Eve
Life; living, the name given by Adam to his wife (Gen. 3:20;
4:1). The account of her creation is given in Gen. 2:21, 22. The
Creator, by declaring that it was not good for man to be alone,
and by creating for him a suitable companion, gave sanction to
monogamy. The commentator Matthew Henry says: “This companion
was taken from his side to signify that she was to be dear unto
him as his own flesh. Not from his head, lest she should rule
over him; nor from his feet, lest he should tyrannize over her;
but from his side, to denote that species of equality which is
to subsist in the marriage state.” And again, “That wife that is
of God’s making by special grace, and of God’s bringing by
special providence, is likely to prove a helpmeet to her
husband.” Through the subtle temptation of the serpent she
violated the commandment of God by taking of the forbidden
fruit, which she gave also unto her husband (1 Tim. 2:13-15; 2 Cor. 11:3). When she gave birth to her first son, she said, “I
have gotten a man from the Lord” (R.V., “I have gotten a man
with the help of the Lord,” Gen. 4:1). Thus she welcomed Cain,
as some think, as if he had been the Promised One the “Seed of
the woman.”