The Meaning of Genesis 2:23 Explained

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.

YLT: and the man saith, 'This is the proper step! bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!' for this it is called Woman, for from a man hath this been taken;

Darby: And Man said, This time it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: this shall be called Woman, because this was taken out of a man.

ASV: And the man 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 2:23 Mean?

Study Notes

Eve
Eve, type of the Church as bride of Christ John 3:28 ; John 3:29 ; 2 Corinthians 11:2 ; Ephesians 5:25-32 ; Revelation 19:7 ; Revelation 19:8
Woman "Isha," "because she was taken out of man" (Ish) Hosea 2:16

Verse Meaning

The word "woman" (Heb. ishah) sounds similar to the Hebrew word translated "man" (ish). This similarity reflects the close union between the two. Moses named Adam by his relation to the ground, but Adam named himself in relation to his wife. [1]
"Name-giving in the ancient Orient was primarily an exercise of sovereignty, of command." [2]
" Genesis 2is unique among the creation myths of the whole of the Ancient Near East in its appreciation of the meaning of woman, i.e, that human existence is a partnership of man and woman." [2]5
"Though they are equal in nature, that man names woman (cf. Genesis 3:20) indicates that she is expected to be subordinate to him, an important presupposition of the ensuing narrative ( Genesis 3:17)." [1]
When Adam discovered that God had provided him with a partner like himself, not like one of the other animals, he rejoiced greatly. He received his mate as God"s good gift to him because he trusted in God"s Wisdom of Solomon , goodness, and integrity. Adam was now beside himself! (Pardon the pun.)
Likewise it is essential for every husband and wife to thankfully receive the mate God has given us as His best provision for us. To do so we must know and trust God"s goodness. Our mate"s differences are good things God brings to us that He will use as tools to shape us into the people He wants us to be. Failure to accept one"s mate as a good gift from a loving God leads to many problems in marriage and frustrates God"s purpose and plan for marriage. It expresses rejection of God and His provision for one"s life. It also demonstrates unbelief, disobedience, and displeasure with God"s character. Your mate needs your unconditional acceptance.

Context Summary

Genesis 2:18-25 - Man And Woman, Temptation
Human love is God's best gift to man. Without it even Eden would not be Paradise. That Adam was able to name the animals, affixing a title suggested by some peculiarity or characteristic, indicated his royal supremacy, and, in so far as we live in God, that supremacy is restored. See Daniel 6:22; Mark 1:13. But what is power without love, or a throne without a consort? Eve was, therefore, given to crown his bliss; taken from his side, as afterward the Church from the opened side of Christ. See John 19:34, and Ephesians 5:25. Still God brings Eve to Adam; and such a marriage is truly blessed.
The order of temptation is always the same. The Tempter without, and within the strong desire for sensual gratification, with the secret hope that somehow the consequences may be avoided. The eye inflames passion; passion masters the resistance of the will; the body obeys its impulse; the act of gratification is followed immediately by remorse and guilt. Then we need the second Adam! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 2

1  The first Sabbath
4  Further details concerning the manner of creation
8  The planting of the garden of Eden, and its situation;
15  man is placed in it; and the tree of knowledge forbidden
18  The animals are named by Adam
21  The making of woman, and the institution of marriage

What do the individual words in Genesis 2:23 mean?

And said Adam this [is] now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh this [one] shall be called Woman because out of Man was taken this [one]
וַיֹּאמֶר֮ הָֽאָדָם֒ זֹ֣את הַפַּ֗עַם עֶ֚צֶם מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י וּבָשָׂ֖ר מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י לְזֹאת֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י מֵאִ֖ישׁ לֻֽקֳחָה־ זֹּֽאת

וַיֹּאמֶר֮  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָֽאָדָם֒  Adam 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
זֹ֣את  this  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
הַפַּ֗עַם  now 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
עֶ֚צֶם  bone 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י  of  my  bones 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
וּבָשָׂ֖ר  and  flesh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י  of  my  flesh 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
לְזֹאת֙  this  [one] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
יִקָּרֵ֣א  shall  be  called 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אִשָּׁ֔ה  Woman 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
כִּ֥י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מֵאִ֖ישׁ  out  of  Man 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לֻֽקֳחָה־  was  taken 
Parse: Verb, QalPass, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
זֹּֽאת  this  [one] 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.