The reason why God created Eve (Genesis, 2:18-23)

[Estro Felino]

Genesis 2:18
This is from the Greek Bible...in order to analyze the exact original words, even if it would be necessary to compare it with the Hebrew MT:

Καὶ εἶπε Κύριος ὁ Θεός· οὐ καλὸν εἶναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον μόνον· ποιήσωμεν αὐτῷ βοηθὸν κατ᾿ αὐτόν. καὶ ἔπλασεν ὁ Θεὸς ἔτι ἐκ τῆς γῆς πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὰ πρὸς τὸν ᾿Αδάμ, ἰδεῖν τί καλέσει αὐτά. (.....)
τῷ δὲ ᾿Αδὰμ οὐχ εὑρέθη βοηθὸς ὅμοιος αὐτῷ.
καὶ ἐπέβαλεν ὁ Θεὸς ἔκστασιν ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Αδάμ, καὶ ὕπνωσε· καὶ ἔλαβε μίαν τῶν πλευρῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεπλήρωσε σάρκα ἀντ᾿ αὐτῆς. καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν πλευράν, ἣν ἔλαβεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ᾿Αδάμ, εἰς γυναῖκα καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸν ᾿Αδάμ. καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αδάμ· τοῦτο νῦν ὀστοῦν ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων μου καὶ σὰρξ ἐκ τῆς σαρκός μου·

From this passage we understand that:
- God created animals, so they could be helpful (βοηθὸς) to Adam...somehow
- Adam didn't find an animal that was 1) equal to him physically (ὅμοιος) 2)helpful to him in a certain activity
- God creates Eve so she could replace the animals in a certain activity performed by Adam...and she was suitable because she was like Adam.

Really....I seriously hope that activity is not what I think...

even if the meaning of voithòs is unmistakable

 

[Tumah]

Rest assured! As someone who can't read a word of Greek, I can assure you it doesn't say whatever it is you think it says.

 

[Estro Felino]

Rest assured! As someone who can't read a word of Greek, I can assure you it doesn't say whatever it is you think it says.

Thanks...I still don't understand why they used the word voithos...which necessarily implies that animals used to help Adam somehow...I'm curious if the Hebrew term has a slightly different meaning.

 

[Tumah]

Thanks...I still don't understand why they used the word voithos...which necessarily implies that animals used to help Adam somehow...I'm curious if the Hebrew term has a slightly different meaning.

I was joking in the previous post. I have no idea what it says in Greek so I don't know what it is you were worried about. When you say "help" it brings to mind verse 20 which says that Adam couldn't find a helpmate. The Hebrew says עזר כנגדו. The first word, עזר means a helper. The second word כנגדו means opposite him. or parallel to him. But I'm not sure what we're discussing exactly.

 

[Yohanan ben Yaaqov]

This is a rather interesting conundrum. In verse 18 the Greek uses the phrase – βοηθον κατ αυτον – voéthon kat auton, which means a helper against himself, as its translation for – עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ – ʿézer k’neg’do, which means: a helper as his opposite.

Yet in verse 20 the Greek uses – βοηθος ομοιος αυτω – voéthos homoios autō, which means: a helper the same as himself, for the exact same Hebrew phrase. Why would they use two opposing translations? Your guess is as good as mine.

The bottom line is that the entire passage is about animals having opposite sexes, and humanity not having opposite sexes. Every animal had a mate of the opposite sex, mankind did not. I have no idea what makes you arrive at the conclusion that any animals “helped” the man in any way.

If this helps, the dictionary definition of the Masculine Noun – עֵזֶר – ʿézer is: helper, assistant, aide, auxiliary, accessary and spouse.

 

[BSM1]

BTW, you know why God created Eve second? He didn't want to hear the constant advice on how to create Adam (or so I was told).

 

[Estro Felino]

This is a rather interesting conundrum. In verse 18 the Greek uses the phrase – βοηθον κατ αυτον – voéthon kat auton, which means a helper against himself, as its translation for – עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ – ʿézer k’neg’do, which means: a helper as his opposite.

That's really interesting...thanks. But Katà+accusative also means to, for (indirect object of aim)...so kat'auton can hardly translate "as his opposite"...this is a clear case of wrong translation.
Voithòs katà auton= something that could be helpful to him (or a helper to him)
btw...katà+genitive expresses "against" most of the time.


The term voithòs is weird...because if Adam needed some company there would have been so many apter terms like etairos, etairia, filia...etc

Voithòs is only used to express concrete help, like in the battlefield.

 

[Thief]

not versed in the primary languages.....but....

having chosen Adam (new testament)
and having provided ideal living conditions
and having increased the life of the man for many decades

there would be no suitable mate for that man

she would have to be cloned of him

 

[David T]

BTW, you know why God created Eve second? He didn't want to hear the constant advice on how to create Adam (or so I was told).

 

[Yohanan ben Yaaqov]

The Adverb – κατά – means: against; the Preposition – κατα – means: per, by, at, versus.

When the word – κατ – is used with another word, it turns the word it is acting upon into an adverb. Example: κατ εικονα – kat eikona – by picture; κατ ανατολας – kat anatolas – eastwards; κατ εμαυτου – kat emautou – by myself; κατ ονομα – kat onoma – by name; κατ εθιμο – kat ethimo – customarily, by custom.

There really aren’t too many choices of how to translate – κατ αυτον – kat auton – 1) by himself; 2) at himself; 3) per himself; 4) versus himself; 5) against himself. Which makes more sense: 1) a helper by himself; 2) a helper at himself; 3) a helper per himself; 4) a helper versus himself; 5) a helper against himself ?

Personally, I don’t think any of them make very much sense. But it doesn’t matter anyway because Torah is written in Hebrew, and in Hebrew it says “as his opposite.”

The dictionary defines – βοηθος – as: aide; assistant; help; helper; helpmate. But I still don’t see what your problem is with this passage. What is an aide? What is an assistant? What is a helper? It is a partner, correct? Someone who helps you get things done, correct?

For every male animal, there was an opposite female animal. There were not two opposites in humanity, there was only one human. What is so terribly difficult to understand about this? Do you desperately want to believe that haʾadam was having sex with animals or something? I really don’t understand what point you’re trying to make.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

It's a good thing non-human relations hadn't been banned yet.

 

[Riders]

Ive heard Christians say God had Adam name the animals so hed realize he was alone and needed a mate.

 

[Riders]

wonder if he watched them have sex My Mom was raised christian on the farm and said a lot off Christian farmers in the old days let their kids watch animals have sex so they could learn what sex was.

 

[outlawState]

The Hebrew word is 'ezer is also used of God helping humans so I think the initial innuendo is way out. The question really is, as to what Adam was needing help in. Everyday chores obviously, but of more signficance is chores relating to the needs of the Tabernacle or priesthood. Eve was required for more than breeding.

 

[Estro Felino]

The Hebrew word is 'ezer is also used of God helping humans so I think the initial innuendo is way out. The question really is, as to what Adam was needing help in. Everyday chores obviously, but of more signficance is chores relating to the needs of the Tabernacle or priesthood. Eve was required for more than breeding.

A certain Rashi affirms that voithòs or ezer in that context has an unmistakable meaning
https://www.torahmusings.com/2007/10/adams-mating-with-animals/

 

[outlawState]

A certain Rashi affirms that voithòs or ezer in that context has an unmistakable meaning
https://www.torahmusings.com/2007/10/adams-mating-with-animals/

"A certain rashi?"

Rashi = Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac (or: Shlomo Yitzhaki) is known by the acronym: RaShi.

Rashi has been accepted by the entire Jewish world as the exegete par exellence, and he succeeded in completing commentaries to Judaism's most sacred texts, the Bible and the Babylonian Talmud. Rashi's commentary to the Torah was perhaps the first Hebrew book to be printed, and it is included in almost any edition of the Torah that is designed for traditional and synagogue use.

Dates
1040-1105

Place
Troyes, France.

Well I think on this particular "meaning," Rashi is very much in a minority, even amongst Jewish commentators.

Let's not forget that Cain found no difficulty in marrying a wife, and let's not forget the contemporary context of Adam & Eve being located geographically and timewise towards the beginning of the Sumer civilization in Mesopotamia. That is to say, Adam and Eve refers to the priestly origin, not the biological origin of humanity. The context is that no animals were found suitable for such a role in the priesthood, and so women were elevated to status of helper in the priesthood.

 

[Muffled]

I believe there was no doubt going to be a multiplication of the Adamic race because otherwise Eve would not be needed.

 

[Muffled]

I was joking in the previous post. I have no idea what it says in Greek so I don't know what it is you were worried about. When you say "help" it brings to mind verse 20 which says that Adam couldn't find a helpmate. The Hebrew says עזר כנגדו. The first word, עזר means a helper. The second word כנגדו means opposite him. or parallel to him. But I'm not sure what we're discussing exactly.

I believe it makes more sense to say joined to him.

 

[Muffled]

That's really interesting...thanks. But Katà+accusative also means to, for (indirect object of aim)...so kat'auton can hardly translate "as his opposite"...this is a clear case of wrong translation.
Voithòs katà auton= something that could be helpful to him (or a helper to him)
btw...katà+genitive expresses "against" most of the time.


The term voithòs is weird...because if Adam needed some company there would have been so many apter terms like etairos, etairia, filia...etc

Voithòs is only used to express concrete help, like in the battlefield.

I believe the Pat Benatar song goes" love is a battlefield." In astrology Mars is the ruler of war, sports and sex.

 

[ArtieE]

BTW, you know why God created Eve second? He didn't want to hear the constant advice on how to create Adam (or so I was told).

Adam had obviously done something very bad and God created Eve to punish Adam and keep Adam and all his descendants punished and terminally confused.