?
by: Walter R. Mattfeld

By 1881 some scholars had surmised that the biblical garden -in- Eden was a recast of an earlier Sumerian location called EDIN. Eden in Hebrew means "delight" whereas EDIN in Sumerian refers to uncultivated land, what we would call "wilderness," or "desert." Sumerian myths have the first land called EDIN, the Sumerian gods make cities to dwell in, surrounded by the EDIN. They create fruit-tree gardens to have food to eat, for they have bodies of flesh and can starve to death if having nothing to eat. Tiring of the work in caring for their fruit-tree gardens in EDIN, they create man to be their gardening slave. Sumerian art shows man has being naked as he cares for the gods' gardens in the EDIN. Apparently the Hebrews misheard EDIN and in error equated it with the Hebrew word 'EDEN, thus for them the garden became, in error, a "delightful" place, not a place of back-breaking toil in the EDIN. I cover all this in greater detail in my book published in 2010, The Garden of Eden Myth: Its Pre-biblicla Origins in Mesopotamian Myths, available at Amazon.com on the internet, from various book-sellers. It is illustrated with maps and examples of the Sumerian characters that came to be recast in the Bible as Adam, Eve, the Serpent, and God or Yahweh-Elohim.

Oct 14, 2017
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Garden of Eden NEW
by: Joaozinho Martins

Not withstanding one's bias about it, pre-historical Garden of Eden is not a myth but a veritable prehistorical reality. Ezekiel 31 talks about this prehistorical reality. The Gardem of God or the Garden of the Lord mentioned in Ezekiel 28 and 31 proves it. This Garden of Edem in Ezekiel 28 and Ezekiel 31 is not the same as the Garden of Eden !

For a clear understanding of the existence of the Garden of Eden, read my Book titled Biblical Creation Truth. Google search will help to know about the location about my book website!

Jan 12, 2017
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LOVE THIS
by: Anonymous

What a great article and you are RIGHT ON. This is exactly what the scriptures teach and recorded history. Again great article. If more truth was out there, there would not be the need to start wars on this planet. {there are history books that do talk about all of this, people need to do their research and get out of the religious mode. I am an ancient Israelite, as many people have taken my history, and twisted it to mean something different, claiming it for their selves. Thus we have mass fighting over a simple history book that you call the bible]

Oct 26, 2014
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This simply lacks valid reasoning, besides the misquotes
by: Human Genome

Ever since I started my study of the Bible, I have heard this argument from some that there is a "gap" between Ge.1:1 and 1:2. Gen.1:1 seems to describe an ending, rather than a beginning. Considering that the verb "was" does not exist in the Hebrew language and has to be replaced by the word "became" (please do not bombard me with insinuations that I don't know Hebrew - I don't!), cited by some Hebrew scholars. Then, literally speaking, you may have a point in your "quest" for a missing content between the 2 verses. And, it might make reading Genesis more enticing, if one considers the possibility. And, understand me correctly; I am not holding one position or the other here.

However, I would like to make this one point: When you are delving into this uncertain, contentious "problem area" of Scripture (I cap the S since it refers to Holy Scripture), then I would suggest that you check your reasoning; dot all the i's and cross all the tee's. I would say your logic is flawed, actually very flawed. In order to point out your mistaken logic as well as incorrect quotations from the bible (I checked 6 versions and they all contradicted you!), I would need more space than I have here (1000 characters). However, in order to make only one correction in your "thesis", Gen.2:8 clearly says, "God HAD planted...", which is clearly paste tense. Gen.1:11 also clearly states that God created all vegetation, including trees for that matter. The Garden - and the trees most likely were already there from Gen1:11.

Why create vegetation twice?! Philosophically speaking, I would grant you that God could have created especially the 2 special trees in the Garden. By the way, the location of this Garden is IN Eden, and NOT east of Eden (ref. to 6 versions of the Bible). The NIV text says, "Now the Lord God HAD planted a Garden in the East, IN Eden!. (Notice the comma there!). The King James says, "The Lord God (had) planted a garden eastward IN Eden." The NASB says, "The Lord God planted a Garden toward the east, IN Eden.."

You are just wrong on these 2 items. Consequently, your following reasoning is merely conjecture. Where is the evidence, my friend?

Oct 07, 2014
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2 Creations of Man in Genesis
by: Anonymous

Clearly there was 2 distinct creations .. .one, pre-Adamic. Gen. 1:26. ..whereby all were created male AND female. There were millions of people on earth prior to A&E. This was the lands of the old gods, who mated with women. In Gen 2:4 Creation GOD made Adam, then Eve. Since Adam had only two sons in the beginning. .Cain killed Able and went OFF INTO the lands of fugitiveness. GOD set a mark on him, lest any find him, (of his kin), they should kill him, so he never went back to Eden but took himself a wife from the first created beings. Strange his line only runs about 6 generations before the flood.. .. .and then they are gone. The flood - that's another story in itself.

Oct 04, 2014
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Pre-Adamic Life and the Genesis Account
by: Joaozinho Martins

Damian, what contradiction are you talking about? First of all, in a beginning among other beginnings, God created the initial heavens and earth. Genesis 1:1 is actually an account of a primeval creation. God created the original earth to be inhabited [Isaiah 45:18]. So, the primal or the original earth in Genesis 1:1 was certainly inhabited by pre-Adamic life. Proverbs 8:27-31 gives us details about pre-Adamic life not covered in Genesis 1:1. And, there was certainly an original Garden of God as is spoken of in Ezekiel 28 and 31.

Next, Genesis 1:2 describes conditions on earth that are actually outcomes of judgment as described elsewhere in the Scriptures [see Jeremiah 4:23-26; Ezekiel 32:7-8].

What is described in Genesis 1:3-31 is a later work of renovation in six days followed by God’s resting on the seventh day. Genesis 2:4 mentions generations or origins of heavens and earth. As such, there are two beginnings. The heavens of Genesis 1:8 and the earth of Genesis 1:10 are qualitatively different from the heavens and earth of Genesis 1:1; and so, two beginnings. Accordingly, the Garden of God in Genesis 2:8 is said to be planted East of Eden. That means, Eden was already a geographical location on earth before God’s planting of another Garden, East of the original Eden. As such, the Garden of God in Genesis 2:8 is a replication of the earlier Garden mentioned in Ezekiel 28 and 31. If not, why not? So, there is no contradiction in what I’ve briefly stated about the pre-Adamic Garden of God.

Oct 02, 2014
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Genesis Contradictions
by: Damian Dias

Mr Martins,how can you talk about Pre adamic garden of Eden when God says that it was void when he created, at the same time it is very confusing of what you highlighted regarding the name Garden of EDEN as to how and when the name was given. Seems like there is some contradiction. Looks like it was there during the creation week before Adam and Eve were Created, and probably it was not necessary to mention the name of the Garden of Eden in the Bible. I would appreciate if you could justify the contradiction.

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