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[Varph]

What population could have been sustained in the Garden of Eden if they didn't get kicked out?

[jimwalton]

Adam & Eve didn't live in the Garden. That's where they met God. Technically speaking, the Garden is not Eden. We should understand the Garden as adjacent to Eden. The Garden was next to God residence in the same way that a garden of the palace adjoins the place. Eden was the source of the waters and where God met with people. The Garden is next to it. This is a well-known situation in the ancient world: a sacred spot (the temple) featuring a spring of water with an adjoining well-watered park stocked with specimens of animals and plants.

The Garden itself was not Eden, but next to it. In other words, the population lived out in the world and came to Eden to meet God. What population could have been sustained? Right now I think we're close to 8 billion.