Devine Scripture

Genesis 2:23

What does Genesis 2:23 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 2:23 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 2:23 means

Upon seeing the woman, Adam immediately recognized their profound connection, exclaiming, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." This poetic declaration expresses their shared substance and essential unity. His naming her "Woman" (Ishshah in Hebrew), because she was "taken out of Man" (Ish), affirms her origin from him and their complementary identities. This recognition reveals Adam's intuitive understanding of her as his divinely intended partner, distinct from all other creation, and perfectly suited to him.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the man said, This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh: let her name be Woman because she was taken out of Man.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the man saith, `This <FI>is<Fi> the <FI>proper<Fi> step! bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!' for this it is called Woman, for from a man hath this been taken;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

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.

Context

Following God's creation of woman from Adam's rib and her presentation to him (verse 22), this verse records Adam's ecstatic and poetic response. His immediate recognition and naming of her establishes a profound bond and sets the stage for the theological principle of marriage, which will be articulated in the subsequent verse. This moment is the emotional and intellectual climax of the creation of humanity as a unified pair.

v.22and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

v.23This passage

v.24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 2 Samuel 19:13

    And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

  • Genesis 29:14

    And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

  • Judges 9:2

    Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are threescore and ten persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

  • 2 Samuel 5:1

    Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

  • Ephesians 5:28

    Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself:

  • 1 Corinthians 11:8

    For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man:

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