Garden (Gan)
גַּן (gan)
An enclosed, cultivated space — the place of divine presence, delight, and human vocation.
Gan is the Hebrew word for garden, meaning an enclosed, protected, cultivated space. Eden was humanity's first garden — the place of God's presence, abundant provision, and meaningful work. Scripture's story moves from garden lost to garden restored.
"And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." — Genesis 2:8 (KJV)
Key Verses
Genesis 2:8
“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.”Read in context
Song of Solomon 4:12
“A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”Read in context
John 19:41
“Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre.”Read in context
Strong's Concordance
Strong's H1588 — Garden (Gan) (גַּן (gan))
Browse the full lexicon entry and every KJV verse where גַּן (gan) appears.
Open Strong's H1588Etymology and Original Meaning
Gan means 'garden' — an enclosed, protected space cultivated for beauty and productivity. Unlike wild wilderness, a garden is intentional — planted, tended, and designed. The word suggests enclosure and protection: a wall or hedge surrounds it. God's first act after creating humans was to plant a garden for them (Genesis 2:8). The garden is God's design for human flourishing.
Eden — The First Garden
Eden means 'delight' — the garden was a place of abundance, beauty, and unbroken communion with God. God 'walked in the garden in the cool of the day' (Genesis 3:8). Humanity's vocation was to 'dress it and keep it' (Genesis 2:15) — to cultivate and guard. The garden represents the ideal: God present, humanity purposeful, creation flourishing. Sin disrupted this, expelling humanity from the garden.
Gardens of Encounter
Gardens continue as settings for pivotal moments: Gethsemane — the garden of Jesus' agony and surrender (Matthew 26:36). The garden tomb — where Jesus was buried and rose (John 19:41; 20:15). Mary Magdalene mistook the risen Jesus for 'the gardener' (John 20:15) — a profound irony, for He is the gardener, the new Adam restoring what the first Adam lost. Gardens frame both the fall and the resurrection.
The Restored Garden
Revelation's final vision includes the tree of life bearing fruit and leaves 'for the healing of the nations' (Revelation 22:2) — garden imagery restored. What was lost in Eden is recovered in the New Jerusalem. The river of life flows, the tree of life bears fruit, and God dwells with His people. History moves from garden to garden — from paradise lost to paradise regained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does garden mean in the Bible?
Garden (gan) is an enclosed, cultivated space of beauty and provision. Eden was humanity's first garden — the place of God's presence and human purpose. Scripture's story moves from the garden lost in Genesis to the garden restored in Revelation.
Why are gardens significant in the Bible?
Gardens are settings for pivotal encounters: Eden (creation and fall), Gethsemane (Jesus' surrender), and the garden tomb (resurrection). They symbolize God's presence, human vocation, and the trajectory from paradise lost to paradise regained.
Which Bible verse uses the word "Garden (Gan)"?
Genesis 2:8 — "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed" (KJV). It also appears in Song of Solomon 4:12, John 19:41.
Why does the Hebrew word behind "Garden (Gan)" matter?
Gan means 'garden' — an enclosed, protected space cultivated for beauty and productivity. English uses one word, "Garden (Gan)", where the Hebrew גַּן (gan) carries the fuller sense: an enclosed, cultivated space — the place of divine presence, delight, and human vocation.
Related Words
Related Reading
Continue your study with related content from across our library:
Garden (Gan) (גַּן (gan))
An enclosed, cultivated space — the place of divine presence, delight, and human vocation.
Strong's H1588 — Garden (Gan)
גַּן (gan) • An enclosed, cultivated space — the place of divine presence, delight, and human vocation.
Garden (גַּן (gan))
An enclosed, cultivated space — a symbol of God's presence, provision, and paradise.
Biblical Meaning of a Garden in a Dream (KJV)
Intimacy with God, cultivated growth, or Eden restored.
The Garden of Gethsemane
Matthew 26:36–56; Mark 14:32–50; Luke 22:39–53 • surrender
Garden of Gethsemane in the Bible
The garden where Jesus prayed in agony before His arrest and crucifixion.
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