Matthew Henry Commentary Genesis 3:22-24

"And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever- therefore Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." — Genesis 3:22-24 (ASV)

God commanded man to go out. He told him he should no longer occupy and enjoy that garden. But man liked the place and was unwilling to leave it, and therefore God made him go out. This signified the shutting out of him and all his guilty race from that communion with God, which was the bliss and glory of paradise. But man was only sent to till the ground from which he was taken.

He was sent to a place of toil, not to a place of torment. Our first parents were shut out from the privileges of their state of innocence, yet they were not left to despair. The way to the tree of life was shut. Henceforth, it was in vain for him and his posterity to expect righteousness, life, and happiness by the covenant of works; for, since the command of that covenant was broken, its curse is in full force; we are all undone if we are judged by that covenant.

God revealed this to Adam, not to drive him to despair, but to urge him to look for life and happiness in the promised Seed, through whom a new and living way into the holiest is laid open for us.