What was placed east of the Garden of Eden to keep us away from the Tree of Life?

Answer 1

A:Genesis 3:24 (KJV): "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

In this story, cherubim were placed east of the garden, to block the way back to the Tree of Life. The translators of the King James version did not realise that 'cherubim' was already the Hebrew plural of 'cherub', so inadvertently made it a double plural.

Images of cherubs have been found thoughout much of the ancient Near East since the Bronze Age and were usually associated with carrying the enthroned deity (see the cherubs in Exodus, mounted on the Ark of the Covenant, on either side of the mercy seat of God). The most magnificent powers in the creaturely world are combined in the cherubs, which are a composite of a lion (the body), a bird (eagle or vulture wings), and a human (the face). As those who carry the throne, these hybrid creatures reflect the nature of the figure who is enthroned above them.

Answer 2

A:In Genesis 3:24, God placed cherubim (sing: cherub) and a flaming sword to keep, or block, the way to the Tree of Life and so prevent Adam from returning to eat the fruit and thus become immortal. Cherubim were sphinx-like creatures with human heads, the bodies of lions, and wings, probably similar to the great guardians of the Assyrian Ninevah.