This passage introduces an interesting concept of a garden or gan (H1588) in Hebrew. The Hebraic meaning of gan is a fenced off enclosure that particularly involves a garden that is protected from outside forces by the fence.1 The gan also refers to a well-tended garden plot that is valuable and deserving of care because of its potential to provide a bountiful harvest. Some translations of gan adopt the term pardes or paradise from the Persian, which includes the concept of a pleasure garden that is surrounded by an earthen or stone wall to protect it from intruders. From this perspective, the Garden of Eden is a special place that is separate from the world and under the dominion of God. The garden functions as a model to which the rest of the world that exists in some form of chaos or discord can aspire.
The mention of the tree of life indicates that the source of life is found within the boundaries of the garden. The tree of life stands next to the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the center or midst of the garden. The positioning of the two trees suggests that the power of God is to grant life and to give humans the ability to choose life by following God's commandments these are at the center of human existence.2 To enjoy eternal life, humans must eat from the fruit of the tree of life (Jesus being that life giving fruit). Eating from the tree of knowledge, however, is a transgression against the commandments of God. The transgression results in separation from the garden where the tree of life is located, thereby severing the individual's connection to the source of life. In this context, the tree of knowledge is equivalent to the tree of decision, with humans required to decide either to obey the law of God and enjoy life or to transgress and experience death. We begin to see that same type of decision confronting both Israel and Judah in Isaiah 5. .
One of the connections between the garden in Genesis and the vineyard described by Isaiah comes from the mention of a hedge and wall (Isaiah 5:5).