Yes — the Bible places the garden eastward in Eden in a river region that includes the Euphrates, and Les Feldick locates it in the Middle East's Euphrates River area.
Genesis 2:8 says God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and verse 10 says a river went out of Eden and parted into four heads, one of which is the Euphrates (Genesis 2:14). Les Feldick teaches that the Garden of Eden was in the Middle East, the cradle of civilization, in the area of the Euphrates River. He also notes that before the Flood the whole landmass was practically one chunk, so ancient geography may not match today's map.
Genesis 2:8 — This verse explicitly says God planted the garden eastward in Eden, giving the starting point for any biblical location study.
Genesis 2:14 — This verse names the Euphrates as one of the four rivers flowing from Eden, anchoring the location to a real, known river.
In Genesis 2:8, the Bible says that the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. Verse 10 says a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. Verses 11-14 name the four rivers as Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Euphrates. The Bible does not give a modern address or national boundary for Eden. It anchors the account to named rivers, especially the Euphrates, a well-known river in the Middle East.
Les Feldick says the Garden of Eden was in the Middle East, in what he calls the cradle of civilization, in the area of the Euphrates River (Clip 2). He also says the Bible gives us a great area of the Middle East that was involved in what we call the Garden of Eden, and he points out that the Euphrates River still goes right through Baghdad today (Clip 1). Regarding the four rivers, Les says we do not need to be overly concerned about the names. He explains that the mention of Gihon compassing Ethiopia makes sense when we realize that before the Flood the whole landmass was practically one chunk, so pre-Flood geography did not have to match today's continents (Clip 5). He also connects the Euphrates to the land God promised to Abraham and to the Tower of Babel (Clips 1, 3, 6).
Les identifies the Euphrates as the river associated with the garden. He says the Euphrates was an important river scripturally from day one, runs right through Baghdad, and was the river on which the Tower of Babel was built (Clip 1). He also describes the Garden of Eden as being in the Middle East, in the cradle of civilization, in that area of the Euphrates River (Clip 2). Additionally, Les teaches that the Euphrates was the great river marking the eastern boundary of the land God gave to Abraham (Clip 3).
Les addresses the apparent geographical problem of Gihon compassing Ethiopia. He suggests that before the Flood, the whole landmass was practically in one chunk, so the ancient geography does not have to match today's continents (Clip 5). This means the same river system could have compassed an area that later became known as Ethiopia.
Les does not locate Eden in Israel. He associates it with the broader Middle East and the Euphrates River area (Clip 2). He does say that the Jordan Valley before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was like the garden of the LORD (Clip 7), but that is a comparison—not an identification of Eden itself.
Understanding Cain and Abel: Faith, Sin, and Civilization Explained
Now that tells it as plainly as it can be told that for these people who lived before the law was given, operated on the influence of conscience, that which God had placed in the very breast of Adam and Eve and those following of what was right and what was wrong.
Garden Area and Euphrates River
Les teaches that the Garden of Eden involved a great area of the Middle East and that the Euphrates River, which runs through Baghdad, was the river on which the Tower of Babel was built.
Eden in the Middle East
Les places the Garden of Eden in the Middle East, the cradle of civilization, in the area of the Euphrates River, and reads Genesis 2:8 as saying the garden was planted eastward in Eden.
Euphrates as Abraham's Border
Les notes that the Euphrates River flows from Turkey through Iraq to the Persian Gulf and served as the eastern boundary of the land God deeded to Abraham.
Genesis 2-3 Bible Study: How the Fall of Man Changed Everything
Did they just totally eat off the trees and the fruit, or did they have a place where they could prepare a meal? You ever thought about that? I never had, but I think it's something interesting to think about. Where did they actually—what we would say, where did they live? And I think most of us always just think of Adam and Eve, you know, in that beautiful garden and that was it.
Four Rivers and Pre-Flood Landmass
Les says we need not be overly concerned about the names of the four rivers in Genesis 2 and suggests the pre-Flood landmass was practically one chunk, explaining why Gihon is said to compass Ethiopia.
Tower of Babel on the Euphrates
Les connects the Euphrates River to the Tower of Babel and the origin of pagan religions, reinforcing the river's biblical importance.
Jordan Valley Compared to Eden
Les says the Jordan Valley before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was like the garden of the LORD, showing how he understands Eden as an earthly place of ideal conditions.
Genesis 2:8: And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
This is the foundational verse identifying Eden's location as a garden planted eastward in Eden.
Genesis 2:10: And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
This shows a single river coming out of Eden splitting into four, tying Eden to a real river network.
Genesis 2:14: And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
This names the Euphrates as the fourth river from Eden, making it the clearest scriptural anchor for Eden's location.
Genesis 15:18: In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Les points to this verse when he describes the Euphrates as the eastern border of the land promised to Abraham.
Genesis 13:10: And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Les uses this verse to compare the Jordan Valley to the garden of the LORD before Sodom was destroyed.
The Bible says the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and that a river went out of Eden and parted into four heads: Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Euphrates (Genesis 2:8-14). It does not give a modern address, but it ties Eden to the Euphrates River.
Yes. Les said the Garden of Eden was in the Middle East, in the cradle of civilization, in the area of the Euphrates River. He also said there was a great area of the Middle East involved in what we call the Garden of Eden.
Les says the Euphrates was an important river scripturally from day one. He notes that it goes through Baghdad, was the river on which the Tower of Babel was built, and marked the eastern boundary of the land God promised to Abraham.
Watch the Teaching: Understanding Cain and Abel: Faith, Sin, and Civilization Explained