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Amplified Bible

Genesis 2:18

Now the LORD God said, "It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adam;   God;   Wife;   Women;   Scofield Reference Index - Deity;   Eight Covenants;   Thompson Chain Reference - Association-Separation;   Associations;   Co-Operation;   Companionship;   Unity-Strife;   Wives;   Women;   The Topic Concordance - Creation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Man;   Marriage;   Woman;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Eve;   Marriage;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Adam;   Eve;   Fornication;   Marriage;   Women;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Abortion;   Adam;   Eve;   Fulfillment;   God;   Head, Headship;   Marriage;   Sexuality, Human;   Teach, Teacher;   Woman;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Covenant;   Law;   Marriage;   Sabbath;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Help-Meet;   Marriage;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Creation;   Ethics;   Fall;   Genesis;   Gift, Giving;   Helpmeet;   Image of God;   Marriage;   Sex, Biblical Teaching on;   Tree of Life;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Adam;   Eden, Garden of;   Ethics;   Generation;   Hexateuch;   Man;   Marriage;   Woman;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Marriage;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Adam;   Eve;   Marriage;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Garden of Eden;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Anthropology;   Eve, in the Old Testament;   Good;   Help;   Marriage;   Polygamy;   Woman;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Adam;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Aquila (Βλώμβσ);   Köcher, Hermann Friedrich;   Marriage;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for July 12;   Today's Word from Skip Moen - Devotion for June 24;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
King James Version
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Lexham English Bible
Then Yahweh God said, "it is not good that the man is alone. I will make for him a helper as his counterpart."
New Century Version
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him."
New English Translation
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who corresponds to him."
New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Also the Lorde God saide, It is not good that the man should be himself alone: I wil make him an helpe meete for him.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
Contemporary English Version
The Lord God said, "It isn't good for the man to live alone. I need to make a suitable partner for him."
Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai , God, said, "It isn't good that the person should be alone. I will make for him a companion suitable for helping him."
Darby Translation
And Jehovah Elohim said, It is not good that Man should be alone; I will make him a helpmate, his like.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the Lord God said, "I see that it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make the companion he needs, one just right for him."
English Standard Version
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."
George Lamsa Translation
Then the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper who is like him.
Good News Translation
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to live alone. I will make a suitable companion to help him."
Christian Standard Bible®
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”
Literal Translation
And Jehovah God said, It is not good, the man being alone. I will make a helper suited to him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the LORDE God sayde: It is not good yt ma shulde be alone. I wil make him an helpe, to beare him copany.
American Standard Version
And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.
Bible in Basic English
And the Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be by himself: I will make one like himself as a help to him
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lord God sayde: It is not good yt the man should be alone, I wyll make hym an helpe lyke vnto hym.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD God said: 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.'
King James Version (1611)
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him an helpe meet for him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone, let us make for him a help suitable to him.
English Revised Version
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD God also said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord God seide, It is not good that a man be aloone, make we to hym an help lijk to hym silf.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah God saith, `Not good for the man to be alone, I do make to him an helper -- as his counterpart.'
Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone: I will make him a help meet for him.
World English Bible
Yahweh God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
New King James Version
And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."
New Living Translation
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him."
New Life Bible
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper that is right for him."
New Revised Standard
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh God said, It is, not good, that the man should remain alone, - I will make for him a helper as his counterpart.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone: let us make him a help like unto himself.
Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."
Update Bible Version
And Yahweh God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a matching helper for him.
THE MESSAGE
God said, "It's not good for the Man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion." So God formed from the dirt of the ground all the animals of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the Man to see what he would name them. Whatever the Man called each living creature, that was its name. The Man named the cattle, named the birds of the air, named the wild animals; but he didn't find a suitable companion.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

Contextual Overview

18Now the LORD God said, "It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him."19So the LORD God formed out of the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20And the man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper [that was] suitable (a companion) for him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

good: Genesis 1:31, Genesis 3:12, Ruth 3:1, Proverbs 18:22, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, 1 Corinthians 7:36

I will: Genesis 3:12, 1 Corinthians 11:7-12, 1 Timothy 2:11-13, 1 Peter 3:7

meet for him: Heb. as before him

Reciprocal: Genesis 2:20 - but Genesis 4:19 - two wives Psalms 115:12 - the house of Israel Ecclesiastes 4:8 - one Malachi 2:14 - thy companion Matthew 19:10 - General John 2:1 - a marriage 1 Corinthians 11:9 - the man 1 Timothy 2:13 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 1:31
God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
Genesis 2:7
then the LORD God formed [that is, created the body of] man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit].
Genesis 2:9
And [in that garden] the LORD God caused to grow from the ground every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the [experiential] knowledge (recognition) of [the difference between] good and evil.
Genesis 2:11
The first [river] is named Pishon; it flows around the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.
Genesis 2:12
The gold of that land is good; bdellium (a fragrant, valuable resin) and the onyx stone are found there.
Genesis 2:13
The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the entire land of Cush [in Mesopotamia].
Genesis 3:12
And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me—she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate it."
Ruth 3:1
Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to Ruth, "My daughter, shall I not look for security and a home for you, so that it may be well with you?
Proverbs 18:22
He who finds a [true and faithful] wife finds a good thing And obtains favor and approval from the LORD.
1 Corinthians 7:36
But if any man thinks that he is not acting properly and honorably toward his virgin daughter, [by not permitting her to marry], if she is past her youth, and it must be so, let him do as he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord God said,.... Not at the same time he gave the above direction and instruction to man, how to behave according to his will, but before that, even at the time of the formation of Adam and which he said either to him, or with himself: it was a purpose or determination in his own mind, and may be rendered, as it is by many, he "had said" b, on the sixth day, on which man was created,

[it is] not good that man should be alone; not pleasant and comfortable to himself, nor agreeable to his nature, being a social creature; nor useful to his species, not being able to propagate it; nor so much for the glory of his Creator:

I will made him an help meet for him; one to help him in all the affairs of life, not only for the propagation of his species, but to provide things useful and comfortable for him; to dress his food, and take care of the affairs of the family; one "like himself" c, in nature, temper, and disposition, in form and shape; or one "as before him" d, that would be pleasing to his sight, and with whom he might delightfully converse, and be in all respects agreeable to him, and entirely answerable to his case and circumstances, his wants and wishes.

b ויאמר "dixerat", Vatablus, Drusius, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. c כנגדו "simile sibi", V. L. Sam. Syr. d "Tanquam coram eo", Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- XIII. The Naming of the Animals

Here man’s intellectual faculties proceed from the passive and receptive to the active and communicative stage. This advance is made in the review and designation of the various species of animals that frequent the land and skies.

A new and final need of man is stated in Genesis 2:18. The Creator himself, in whose image he was made, had revealed himself to him in language. This, among many other effects, awakened the social affection. This affection was the index of social capacity. The first step towards communication between kindred spirits was accomplished when Adam heard and understood spoken language. Beyond all this God knew what was in the man whom he had formed. And he expresses this in the words, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” He is formed to be social, to hold converse, not only with his superior, but also with his equal. As yet he is but a unit, an individual. He needs a mate, with whom he may take sweet counsel. And the benevolent Creator resolves to supply this want. “I will make him a helpmeet for him” - one who may not only reciprocate his feelings, but take an intelligent and appropriate part in his active pursuits.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Genesis 2:18. It is not good that the man should be alone — לבדו lebaddo; only himself. I will make him a help meet for him; עזר כנגדו ezer kenegdo, a help, a counterpart of himself, one formed from him, and a perfect resemblance of his person. If the word be rendered scrupulously literally, it signifies one like, or as himself, standing opposite to or before him. And this implies that the woman was to be a perfect resemblance of the man, possessing neither inferiority nor superiority, but being in all things like and equal to himself. As man was made a social creature, it was not proper that he should be alone; for to be alone, i.e. without a matrimonial companion, was not good. Hence we find that celibacy in general is a thing that is not good, whether it be on the side of the man or of the woman. Men may, in opposition to the declaration of God, call this a state of excellence and a state of perfection; but let them remember that the word of God says the reverse.


 
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