Bible Commentaries
Genesis 2

Verse 9

the tree of life . . The wider garden imagery in the ancient Near East helps in understanding the tree of life. The tree of life refers to two concepts: one earthly and the other symbolic of divine life and cosmological wellness. The tree is described as being located in Eden, which is a garden with abundant water and lush vegetation, paradise for those living in agrarian or pastoral settings.

In the ancient Near East, garden imagery was used to describe the abodes of deities, representing luxury and abundance. The divine abode also represented the place where heaven and earth met. The ot often connects trees with divine encounters and sacred geography (Genesis 21:33; Genesis 35:4; Joshua 24:26; Judges 4:5; Judges 6:11; Judges 6:19). The temple of Israel exemplifies this as it was decorated in the fashion of a lush garden (1 Kgs 6–7).

The idea of a divine tree was commemorated structurally through the ancient Near East, such as in the building of ziggurats in Mesopotamia. The ziggurat was believed to be the temple where gods and humans met. Idolatrous worship was associated with trees for the same reasons (Exodus 34:13; Deuteronomy 12:3; Judges 3:7). It was even common to bury the dead at or near a sacred tree (Genesis 35:8; 1 Chronicles 10:12). - FSB