Genesis 2:21
“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;”
KJV
Read in Genesis 2Meaning
The woman originates through God's action from the man's own embodied humanity, setting up the recognition of deep kinship in verse 23.
Read carefully
The anatomy of the scene should not bear more weight than the narrative gives it. The Hebrew word can mean side, and the theological emphasis is shared humanity and divine provision, not speculative physiology.
Reflection
The man's passivity prevents him from presenting the woman as his own achievement. The relationship begins as something received from God.