Genesis says a wife to man is his suitable helper. But what does this mean?

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

A helper seems like, at least in English, a person supporting someone greater. There’s a primary and the helper is the secondary. When thought of this way, the assumed primary then becomes the one in charge and the secondary, the helper, second and subservient to them.

This is not the way the Hebrew understands this word.

The word in Hebrew is azar (עֵזֶר). It means the strength of someone. And here’s the most telling truth:

GOD says he is the azar of Israel and the helper of his people.

So if this means secondary, is God saying He is second? By no means! If anything, it is saying that Israel or the king or individuals are weak and need someone stronger than themselves.

Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
Ps 33:20

You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
Ps 115:11

My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
Ps 121:2

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 124:8

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
Ps 146:5

This isn’t all the places, but you get the picture. God is azar, the help. And he made woman the azar for husbands/men. In no way does it mean second place or secondary. If that is the case, then God is second to mankind as he is their helper. And we know that is not the case.

So let’s this affect your theology. And influence your life, your marriage and place in the world.