Gen 2:18–20: 'ezer kenegdo, "a helper corresponding to him"

Says God says לֹא־טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ, "it is not good that the man should be alone," and אֶעֱשֶׂהּ־לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ: אֶעֱשֶׂהּ is a Qal imperfect, first person singular, "I will make" (the LXX has ποιήσωμεν; see var.Gen.2.18.i-will-make). BDB glosses עֵזֶר "help, succour" and "one who helps." Of its 22 occurrences, most name God or his help: Exod 18:4 (בְּעֶזְרִי), Deut 33:29, Ps 33:20, Ps 121:1–2 (עֶזְרִי מֵעִם יְהוָה), Hos 13:9. The noun by itself does not mark a subordinate. כְּנֶגְדּוֹ joins "as, according to" to נֶגְדּ, "what is conspicuous or in front" (BDB); the phrase occurs only here and in 2:20. After the naming, וּלְאָדָם לֹא־מָצָא עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ (BSB "But for Adam no suitable helper was found"). The LXX has βοηθὸν κατ’ αὐτόν and βοηθὸς ὅμοιος αὐτῷ.

Uncertain What the phrase stresses. (1) Correspondence and equality: a counterpart fit for him as no animal is; grounds: the noun used of God, "in front of" him, the animals' failure. (2) A distinct, helping role within that likeness; grounds: the man formed first and the woman made for him, as 1 Cor 11:8–9 and 1 Tim 2:13 argue. No lean is taken here.

Uncertain Whether Gen 2 by itself sets an order of roles between husband and wife (grounds: 1 Cor 11:8–9; 1 Tim 2:13), or presents a partnership in which ordered roles first appear at 3:16 (grounds: the help-language; 2:24). Each view's grounds are the main objection to the other; no lean is taken here, and no application is made.