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;
Ver. 21. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep.] It may be thought that Adam, observing that among all the creatures there was no meet match found for him, prayed in this deep sleep, or ecstasy, that such a help might be given unto him. This is Peter Martyr's note upon the text. Isaac went forth to pray, Genesis 24:63 , marg. when he had sent forth for a wife; and it was but reason. "For a prudent wife is from the Lord". Pro 19:14 And he that "findeth a wife, findeth a good thing," Pro 18:22 saith the wise man. A wife, that is, a good wife; for every married woman is not a wife, unless she be a help to her husband, in the best things especially. The heathen well saith, that every man when he marrieth, brings either a good or an evil spirit into his house, and so makes it either a heaven or a hell. a And it is a device of the Rabbins, but the moral is good, that in the names of Ish and Ishah is included Jah, the name of God; and that, if you take out Jod and He, whereof that name consists, there remains nothing but Esch, Esch, fire, fire; the fire of dissension and brawl, which burneth and consumeth to the fire of hell. It is not evil therefore to marry, but it is good to be wary to "marry in the Lord," as the apostle hath it. He that marrieth in the Lord, marrieth also with the Lord; and he cannot be absent from his own marriage. A good wife was one of the first real and royal gifts bestowed upon Adam; and God consults not with him to make him happy. As he was ignorant while himself was made, so shall he not know while a second self is made out of him; both that the comfort might be greater than was expected, as also that he might not upbraid his wife with any great dependence or obligation; he neither willing the work nor suffering any pain to have it done. b The rib can challenge no more of her than the earth can of him.
And he took one of his ribs.] The woman was made of a bone, saith a reverend writer, c and but one bone, ne esset ossea lest she should be stiff and stubborn. The species of the bone is expressed to be a rib, a bone that might be best spared, because there are many of them: a bone of the side, not of the head; the wife must not usurp authority over her husband: nor yet of the foot; she is not a slave, but a fellow-helper. A bone, not of any anterior part; she is not praelata, preferred before the man: neither yet of any hinder part; she is not post-posita, set behind the man: but a bone of the side, of the middle and indifferent part, to show that she is a companion, and "the wife of thy covenant". Mal 2:14 A bone she is from under the arm, to put man in mind of protection and defence to the woman. A bone not far from his heart, to put him in mind of dilection and love to the woman. A bone from the left side, as many think likely, d where the heart is, to teach that hearty love ought to be betwixt married couples.
Uxorem vir amato,
marito pareat uxor:
Conjugis illa suae cor,
caput ille suae.
A man will love his wife,
the wife should be obedient to her husband
The husband is that heart of her,
That husband is the head of her.
a A bad wife is but the image of a wife; or, as Lamech's wife's name was a shadow of a wife, Tsilla, umbra ipius. - Gatak .
b See Yates's Model .
c B. King's Vitis Palatina.
d A yoke-fellow standing upon even ground with thee, though drawing on the left side. - Gatak.