And you have fingers and a thumb on each hand. The root word Hebrew word ezer is a combination of two roots: `-z-r, meaning “to rescue, to save,” and g-z-r, meaning “to be strong.” Further examination of the difference between the two is the first letter in Hebrew. Centuries of misinterpretation of woman as “Ezer kenegdo” have resulted in a misunderstanding of woman as a subordinate being; someone less in rank and value; or someone who was subservient. ‘Ezer is a sign of strength and power. © 2017 by the Theology of Work Project, Inc. But that is far from the meaning of the Hebrew word used to describe the first woman. It is a masculine noun, though used here of a woman, Phoebe in the New Testament was described as a male deacon. Two Hebrew terms in this verse provide important information to better understand the creation of Eve as the first woman. This video series covers the full range of the Hebrew concept of ezer-kenegdo, God’s words for the design of the woman.From the Genesis account to the letters of Paul, the Hebraic idea found in these unique words offers new insight into the role of women in marriage, the home, the community and the world. The Hebrew wordezer is used elsewhere in the Old Testament and always refers to a strong, rescuing kind of help. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” – 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NKJV). The word Ezer Kenegdo might be old but the purpose of our existence as women is the same. There is no indication of inferiority or of a secondary position in an hierarchical separation of the male and female "spheres" of responsibility, authority, or social position. Eve was the solution to Adam’s deficiency. Men need us, women! The Daily Memo | January 14, 2021 | Fly the Kite, The Daily Memo | January 13, 2021 | Fallen Kings & Fallen Kingdoms, The Daily Memo | January 12, 2021 | Eat The Frog. Support for the ezer -warrior comes from other Bible passages that use military language for women. We discovered that these words spoken by God about the creation of the woman are filled with royal language, … The Daily Memo | September 30, 2020 | I Call Her Sparkles, The Daily Memo | September 16, 2020 | Denying Ourselves, The Daily Memo | January 18, 2021 | Setting Goals. The Hebrew lexicon is Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon; this is keyed to the "Theological Word Book of the Old Testament." Do you ever wonder what your purpose is as a woman? Contributors: Alice Matthews And so God created woman to be an ezer to man. This word is even used of God, sometimes, noting that He is our Helper (Psalm 115:9-11). You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work. Produced by TOW Project, Theology of Work Project Online Materials, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible That Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership, God Created Woman as an Ezer Kind of Helper (Genesis 2:18), Shiphrah and Puah: Two Ezer Midwives Defy the King (Exodus 1:8-22), Rahab: Diverse Situations Require Ezer Work (Joshua 2), Deborah: An Ezer Woman Equipped to Lead (Judges 4-5), Abigail: An Ezer Ranch Wife Saves Her Household From Disaster (1 Samuel 25), Huldah: A Prophet and Teacher (2 Kings 22), Esther: A Harem Girl Grows Into a Powerful Queen (Esther 4), Lady Wisdom and the "Beginning of Wisdom" (Proverbs 1:20-32; 9:10), Lady Wisdom in Street Clothes (Proverbs 31), Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 NASB A helper suitable– We have investigated a lot about the Hebrew phrase ‘ezer kenegdo. The difference between the two is the first letter in Hebrew. This my dear sisters is a lie. Modern day Ezer Kenegdo. In two cases it refers to the first woman, Eve, in Genesis 2. She roots and grounds herself in love and strengthens herself by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16-19). However, this word is often used in a military sense for being an ally in the field of battle. In Hebrew, the word used to describe woman is Ezer kenegdo. It’s a difficult word to translate into English or any other language. The Hebrew word Kenegdo means opposite as to him or corresponding as to him. The Ezer is a warrior. God created the woman as an ezer. I don’t want to be a “helper” or “helpmeet”, that sounds so lame. This is YHVH's word, not Adam's. In the Old Testament, God uses the word ezer when he creates the first woman. “It is not good for the man to be alone. Together they reflect the image of God as strengths and weaknesses complement each other. But that is far from the meaning of the Hebrew word used to describe the first woman. Your left and right hand are the exact opposite of each other, but the one hand is not more important than the other one. Article I love the word complementary. Without the woman, the man was only half the story. I have one too. Even God knows that! Understanding the ezer-kenegdo. The Ezer is a warrior. Women were created to be a helper suitable for the male species. Now every daughter of Eve wants to "control her surroundings, her relationships, her … The Greek translation ofezer in the … … Complementary is not what you become, you were born complementary to man. ~The definition of the Hebrew word “azer”, the root word behind “ezer” ~A survey of the OT Scriptures to discover how “azer” is used; its full definition and meaning in the Word; what this all reveals to us about God’s design for women and their God-given roles and responsibilities to come alongside men, partnering with them to subdue and take dominion Image by But to understand woman we must understand help. © Copyright Embracing Brokenness Ministries, The Daily Memo | November 6, 2020 | A Witchdoctor Known as the "River Priest". I discovered a bigger meaning, a wider vision to aspire to as a woman. Like I was made to be an assistant or servant of man. Your identity as a woman in this world? Eve is given to Adam as his ezer kenegdo ... "When Eve was [deceived], the artistry of being a woman took a fateful dive into the barren places of control and loneliness." Every resource on our site was made possible through the financial support of people like you. The first word in the phrase, עזר (ezer, Strong's #5828), is simple and means "helper." 18:4), Moses named one of his sons Eliezer, which in Hebrew means “My God is my help.” Ezer is the word the Holy Spirit had Moses use to describe the woman when God created her. The LXX, Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, uses the word βοηθοσ boêthos (Strong's 998) to translate 'ezer. Clearly God is not our subordinate. The word translated “helper” is the Hebrew term ‘ezer. Many opinions of working women have been shaped by the word in Genesis 2:18, "helper." She was not an afterthought or an optional adjunct to an independent, self-sufficient man. Many opinions of women have been shaped by the word in Genesis 2:18, “helper.” Was the woman to be merely a helpful assistant to the man? The Hebrew word ezer is a combination of two roots: `-z-r, meaning “to rescue, to save,” and g-z-r, meaning “to be strong.” R. David Freedman, “Woman, a Power Equal to a Man”, Biblical Archaeology Review 9 (1983): 56-58. One is the quite common name עזר (Ezer) and the other one is אצר, which is usually transliterated as Ezer and sometimes as Ezar in English Bibles. Because God is not subordinate to his creatures, any idea that an ezer-helper is inferior is untenable. Ezer has two meanings in Hebrew, depending on the pronunciation: to rescue/to save and to be strong. The Hebrew word Kenegdo means opposite as to him or corresponding as to him. Complementary is what you are, not what you are doing. Your left hand and right hand are the same but also different. Have you ever asked yourself the question, how did I get here? The word ezer occurs twenty-one times in the Old Testament. That's the meaning of ezer. Three times it refers to powerful nations Israel called on for help when besieged. This word means a rescuer, someone who comes running when the people cry out for help. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org. Meaning of ‘ezer kenegdo’ – A woman was created to be a man’s ‘help meet’ and the Hebrew word is ‘ezer kenegdo’. The word Ezer Kenegdo might be old but the purpose of our existence as women is the same. Adopted by the Theology of Work Project Board February 4, 2017. The Hebrew words used here to describe woman as a helper are ‘ezer kenegdo. Thisezer kenegdô will provide a level of companionship that the animals are incapable of, and will alleviate the human’s unsatisfactory (“not good”) solitude (Gen. 2:18). God said in Genesis 2:18 that without her, the man's condition was "not good." The Hebrew word “kenegdo” means suitable, appropriate, and meet. Complementary to man. But this word, translated as helper, is not about making brunch and darning a man’s socks. We can roughly divide the different Scriptures in three ways the word “Ezer” is used: Exodus 18:4; Deuteronomy 33:7; Deuteronomy 33:26; Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalm 20:2; Psalm 33:20; Psalm 70:5; Psalm 89:19; Psalm 115:9; Psalm 115:10; Psalm 115:11; Psalm 121:1; Psalm 121:2; Psalm 124:8; Psalm 146:5; Hosea 13:9. The Hebrew expression ezer kenegdo appears, meaning "one who is the same as the other and who surrounds, protects, aids, helps, supports." The way I see it is that man and woman are like two hands. In Hebrew, the word used to describe woman is Ezer kenegdo. One hand might be a little stronger and is your preferred hand, but you can perfectly use each hand on its own. As an organization committed to bringing the healing message of Jesus Christ to a hurting world, we covet your prayers. The first occurrence of the Hebrew word neqebah, the general word for female, is found in Genesis 1:27. You are a warrior. In the sixteen remaining cases the word refers to God as our help. In his book Man and Woman: One in Christ, Philip Payne puts it this way: "The noun used here [ezer] throughout the Old Testament does not suggest 'helper' as in 'servant,' but help, savior, rescuer, protector as in 'God is our help.' In our day we use the word “helper” in the sense of a plumber's assistant, handing the boss the right wrench for the job. This is incorrect. What these Bible verses have in common is that Ezer is used consistently in a military context. But what does ezer mean and how was this word used elsewhere in the Old Testament? 3 So strong is the word ezer that Jewish parents chose it when naming their sons. You have bones, muscles, veins, skin, nails. Was the woman to be merely a helpful assistant to the man? While many devout Christians see a woman's function as a subordinate to a man, the word ezer in the original Hebrew overturns that idea. They are even stronger than your preferred hand. Used with Permission. Go back to that moment and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you can do to strengthen yourself in situations like that. You are a warrior princess and there is nothing you can’t do with the power of the King of kings. The second word, כנגדו (kenegedo) is a little more complex. Women throughout Israel's history show what it really means to be an ezer knegdo, a helper equal to a man. Man and woman are equally and uniquely created, a perfect fit. God actually calls woman “EZER” “a HELP” the very same word that has been used to describe Himself. Nandu Kumar. An ezer drops everything to save those in need… I believe this Scripture is misinterpreted by a lot of people, especially women. In the book of Genesis, our purpose and true identity as a woman is revealed. The Hebrew is אזר 'ezer (Strong's 5828), as in 'eben-ezer, 'stone of help' or Ezra 'help'. He is the one who comes alongside us in our helplessness. A woman is no better or less than the man. Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year. God's intention in creating the woman for the man was for the two to be partners in the many tasks involved in stewarding God's creation. This word is a combination of two roots, one meaning “to rescue”, “to save,” and the other meaning “to be strong.” Just as the roots merged into one word, so did their meanings. Woman is called ezer. We'll call them Ezer I (אצר) and Ezer II (עזר). All rights reserved. The word ‘ezer means “helper” and is never used in the Old Testament to refer to an inferior or to a subordinate. The word ezer is indeed a helper. 4 Ezer is an explicit way that God’s daughters are called to image God. So woman was an EZER – a power, strength, help for the man. In the fourth century A.D., the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Arabia, and Persia were peopled by a ... Sign Up for our blog and periodic ministry updates. “Ezer” (pronounced “eh-zer”) is a Hebrew word that means “help!” It is used 21 times in the Hebrew scriptures (the Christian Old Testament). “According to biblical scholar David Freedman, the Hebrew word translated thee into English as “help” is ezer. No, I don’t think so. Word ezer is used 21 times in the Old Testament and it is always and only used in the context of vitally important and powerful acts of rescue and support. The word “help” in this scripture is “EZER” a Hebrew word meaning “help”. ... Strong's Number H5828 matches the Hebrew עֵזֶר (`ezer), ... Women's Resources. Today I'm sharing an encouraging story sent to me by a long-time friend who's part of the ministry ... “Does anybody know what we are living for?” asked Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the rock ... You know that nickname you have for your spouse? There are two completely different names in the Bible that both transliterate into English as Ezer. Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. Pray the answer over your life, so you become more deeply grounded in Christ. I discovered the Hebrew word “ezer” and it made all the difference in my world. To this place in my life where things just don’t add up? Today that letter is silent in Hebrew; but in ancient times, it was a guttural sound formed in the back of the throat. So what does the modern-day Ezer Kenegdo do without a man? With your gift of any size, you’ll enable us to continue equipping Christians with high-quality biblically-based content. Hebrew etymology is trending on Twitter after Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, ended his opening prayer to the 117th Congress with the phrase “amen and a-woman… God intended you to be an Ezer Kenegdo right from the beginning. In fact, the word is used in reference to God as our helper (Psalm 10:14; 30:10; 54:4; 70:5; 72:12; 121:2). Both Ruth and the Proverbs 31 woman are called women of valor (hayil). This is only going to work when your one hand is the kenegdo to your other hand. It is important that we understand it correctly and live up to our full potential. Don Stewart FAQs. You can get more done with less effort when using both hands together. This idea stems back to creation wherein Genesis 2:20 a woman was created to be a help meet for a man or in the Hebrew an ezer kenegedo. Recently R. David Freedman has pointed out that the Hebrew word ezer is a combination of two roots: `-z-r, meaning "to rescue, to save," and g-z-r, meaning "to be strong." Man and woman are equally and uniquely created – a perfect fit. The word ezer occurs twenty-one times in the Old Testament. I will make a helper ezer suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18, 21) I know we’ve always thought the ezer was the “helpmeet” — wife and mother — which leaves a lot of women permanently out of this discussion. Three times it refers to powerful nations Israel called on for help when besieged. In the Old Testament, the word Ezer is used 21 times. Twice to describe woman and 16 times to describe God. Pronunciation of Ezer with 2 audio pronunciations, 2 meanings, 15 translations, 10 sentences and more for Ezer. And if married, this ezer is in a unique position to meet her husband’s insufficiencies with her own strengths. The woman was not created to serve the man, but to serve with the man. You are made for so much more. The word used in the Bible for "helper" is the Hebrew word "ezer." / The Daily Memo | January 15, 2021 | What Does Incite Really Mean? Women are designed to image God as ezers. But, YHVH's chosen word for "woman" in the garden is found in Genesis 2:18 ("I will make him a help-mate" - an 'ezer). How to say Ezer in English? Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. After God delivered Moses from Pharaoh's sword (Ex. The base word is the word נגד (neged, Strong's #5048), which will be discussed shortly, with the prefix כ (k) meaning "like," and the suffix ו (o) meaning "of him" of "his." Ezer has two meanings in Hebrew, depending on the pronunciation: to rescue/to save and to be strong. This word therefore merits some greater attention. This is image-bearer language, for ezer is used most often in the Old Testament to refer to God as Israel’s Ezer when His people are oppressed and suffering at the hands of their enemies. You are a strong warrior, complementary to man. I used to cringe whenever I heard this Bible verse, I went straight into defensive mode. These files are considered public domain. In the Hebrew text the word is “ezer” which is traditionally translated in English as “helper”. And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’ – Genesis 2:18 (NKJV). It’s a difficult word to translate into English or any other language. In Genesis 2:18-20 God speaks and says that he will provide an ezer kenegdô for the solitary human he has created. In the sixteen remaining cases the word refers to God as our help. Does this mean you can only be whole with a man? A woman is no better or less than the man. The Daily Memo | October 22, 2020 | What Is The Meaning Of Life? The woman was to be a help to the man: (1) as a spiritual partner to assist the man in obeying the word of God and being active in spiritual ministry; (2) as man's partner in the divinely assigned process of procreation, in order to assure the continuation of the race (Ge 1:28); (3) as man's friend to offer comfort and fellowship (Ge 2:23, 24); and (4) as man's encouragement and inspiration. Perhaps this is why opposites tend to attract. You are a warrior. It is a word used 21 times collectively in scripture. In two cases it refers to the first woman, Eve, in Genesis 2. Remember, you are a warrior princess of the Most-High King. I think you will be complete with the right man, and without one, you are still God’s beloved daughter. Think of one thing or area in which you have held yourself back -believing that you shouldn’t or couldn’t do it because you are a woman. 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