This verse and the next three verses give the names of the four rivers that branch off from the main river.

The name of the first is Pishon: Pishon is mentioned elsewhere only in Sirach 24.25, and there in a figurative sense. There is no known location of Pishon, nor of Gihon in the next verse. These names may be related to the verbs “to gush” and “to bubble.” Flows around translates a verb meaning “to circle” and is used in Judges 11.18 for making a march around Edom and Moab. When used of a river flowing across flat country, it means “to meander, twist and turn, wind.” Here it refers to Pishon winding or meandering through, not around, Havilah.

The whole land of Havilah: Havilah occurs in Gen 10.7 as the name of one of the sons of Cush, and in 10.29 as the name of one of the sons of Joktan, but with no reference to a geographical place. Land here translates Hebrew ʾerets, which is a general word for the whole earth (Gen 1.1) or a defined part of it such as the area promised to Abram in 15.18. This term applies also to a nation, state, or other political territory; for example, “land of Israel” or “land of Canaan” in Gen 11.31. It is sometimes used to refer to the inhabitants in contrast to the land itself (Gen 6.11 “earth”). Good News Translation translates “country of Havilah,” which may mean a nation or an area by that name.

Where there is gold has been shifted by Good News Translation to verse 12, which goes on to characterize the gold as being good. Gold is so widely known throughout the world that few languages lack a word for it, although the word may be borrowed from another language.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .