And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall
upon
Adam, and he slept
This was not a common and natural sleep that Adam fell into,
occasioned by any weariness of the animal spirits, in viewing the
creatures as they passed by him, and in examining them, and
giving them suitable and proper names; but it was supernatural,
and from the Lord, his power and providence, who caused it to
fall upon him: it was not a drowsiness, nor a slumber, but a
sound sleep: his senses were so locked up by it, that he
perceived not anything that was done to him; and it seems to have
been on purpose, that he might feel no pain, while the operation
was made upon him, as well as that it might appear that he had no
hand in the formation of the woman; and that he might be the more
surprised at the sight of her, just awaking out of sleep, to see
so lovely an object, so much like himself, and made out of
himself, and in so short a time as while he was taking a
comfortable nap: and he took one of his ribs;
with the flesh along with it: men have commonly, as anatomists
F11 observe, twelve ribs on a side; it
seems by this, that Adam had thirteen. The Targum of Jonathan is,
``and he took one of his ribs; that is, the thirteenth rib of his right side:''but our English poet F12 takes it to be one of the left side, and also a supernumerary one F13. God made an opening in him, and took it out, without putting him to any pain, and without any sensation of it: in what manner this was done we need not inquire; the power of God was sufficient to perform it; Adam was asleep when it was done, and saw it not, and the manner of the operation is not declared: and closed up the flesh instead thereof: