THE FIRST WOMAN Next, God created the woman. And what a special creation she was! %u201CThe LORD God said, %u2018It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.%u2019 %u2026So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man%u2019s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, %u2018This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called %u2018woman,%u2019 for she was taken out of man.%u2019 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.%u201D(Genesis 2:18,21-25 NIV) Thus, God performs the first operation, fashioning from Adam%u2019s side a beautiful and lovely wife and then personally presenting her to Adam. How Adam rejoiced in the close and loving companion and %u201Chelper%u201D God had provided for him! The late Biblical scholar Matthew Henry wrote, %u201CThe woman was made%u2026out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.%u201D120 Like the man, the woman was made in the image and likeness of God%u2014created to reflect the LORD%u2019s character and
