Gen 3:23-24 | TNotes | STEP | 3:23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden: Before the Fall, the garden was a sanctuary in which humans could move freely in God’s holy presence. Now their sin required expulsion from that environment. This same principle was behind the laws that restricted an Israelite’s access to God’s presence in the Tabernacle or Temple (e.g., Lev 16:1-2 ; Num 5:3 ).

a3:23►

bLev 16:1-2►

cNum 5:3►

d3:24►

eExod 26:31►

fEzek 28:14►

gGen 4:16►

h11:2►

i13:11►

j25:6►

‏ Genesis 3:23-24

3:23 ^a So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden: Before the Fall, the garden was a sanctuary in which humans could move freely in God’s holy presence. Now their sin required expulsion from that environment. This same principle was behind the laws that restricted an Israelite’s access to God’s presence in the Tabernacle or Temple (e.g., Lev 16:1-2 ^b; Num 5:3 ^c).
3:24 ^d Cherubim are a class of angelic beings that guard access to God’s presence (Exod 26:31 ^e; Ezek 28:14 ^f).

• east ... of Eden: In Genesis, movement eastward often implies leaving the presence or blessing of God, whether in judgment (see also Gen 4:16 ^g), self-aggrandizement (11:2 ^h; 13:11 ⁱ), or estrangement (25:6 ^j).