Genesis 2:23 kjv

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Genesis 2:23 nkjv

And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

Genesis 2:23 niv

The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."

Genesis 2:23 esv

Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

Genesis 2:23 nlt

"At last!" the man exclaimed. "This one is bone from my bone,
and flesh from my flesh!
She will be called 'woman,'
because she was taken from 'man.'"

Genesis 2 verses

Genesis 2 23 Meaning

Genesis 2:23 records Adam's jubilant exclamation upon seeing Eve, the first woman. It signifies his recognition of a perfect, suitable companion who is "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh," indicating a profound consubstantiality and shared essence. His declaration, "She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man," establishes her unique origin and relationship to him, setting the divine blueprint for human relationship and the institution of marriage as a union of two of the same kind. It is an acknowledgment of God's provision and wisdom in creating the perfect helper, directly from man himself.

Genesis 2 23 Context

Genesis 2:23 follows directly from God's decision that "it is not good for the man to be alone" (Gen 2:18) and His subsequent creation of Eve. Prior to this, Adam had been tasked with naming all the animals (Gen 2:19-20a), but "for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him" (Gen 2:20b). This context emphasizes that Eve's creation was a deliberate divine act to fulfill a unique and essential need in Adam, distinct from all other created beings. Adam's utterance in verse 23 marks the climax of this part of the creation narrative, showing his joyous realization of a true counterpart. The very next verse (Gen 2:24) then presents the foundational principle of marriage stemming directly from this profound union, underscoring its divinely ordained nature from the very beginning of human history.

Genesis 2 23 Word analysis

• Then the man said: This marks Adam's first recorded words in the Bible, signifying his active participation and cognitive recognition. It implies awareness, understanding, and expressive capacity.
• "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh":
  • "This at last" (zôth happa‘am, זאת הפעם): The phrase implies a sigh of relief, a long-awaited discovery, and joyful recognition. Adam has just surveyed and named all other living creatures, and finally, he finds his true companion, an anticipation fulfilled. It suggests an instant, profound understanding of her unique relationship to him.
  • "bone of my bones" (‘etsem me‘atsâmây, עצם מעצמיי): "Bone" refers to the core structure, the very substance of a being. It denotes identity, kinship, strength, and life. To be "bone of my bones" signifies shared origin, intrinsic connection, and identical essence. It’s a declaration of deep affinity, indicating Eve is of the same kind, the same material, the same species.
  • "and flesh of my flesh" (ûbâśâr mibbĕśârî, ובשר מבשרי): "Flesh" refers to the soft tissue, the visible, tangible part of the body, indicating living substance and vitality. To be "flesh of my flesh" further emphasizes their shared living essence and common nature. Together, "bone and flesh" signify consubstantiality and an indissoluble, intimate union. This idiom also carries the connotation of closest family kinship and covenant loyalty in the ancient Near East, as seen in instances like kinship declarations (e.g., Judg 9:2; 2 Sam 5:1).
• "She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
  • "She shall be called Woman" (lĕzō’t yiqqârê’ ’iššâh, לזאת יקרא אשה): The act of naming by Adam indicates his authority (as seen with the animals) but also his profound insight into Eve’s nature and origin. The passive construction "shall be called" suggests this naming is appropriate and natural, echoing a divine truth rather than merely human invention.
  • "Woman" (’iššâh, אשה): This Hebrew term for woman, ishshah, is intimately related to ’îsh (איש), the Hebrew term for man. The slight difference in vocalization, but close orthography, clearly denotes a derivation and an inseparable connection. This wordplay highlights Eve’s identity as derived from, and therefore perfectly complementary to, Adam.
  • "because she was taken out of Man" (kî mê’îsh luqqāḥâ zō’t, כי מאיש לוקחה זאת): "Taken" (lāqaḥ, לקח) signifies a deliberate extraction or selection. This underscores the unique and special creation of Eve, not from dust like Adam, nor spoken into existence like the cosmos, but intricately formed from Adam’s own body. It emphasizes that she is a partner, not a subordinate in essence, but intimately related in origin. This divine surgical act resulted in an equal, suitable, and necessary companion.

Genesis 2 23 Bonus section

• The creation of Eve from Adam's rib symbolizes both her dependence upon him (as taken from him) and her equality with him (not from his head to rule him, nor from his foot to be trampled, but from his side, symbolizing partnership and protection).
• Adam's recognition and naming of Eve parallels God's act of creation and Adam's prior act of naming animals. This indicates Adam's elevated role in creation and his unique connection with his helper, granted through divine grace.
• The phrase "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" sets the standard for marital intimacy—a spiritual, emotional, and physical bond that goes beyond mere companionship, representing the closest possible human union.
• This passage implicitly refutes ancient polytheistic creation accounts that depicted deities engaging in violence or competition to bring forth life. Here, creation is a harmonious, purposeful, and loving act, leading to a joyful recognition of kinship.

Genesis 2 23 Commentary

Genesis 2:23 encapsulates the very essence of marital union and the complementary nature of humanity. Adam's enthusiastic declaration is not merely an emotional outburst but a profound theological statement affirming the uniqueness of Eve among all creation. The repeated phrase "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" vividly conveys their shared humanity, establishing that woman is not foreign or inferior to man, but rather of the same intrinsic substance. This makes her the perfectly "fit helper" that God designed, contrasting sharply with ancient myths that often portrayed women as incidental or malevolent creations. The naming of ishshah (woman) from ish (man) provides a divinely embedded linguistic confirmation of their common origin and relational design. This verse lays the bedrock for marriage as a lifelong, exclusive, and complementary partnership, forming the foundational biblical truth for all subsequent teaching on the relationship between men and women within creation and, subsequently, within the covenant community. It emphasizes God's purposeful creation for relational intimacy and mutual flourishing, reflecting something of His own triune nature in humanity's relationality.