This word originates in 2:7, where the deity sculpted ha-adam, “the human” out of ha-adamah, “the earth.” “The earthling from the earth” provides a parallel pun. Most English translations miss this nuance.
Genesis 2:18-24 exhibits a folksy style, rooted in the author’s use of word play. Understanding this passage in its original language lies at the heart of insightful interpretation. Preachers must handle this passage with care, being mindful of its longtime use as a proof text to condemn family structures that stray from male dominance, female submissiveness, or heterosexual pairing. Awe at this marvelous tale should dominate our interpretation. Ultimately surgical division of the human creates the first gendered pair, who reunite in the end.
The process initially produces animals, who are deemed as unfit partners for the human. This passage depicts an immanent creator trying to make a fitting partner for the original human.
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