1X11 INTRODUCTION. 



to keep the way of the tree of life!' 1 The 

 word which in our translation is rendered 

 placed, means properly caused to dwell, or 

 placed in a tabernacle? and it was on this 

 account probably that in the Septuagint trans- 

 lation, the expression is referred to Adam. 

 " And he cast out Adam, and caused him 

 to dwell opposite the garden of Eden. And 

 he placed in order the cherubim, and the 

 flaming sword which turned to keep the way 

 of the tree of life." 3 The word in question 

 is used by Jeremiah to denote God's presence 

 in his tabernacle in Shiloh. 4 It may be re- 

 marked also that, in the original, the phrase 

 is not simply that God placed cherubim at 

 the east of the garden of Eden, but, as is 

 evident from the particles prefixed to it, that 

 he placed there the cherubim, namely such 

 objects as were generally called by that name, 

 and were familiar to the Jews. Had God 

 given it in commission to angelic beings to 

 keep watch and ward at the gate of Paradise, 



1 Genes, iii. 24. 2 Heb. pu> 



3 Gr. Kcu f^tftaXf. TOV A^ct/z, KO.L KaTWKicrev avrov 



r irapaSeiffu rrjg rpv<f>r)g. teat erae TO. ^p/3tyu, KCU rr\v (ft\o-yivrjy 

 i>, rr\v 



4 Jerem. vii. 12. 



