And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
What does Genesis 2:18 mean?
Power over the creatures was given to man, and as a proof of this he named them all. It also shows his insight into the works of God.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Genesis 2:18-20 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Genesis 2:18
- XIII. The Naming of the Animals Here man's intellectual faculties proceed from the passive and receptive to the active and communicative stage. This advance is made in the review and designation of the various species of animals that frequent the land and skies. A new and final need of man is stated in Genesis 2:18 . The Creator himself, in whose image he was made, had revealed himself to him in language. This, among many other effects, awakened the social affection. This affection was the index of social capacity. The first step towards communication between kindred spirits was accomplished when Adam heard and understood spoken language.
Key words
- said
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And the Lord God said,.
Context in Genesis 2
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Genesis 2 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as primeval history from creation to Babel. Genesis opens the whole Bible with creation, fall, flood, Babel, and the long patriarchal story that carries the reader from Eden to Egypt. Read this chapter with the wider themes of creation, fall, and covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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A collection of passages on hope under pressure, future inheritance, resurrection expectation, and confidence in God’s final faithfulness.