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Genesis 2:12

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

“The gold of that land is fine; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.”

EOB Footnote:

The MT includes “the gold of that land is good” before describing the bdellium and onyx stone, which the LXX also preserves. The Hebrew term “bedolach” (bdellium) is rendered in the LXX as “anthrax” (carbuncle), representing a different identification of the substance. The MT “shoham stone” is rendered in the LXX as “prasinos stone” (green stone), reflecting an alternative gemstone identification. These represent interpretive differences in identifying the specific precious materials rather than textual variants.

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

WEB (World English Bible):

“The gold of that land is good. There is aromatic resin and the onyx stone.”

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

And the gold of that land is good, there also is carbuncle and emerald.

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

And the gold of that land is very good: there is found bdellium, and the onyx stone.

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

The gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are also there.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

“… and the gold of that land is good, there is the bdellium and the onyx stone.”

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

Genesis 2:12 Commentary

The Land of Havilah and Its Treasures

This verse describes the precious substances found in the land of Havilah: gold of excellent quality, bdellium (a fragrant resin), and the onyx stone. While appearing as a simple geographical notation, the Fathers of the Church discerned deeper spiritual meanings within this passage.

Patristic Interpretation: Saint Ephrem the Syrian and other Eastern Fathers understood the rivers flowing from Eden and the precious materials surrounding Paradise as signs of the abundant grace that flows from God’s presence. The gold, being described as “good” (tov in Hebrew), points to the inherent goodness of creation before the Fall and the lavish generosity of the Creator toward humanity.

Christological and Ecclesial Significance: The three precious substances mentioned here—gold, bdellium, and onyx—have been seen by some interpreters as prefiguring the gifts brought to Christ by the Magi: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. While not a direct parallel, this connection suggests that the treasures of Paradise find their fulfillment in the worship of the incarnate Lord. The gold speaks of Christ’s kingship, the aromatic resin of His priestly role, and the precious stone of His eternal divine nature.

Liturgical Connections: In Orthodox liturgical practice, precious materials adorn the holy temples and sacred vessels, echoing the beauty of Paradise. Gold covers the iconostasis and holy chalices, fragrant incense fills the sanctuary, and precious stones decorate Gospel covers and reliquaries. This is not mere ornamentation but a theological statement: the Church is the restored Paradise, where humanity again encounters the presence of God amid beauty and sanctity.

The mention of bdellium, with its aromatic properties, connects to the Orthodox understanding of incense as prayer ascending to God. As the Psalmist writes, “Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense” (Psalm 140:2, LXX). The fragrance of Eden thus continues in the worship of the Church.

Spiritual Application: For the Orthodox Christian, this verse reminds us that God placed humanity in a setting of extraordinary beauty and abundance. The spiritual life is not a rejection of creation’s goodness but a restoration of our proper relationship to it. We are called to perceive the Creator through His creation, using material gifts—whether gold in icons, incense in worship, or precious stones in liturgical art—as windows to the divine rather than ends in themselves.

The treasures of Havilah ultimately point forward to the heavenly Jerusalem described in Revelation, whose streets are gold and whose foundations are precious stones, revealing that Paradise lost shall become Paradise restored and transfigured in the age to come.

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