Genesis 2:20

20 And the man {gave names} to every domesticated animal and to the birds of heaven and to all the wild animals. But for [the] man there was not found a helper {as his counterpart}.

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 Then Yahweh God said, "[it is] not good [that] the man is alone. I will make for him a helper {as his counterpart}."

19 And out of the ground Yahweh God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and he brought [each] to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called that living creature [was] its name.

20 And the man {gave names} to every domesticated animal and to the birds of heaven and to all the wild animals. But for [the] man there was not found a helper {as his counterpart}.

21 And Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man. While he slept, he took one of his ribs, and closed up {the flesh where it had been}.

22 And Yahweh God fashioned the rib which he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.

Footnotes

• [a]. "The man" indicates the noun is singular and occurs with the definite article
• [b]. Literally "called names"
• [c]. Or "the sky"
• [d]. Literally "animals of the earth/land"
• [e]. Literally "as his opposite"