Question from a WordTruth.Com friend:

>> hello, my question is, was Adam and Eve the first man and woman created, formed, or made? If that is so then why is it that in Genesis chapter 1 verse 27, "So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." But, In chapter 2 of the book of genesis verse7, "And the Lord God  formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Also, same chapter verse 18, the Lord created man a help meet for him. which in verse18, It talks about animals that's what i think he's (God) mean by help meet. But in verse 20, The Lord, Says that he needs a help meet for Adam (I'm assuming that he's the first man) But, then God pulled a rib and made woman. Which is known to be Eve. So, If this is so, Then who is the woman that was created in chapter one?

WordTruth.Com Response:

Thank you for your question. There have been many people confused by the creation account in chapters one and two of Genesis. First off, understand that chapter one is a summary of the creation week by God. Chapter two then provides more details concerning certain parts of that creation week. This is very typical of the Semitic writings of that time. Unfortunately, it sometimes confuses the modern reader into thinking there are two different creation accounts -- there is only one.

Second, Gen. 1:27 indicates that God created the first man and the first woman. While His work of creation was from nothingness, He formed the first man from the dust of the ground. Yet God Himself breathed life into Adam (Gen. 2:7). Genesis 2:7 merely provides some of the details of how God created Adam as referenced in Genesis 1:27. So you could say correctly that God created  AND He formed the first man. He also created and formed the woman from the rib of Adam (the word translated "rib" could also mean simply Adam's "side") instead of from dust. There is significance in this, not so much in the elements He used, but that the man and woman are identified with one another in their humanity.

In verse 28-30, God gives them His charge as the first family to have offspring and to be stewards of His creation. After making all things that God described as "good", He made the first man and woman, blessed them, and said all that He had made was now "very good" (v31).

Now in Gen. 2:18, God observed that a man alone was not good. Obviously this is prior to the completion of the creation week in Gen.1:31 where God said it was "all" very good. God determined to make a female who would complement the man, Adam. Animals are not mentioned until verses 19-20. God brought all the animals to Adam to help Adam himself understand that while each of the different types of animals had a helper (or helpmeet), Adam had no human like himself. It was at this point that God made Eve from Adam's rib. So we see that woman is a complement to the man so that one does not have to go through life alone. This was in God's perfect world that He made in the beginning.

We see the woman referenced through chapters 1 through 3 and not until Gen. 3:20 that Adam named her "Eve."

I hope this is helpful to your understanding of this critical passage of the Bible.  All the essential doctrines of the Bible are rooted in a proper understanding of God as the Creator of a perfect world, the human choice to sin, God's judgment of sin (separation), and even a glimpse into God's provision for sin, our Savior Jesus Christ (Gen. 3:15 mentions the "seed of the woman" who will "crush the head of the serpent" indicating His triumph over the work of Satan).

May God bless you with wisdom for salvation through Jesus Christ, grace to handle every moment, and the fulness of His Spirit to guide you daily!

  Randy Lariscy :-)
  Director - WordTruth.Com Ministry

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Copyright 5/17/2000, Randy Lariscy.