Here, then, in the south of Armenia, after the explication we have given, it may seem the most suitable to look for the object of our exploration, the site of PARADISE. From this opinion few, we think, will dissent.
But the stringent difficulty is to find any two rivers that will reasonably answer to the predicates of the Pishon and the Gihon; and any countries which can be collocated as Havilah and Cush. The latter name, indeed, was given by the Hebrews and other Orientals to several extensive countries, and those very distant both from Armenia and from each other. As for Havilah, we have the name again in the account of the dispersion of the descendants of Noah (ch. x. 29), but whether that was the same as this Havilah, and in what part of Asia it was, we despair of ascertaining. Reland and others, the best writers upon this question, have felt themselves compelled to give to these names a comprehension which destroys all precise ness. So, likewise, the meaning of the two names of natural products can be little more than matter of conjecture ; the bedotack and the stone shohant. The former word occurs only here and in Nun? xi. 7. The Septuagint. our oldest ano nest autho rity with regard to terms of natural history, renders it, in our passage, by anthrax, meaning probably the ruby, or possibly the topaz; and in Numbers by erystallos, which the Greeks applied not merely to rock-crystal, but to anyfinely transparent mineral. Any of the several kinds of odoriferous gum, which many ancient and modern authorities have main tained, is not likely; for it could not be in value comparable to gold. The pearl is possible, but not quite probable ; for it is an animal product, and the connection seems rather to confine us to minerals; and pearls, though translucent, are not transparent as good crystal is. Would not the diamond be an admissible conjecture? The shah= occurs in ten other places, chiefly in the book of Exodus, and in all those instances our version says onyx ; but the Septuagint varies, taking onyx, sardius, sardonyx, beryl, prase-stone, sapphire, and smaragdus, which is a green-tinctured rock-crystal. The preponderance seems to be in favour of onyx, one of the many varieties of banded agate; but the idea of value leads us to think that the emerald is the most probable. There are two remarkable inventories of precious stones in Exod. xxxix. 10-13, and Ezek. xxviii. 13 ; which may be profit ably studied, comparing the Septuagint with the Hebrew.
A nearer approach to the solution of our pro blem we cannot hope to make.
The numerous attempts of modern German writers to resolve this part and all the rest of the Mosaic Archmology into what they call a Mythic Philosopheme (an allegory made up of tradition and fancy), would require a large space to detail and examine them. They are full of arbitrary assumptions and inconsistencies • their tendency and design are to undermine all the facts of super natural revelation, to destroy the authority of the Mosaic and the prophetical Scriptures, and conse quently of the Christian, and thus eventually to supersede all religion that rests upon any other ground than egotistical reasonings and romantic fancies. They form a great part of a multifari ous scheme of infidelity and pantheism, which requires to be met by the proofs of the existence of a personal, intelligent, and efficient God, and the evidences that HE has bestowed upon man a positive manifestation of his authority and his love.
Dr. M. Baumgarten (Theol. Commentar cum A. T., vol. i. p. 39) has proposed to eliminate the perplexities in a new way. Admitting the impossi bility of finding anyplace, in the present condition of the earth, that will answer to the description, yet believing that it was realized at the time, he conceives that it pleased the Author of revelation to combine with the historical fact a symbolical and prophetical intention. We shall conclude this article by citing a passage from that work Amidst all this litigation of contending and contradictory opinions, it has been altogether over looked, that we ought to inquire for what reason this remarkably circumstantial description was given ; for it is not the manner of the Holy Scrip tures to communicate minute particulars for the gratification of useless curiosity. The word of God never loses sight of its chief object ; and it puts all its minor- parts into connection with than The question then is, TVhat connection does the description of Paradise hold with the rest of the history ? That the mention of the river, flowing out of Eden, bath its proper and important place, is plain from the purpose ascribed to it—the water ing of the garden, the impartation of life and fer tility, that it might be sufficiently adapted for the abode of the first human creatures. But what now
must be the design of the branches of the river, which are expressly pointed out as not belonging to the garden ? It evidently must be the same as in the first case, the watering of some ground ; and that ground can be no other than the countries through which those derived streams are declared to flow. Here then we are met with the particu lars stated concerning Havilah and the other geo graphical names. The four branches go out into the country of gold, of precious stones, and of aromatics : they go out into the countries in which men first formed communities and founded mighty kingdoms—the lands of Cush, Assyria, and Baby lon. Thus, the great river which comes from the east, and has its rise in Eden, and thence imme diately waters the garden, is that which pours its waters into the principal countries of the world, as the•streams of life to the nations. The number also of both the streams and the countries claims consideration ; it is four. Bahr (in his work on Symbols, vol. i. p. 155-174) has shown that this number was the symbolical sign of proportion and order; and was consequently regarded as a desig nation of the world, considered as a work of order and proportional arrangement—the proper idea of the Greek kacrpos. At a later period, we find the Scripture assigning four as the number of the great monarchies of the world (Dan. vii.) The description must therefore be understood as directing us far forward into the future, and as giving a prophetic intimation of its own meaning. The life of the human race began in Paradise ; but from thence it was to diffuse itself into all other regions, and bring the morning-beam of divine light, which enlightened man in the garden, to be enjoyed over the whole earth. And indeed those countries are the most immediately pointed out, which held ready their fulness and power, and as it were kept in their view the coming of their Lord, in order to do him homage (Matt. ii. t). But now, with respect to the geographical ques tion, it should not be forgotten that between the commencement of history and our times there lies a great revolution, the Deluge. It cannot be sup posed that such a mighty shock of the whole ter restrial globe could do otherwise than greatly disfigure the earth's surface. It might indeed be thought that this consideration would justify an entire relinquishment of attempts to collate the description with now existing localities. But, on the other hand, it should be considered that the Deluge did not take away the identity of the earth ; and that the special names, as Phrat and Assur, without doubt have their reference to the earth's subsequent condition. The two names Phrat and Hiddckel appear to determine expli citly the track of country through which they flow ; and consequently we may be led to con ceive of the whole matter thus : that from the region of Armenia a river flowed, and then divided itself into four branches, of which the two eastern corresponded to the rivers afterwards denomi nated the Euphrates and the Tigris. and the two western had their course through Arabia ; but that country (Arabia) in some following age was elevated (by volcanic action) above the original river-bed. Prof. Ritter (of the University of Ber lin, the father of what may be called a new science, Comparative Geography, and which he has happily combined with Ethnography) has re. marked that, even within the modern period, the Euphrates has not inconsiderably changed its course. (Sec his Geography in relation to Nature and the History of Mankind, vol. ii. p. 121, 1st ed.) In the following times of history, we have seen how the river of mankind from the moun tains of Armenia poured itself into the plains of the Tigris and the Euphrates. The tribes of men went forth into the regions of the streams of Para dise, acquired power and gathered riches. But of gold they made gods, decked them with jewels, and brought incense to the things which have noses and smell not. Their power rebelled against God and his people, and by the rivers of Baby lon the children of Israel sat down and wept. Thus, in the world's history, has the track of the four branch rivers maintained itself; but, by the intrusion of sin, the glorious future of the pri meval Paradise has been changed into a mourn ful present.' We have thought it but fair to put our readers into possession of this interpretation, presenting the passage as, though literally true, yet having an allegorical and prophetic intention. It is ingenious and striking ; but what we want is some solid ground of evidence.—J. P. S.