Was the Garden of Eden created on the third or sixth day of Creation?

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One popular way to look at the creation is in two phases:

  • Days of Forming (1,2,3)
  • Days of Filling (4,5,6)

Day one was when the heavens were created. Day four was when the heavens were filled (by the sun, moon and stars).

Day two was when the the waters were separated, forming the sky and sea. Day five was when the sky was filled with birds and the seas with sea creatures.

Day three was when dry ground was planted with seeds and vegetation appeared, forming field and forest. Day six was when the land was filled with terrestrial animals (other than birds) and humans.

You see that God makes distinctions in space by creating special places then fills them up with the things that belong in those places. The question then becomes whether the Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil are place-like or filler-like.

The Garden of Eden had many types of plants and trees. As far as we know, the exile from Eden did not deprive Adam and Eve of access to any fruits or vegetables but those two special trees. Also, there is no mention of any animals left behind in the garden and made off limits. The two angels that barred the way back to Eden were protecting a place. On the whole, the balance of evidence seems to be that those two trees are place-like. They and the garden represent a forbidden place, not a forbidden creature. Since places to be filled were defined in the first three days and the vegetable world specifically on the third day, it seems most likely that those trees were also created on Day Three.

UPDATE:

11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. (Genesis 1:11-13)

Unlike the birds, fish, and animals, God did not create the plants in mature form. He created everything in seed form and then "the land produced vegetation". This was likely accelerated growth, as in the story of Jonah, where the vine grew up overnight to shade the prophet.

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil bore fruit, therefore it was a "tree bearing fruit" type of plant, hence included in the things created on day three.

Upvote:3

Genesis 1:9-13 says that it was only on the third day that God created the plants and grasses on earth - wouldn't that also include Eden with the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil?

Why? God Created plants on the third day. This covers, in particular, the initial act of Creation, when each kind of plant was brought forth for the very first time. In a sense, Genesis 1 is also speaking to the design of plants, animals, etc.

For comparison, consider those that believe that every nephesh life requires an act of Divine Creation. This would mean God is Creating many individuals every single day... but the initial Creation, when the first of all kinds of animals were made, happened once.

Is Genesis 2:8-17 just a "recap" of Genesis 1:9-13?

Frankly, it is unclear. Genesis 2 uses language that has numerous distinctions as compared to Genesis 1:

  • It speaks of plants of the field, not plants in general.
  • It is focused on the Garden of Eden, specifically, rather than Earth as a whole.
  • It does not use the same explicit and highly formulaic chronology as Genesis 1, and is thus the exact order of events is less clear.

Some Christians believe that Eden, specifically, was barren until after Adam was Created. Some Christians also believe that, while animals had generally been Created previously, Genesis 2:19 may be referring to Creation of individual specimens for the specific purpose of having Adam name them.

Was the Garden of Eden created on the third or sixth day of Creation?

Honestly, for the above-cited reasons, it's difficult to be certain one way or the other.

Upvote:4

Once God made dry land (earth) on Day Three, he caused the earth to bring forth grass, plants, trees, and all the seed and fruit associated with them. He created the first male and female humans before Day Six had ended. That is what chapter 1 tells us.

Chapter 2 is like a recap, but with some details omitted, and new details added. It introduces information about Day Seven - when God (having completed all his acts of creation by the end of Day Six) 'rests'. It also introduces details about Day Six, to do with a special garden into which God placed the man. It's worth noting that the area of land already named Eden had its eastern side chosen by God to turn into this special garden (Genesis 2:8).

Now, gardening is considered to be work, so it is unsurprising that God completed preparing this garden in Eden in readiness to set the man whom he had formed, so the garden in Eden was finished before the man first saw it.

This seems to lend support to the view that all types of grasses, herbs, and trees had been created on Day Three, but that the special garden was "something else", having God's direct input with existing plants to make it a place of particular beauty and order, that we associate with the idea of a garden (as opposed to a jungle or a savanna etc.) That's just my simple reading of the two chapters.

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