Hiddekel
Hiddekel, traditionally identified with the Tigris River east of Assyria, is one of the four rivers that flowed from a single source to water the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 2:10-14, Scripture describes this river system as part of the paradise where God placed the first humans, with Hiddekel specifically noted as the third branch flowing toward the east. Its inclusion in the creation narrative illustrates God's provision of a fertile, well-watered environment for humanity's origins and establishes a geographical framework linking the divine garden to known ancient lands. This detail remains significant in biblical studies for connecting theological themes of paradise and separation from God after the Fall to real-world topography in the ancient Near East.
Details
- Region
- Mesopotamia
- Modern Location
- Identified with the Tigris River in modern-day Iraq and Turkey
Key Passages
The River Hiddekel
Genesis 2:14
Names Hiddekel as the third river of Eden flowing toward the east of Assyria.
14nd the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
Vision by the Great River
Daniel 10:4
Daniel receives a vision while standing by the banks of the river Hiddekel.
4nd in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;