Genesis 2:18 is the first time we read in scripture that something was not good. Literally the word means incomplete, thus God is saying that before the creation of Eve man was incomplete. Two reasons are listed here by God to describe how Adam was incomplete and why Eve was to make him complete.
•“It is not good that man should be alone”: Adam needed companionship, he was created to be social with God and Adam needed to have someone to share his life with.
•“Helper comparable to him”: She was not only to share his life with, he was to share his work with her as well. The word “helper” means to support or assist and the word “comparable” means a counterpart that complements. She was to assist Adam complementing or completing him.
In verses 19-20 God reveals this truth to Adam. Two things that in naming these animals Adam would have discovered about himself:
•He would have realized that all of these other creations had a mate that complemented them.
• In Hebrew the word “name”: implies examination to discover its character or nature. In seeing what these animals were to each other he would discover what a gift Eve would be to him. She was not just to be his beast of burden like the cattle were. Neither was she to be his pet to occupy his time when he was bored. She was not just to be a baby factory either. Adam had mastery over the animals but none of them complimented him.
In verses 21-23 God caused Adam to be at rest; I like that as most of the time our spouses cause us to be at ease. The word “rib” is actually “side” and according to Adams’ proclamation in verse 23 included bone and flesh.
•The side protects our most delicate and vital organs. And women are very protective in nature.
•The side also protects the heart, which we often link to the center of our emotions. And women are much more in tune with their emotions.
•The side of man that she might be his equal. “Not from his feet that she would be his servant, nor from his head that she would be his master, but from his heart that she would be dear to him!”