We'll call them Ezer I (אצר) and Ezer II (עזר). It is important that we understand it correctly and live up to our full potential. 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. Complementary to man. Clearly God is not our subordinate. I don’t want to be a “helper” or “helpmeet”, that sounds so lame. I discovered the Hebrew word “ezer” and it made all the difference in my world. The Daily Memo | January 15, 2021 | What Does Incite Really Mean? Ezer has two meanings in Hebrew, depending on the pronunciation: to rescue/to save and to be strong. The first word in the phrase, עזר (ezer, Strong's #5828), is simple and means "helper." Nandu Kumar. You are a strong warrior, complementary to man. Twice to describe woman and 16 times to describe God. 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). Woman is called ezer. Without the woman, the man was only half the story. That's the meaning of ezer. I used to cringe whenever I heard this Bible verse, I went straight into defensive mode. The way I see it is that man and woman are like two hands. The word ‘ezer means “helper” and is never used in the Old Testament to refer to an inferior or to a subordinate. The Ezer is a warrior. © 2017 by the Theology of Work Project, Inc. She was not an afterthought or an optional adjunct to an independent, self-sufficient man. Men need us, women! But that is far from the meaning of the Hebrew word used to describe the first woman. Does this mean you can only be whole with a man? These files are considered public domain. I believe this Scripture is misinterpreted by a lot of people, especially women. Women were created to be a helper suitable for the male species. In no other occurrence in the Old Testament does this refer to an inferior, but always to a superior or an equal...'help' expresses that the woman is a help/strength who rescues or saves man.". Contributors: Alice Matthews Like I was made to be an assistant or servant of man. One hand might be a little stronger and is your preferred hand, but you can perfectly use each hand on its own. “It is not good for the man to be alone. Complementary is not what you become, you were born complementary to man. You can get more done with less effort when using both hands together. In the book of Genesis, our purpose and true identity as a woman is revealed. 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. God created the woman as an ezer. Image by Now every daughter of Eve wants to "control her surroundings, her relationships, her … 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. This word is even used of God, sometimes, noting that He is our Helper (Psalm 115:9-11). Three times it refers to powerful nations Israel called on for help when besieged. There are two completely different names in the Bible that both transliterate into English as Ezer. 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. Your left and right hand are the exact opposite of each other, but the one hand is not more important than the other one. 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. The word translated “helper” is the Hebrew term ‘ezer. He is the one who comes alongside us in our helplessness. With your gift of any size, you’ll enable us to continue equipping Christians with high-quality biblically-based content. This is incorrect. 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 is a word used 21 times collectively in scripture. Complementary is what you are, not what you are doing. 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. “According to biblical scholar David Freedman, the Hebrew word translated thee into English as “help” is ezer. In the Old Testament, the word Ezer is used 21 times. Women throughout Israel's history show what it really means to be an ezer knegdo, a helper equal to a man. We discovered that these words spoken by God about the creation of the woman are filled with royal language, … The word Ezer Kenegdo might be old but the purpose of our existence as women is the same. In Hebrew, the word used to describe woman is Ezer kenegdo. In the Old Testament, God uses the word ezer when he creates the first woman. 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. The Hebrew is אזר 'ezer (Strong's 5828), as in 'eben-ezer, 'stone of help' or Ezra 'help'. The second word, כנגדו (kenegedo) is a little more complex. But that is far from the meaning of the Hebrew word used to describe the first woman. The word ezer occurs twenty-one times in the Old Testament. This is only going to work when your one hand is the kenegdo to your other hand. I have one too. In the sixteen remaining cases the word refers to God as our help. Many opinions of working women have been shaped by the word in Genesis 2:18, "helper." You are a warrior. But to understand woman we must understand help. ~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 It is a masculine noun, though used here of a woman, Phoebe in the New Testament was described as a male deacon. And if married, this ezer is in a unique position to meet her husband’s insufficiencies with her own strengths. 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. 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. This word means a rescuer, someone who comes running when the people cry out for help. 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." 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. God actually calls woman “EZER” “a HELP” the very same word that has been used to describe Himself. Both Ruth and the Proverbs 31 woman are called women of valor (hayil). The woman was not created to serve the man, but to serve with the man. The Hebrew word “kenegdo” means suitable, appropriate, and meet. 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. © Copyright Embracing Brokenness Ministries, The Daily Memo | November 6, 2020 | A Witchdoctor Known as the "River Priest". I think you will be complete with the right man, and without one, you are still God’s beloved daughter. 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. God said in Genesis 2:18 that without her, the man's condition was "not good." The Greek translation ofezer in the … Eve was the solution to Adam’s deficiency. In two cases it refers to the first woman, Eve, in Genesis 2. 3 So strong is the word ezer that Jewish parents chose it when naming their sons. Every resource on our site was made possible through the financial support of people like you. Together they reflect the image of God as strengths and weaknesses complement each other. 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. 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? ... Strong's Number H5828 matches the Hebrew עֵזֶר (`ezer), ... Women's Resources. 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." God created the woman as an ezer. 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. The Hebrew word Kenegdo means opposite as to him or corresponding as to him. Do you ever wonder what your purpose is as a woman? It’s a difficult word to translate into English or any other language. The Hebrew expression ezer kenegdo appears, meaning "one who is the same as the other and who surrounds, protects, aids, helps, supports." 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. The word ezer occurs twenty-one times in the Old Testament. In the Hebrew text the word is “ezer” which is traditionally translated in English as “helper”. 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. Go back to that moment and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you can do to strengthen yourself in situations like that. A woman is no better or less than the man. You have bones, muscles, veins, skin, nails. 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. Pray the answer over your life, so you become more deeply grounded in Christ. Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Two Hebrew terms in this verse provide important information to better understand the creation of Eve as the first woman. 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. Together your hands can do more. But this word, translated as helper, is not about making brunch and darning a man’s socks. The word used in the Bible for "helper" is the Hebrew word "ezer." The Hebrew lexicon is Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon; this is keyed to the "Theological Word Book of the Old Testament." Have you ever asked yourself the question, how did I get here? How to say Ezer in English? Your left hand and right hand are the same but also different. And you have fingers and a thumb on each hand. Remember, you are a warrior princess of the Most-High King. 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. I love the word complementary. This is YHVH's word, not Adam's. Support for the ezer -warrior comes from other Bible passages that use military language for women. She roots and grounds herself in love and strengthens herself by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16-19). Because God is not subordinate to his creatures, any idea that an ezer-helper is inferior is untenable. 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? In Hebrew, the word used to describe woman is Ezer kenegdo. Don Stewart FAQs. The word ezer is indeed a helper. You are made for so much more. 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. They are even stronger than your preferred hand. 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. An ezer drops everything to save those in need… / Pronunciation of Ezer with 2 audio pronunciations, 2 meanings, 15 translations, 10 sentences and more for Ezer. All rights reserved. God intended you to be an Ezer Kenegdo right from the beginning. However, this word is often used in a military sense for being an ally in the field of battle. In two cases it refers to the first woman, Eve, in Genesis 2. 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… Man and woman are equally and uniquely created – a perfect fit. 4 Ezer is an explicit way that God’s daughters are called to image God. 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