Genesis 2:20

20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam ^[a] no suitable helper was found.

Genesis 2:20 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 2:20

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowls of
the air, and to every beast of the field
As they came before him, and passed by him, paying as it were their homage to him, their lord and owner: but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him;
and perhaps this might be one reason of their being brought unto him, that he might become sensible that there was none among all the creatures of his nature, and that was fit to be a companion of his; and to him must this be referred, and not to God; not as if God looked out an help meet for him among the creatures, and could find none; but, as Aben Ezra observes, man could not find one for himself; and this made it the more grateful and acceptable to him, when God had formed the woman of him, and presented her before him.

Genesis 2:20 In-Context

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

19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh.

22 And from the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or the man, as in verses 19 and 21