What piqued my interest was the description of Havilah, where there is not only good Gold and Onyx (a precious metal and precious stone), but also bdellium, a resin probably once used as an incense (and now used for makeup brushes).
So why the mention? What was the author trying to explain? Obviously these 3 materials were of importance to the culture at the time the words were put into writing, but there is no mention of it’s significance to the Garden of Eden, to Jehovah God, or to Adam and Eve.
The author wanted the reader to know there were good things in Havilah. So is there a place in the Middle East where we can find these three valued materials?
I don’t know. I will research but I will say this. The instant I read this verse I thought of the Annunaki, who according to Sumerian texts, came to this planet to mine for Gold. Who also have a creation story that archaeologically speaking, pre-date the Bible with many similarities.
Because I am curious about the cultural relevance, I will continue to look into the significance of these three materials. In our culture, gold is highly valuable for it’s decorative nature. But we must remember that gold has industrial value as well, and value is often culturally defined. For some people in this world, Gold was merely a decoration and other precious stones were more valuable. For others, Gold was so valuable it resulted in slavery, greed and death in their quest to obtain it.
What would you do for a nice chunk of Gold? Would you stay in possession of a gold plated bible? I know there will be more Gold references later in the Bible so I look forward to seeing how it is portrayed and why.
My Biblical Journey 