The Meaning of Genesis 2:22 Explained

Genesis 2:22

KJV: And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

YLT: And Jehovah God buildeth up the rib which He hath taken out of the man into a woman, and bringeth her in unto the man;

Darby: And Jehovah Elohim built the rib that he had taken from Man into a woman; and brought her to Man.

ASV: and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the rib,  which the LORD  God  had taken  from man,  made  he a woman,  and brought  her unto the man. 

What does Genesis 2:22 Mean?

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 2:22 mean?

And made Yahweh God - the rib which He had taken from the man into a woman and He brought her to the man
וַיִּבֶן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ אֶֽת־ הַצֵּלָ֛ע אֲשֶׁר־ לָקַ֥ח מִן־ הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ אֶל־ הָֽאָדָֽם

וַיִּבֶן֩  And  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
יְהוָ֨ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַצֵּלָ֛ע  the  rib 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צֵלָע  
Sense: side, rib, beam.
לָקַ֥ח  He  had  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הָֽאָדָ֖ם  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לְאִשָּׁ֑ה  into  a  woman 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ  and  He  brought  her 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הָֽאָדָֽם  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.