(Genesis 1:26-31 & 2:18-25) Mankind Made According to The Pattern of Elohim: Seeing The Bride and the Bridegroom in the Creation of Man
- Kimberly Davis
- Jun 12, 2025
- 15 min read
(Genesis 1:26-31 & 2:18-25)
Mankind Made According to The Pattern of Elohim:
Seeing The Bride and the Bridegroom in the Creation of Man
by Kimberly Davis
Written scriptures obtained from www.biblegateway.com
Used by Permission of Public Domain
(World English Bible)
Genesis 1
26 G-d said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 G-d created man in his own image. In G-d’s image He created him; male and female he created them. 28 G-d blessed them. G-d said to them, “Be fruitful,
multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 G-d said, “Behold,I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. 30 To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that
creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;” and it was so.
31 G-d saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
Genesis 2
18 Hashem G-d said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.” 19 Out of the ground Hashem G-d formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature became its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21 Hashem G-d caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. As the man slept, he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Hashem G-d made a woman from the rib which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.
She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.
Introduction:
We have previously learned from the Genesis account, that on day one, G-d separated the light from the darkness. We learned that this separation was not merely the separation of day from night. Rather, we learned that this separation was the division of that which is holy (G-d’s Sh’khinah Glory) from that which was
unholy, and therefore without light. We also learned that on day four of creation, G-d made the stars in the sky, which (given other parts of scriptures that we studied) give the prime example of G-d’s election and foreshadows the Jewish Israelite people.
In this previous lesson, we learned that the body of the Jewish Israelite people work to spread the light of Hashem into this fallen and darkened world—the luminaries set on a stand that gives light to all who enter the house. As we will prayerfully learn in later studies, this is also a direct fulfillment of the promise made to Abram in Genesis 15, where G-d promised to make Abram a people more
numerous than the stars in the night sky through faith.
In this study, we will zoom back in to Genesis 1 and 2 and build from the foundations learned previously about Hashem and His bride, the Jewish People.
Explanation:
In Genesis 1:26, Elohim declares,
“Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness.”
In Hebrew, the word for man is “adam”.
• Adam literally translated to English refers to a single person of either sex. Adam can also be translated to “humankind” as a whole, which refers to the class of beings “that is distinctly different from animals.” This class of beings is what we know today as homo-sapiens.
In Genesis 1:26, the Hebrew word for image is tselem.
• Tselem literally translated to English means “cut out” or “constructed”.
Further, when G-d declares to make man in His own likeness, the Hebrew word used is demut.
• Demut literally translated means the likeness in shape, form, figure, or after the pattern of an original.
These Hebrew words give the connotation that the human-race was made by G-d according to the exact specifications of G-d’s own ordained plan. Looking to other parts of scripture, we see examples of G-d’s specificity for created things such as G-d’s instructions to Noah for the ark, G-d’s instructions to Moses for the tabernacle, and G-d’s instructions to David and Solomon for the Temple.
In these accounts, G-d gives specific instructions on the most minute of details. Here, given the Hebrew word used, G-d creates man with similar exactitude as well. The pattern from which G-d cut out, shaped and constructed man was, by His own words, the pattern of Himself—His Own image. His own form, figure, and shape that would exist if He were not eternally existent as Spirit.
The use of the plural, “let us make man in our image,” has been falsely used to proclaim that the presence of a “Triune G-d,” in other religions.
However, when we truly understand all that Hashem did in the outset of creation, we can better understand this statement here made. At the outset, Hashem did create heavenly beings. Some of those heavenly beings exalted themselves to a station that was outside of the realms to which Hashem had created them. This self-exaltation placed these heavenly beings in a category, which Hashem would later give the name “gods,” whom He has allowed and decreed for peoples who are not His Jewish Israelites (see Deuteronomy 4).
These gods sit with Hashem in a heavenly counsel and speak with Hashem regarding things to be done on earth (See Job 1). When we comprehend these facts, it is not hard to understand that when Hashem says “let us make man in our image, in our likeness,” that He means in the likeness of all heavenly beings—meaning holy and without sin.
This pearl of Heavenly wisdom tells us that in the beginning, Hashem’s intention was to form man in manner that would be able to dwell with Himself as the angels do. Without barrier or bound, as we first see in Gan Eden.
Thus, in the creation of humankind, when Elohim says “let us make adam in our image”, He is stating
“let us make adam in the image of ‘G-d, or Hashem.’”.
Being cut from the same pattern as Himself, Hashem is therefore the “original after which man was patterned,” the demut in which we are fashioned. However, though we are patterned after His image, we are not made in His likeness.
Thus, as we have discussed previously G-d did not fashion man to be perfectly Holy as only He is, lest at the outset the human race were all literally G-ds. This means G-d did not create man with the non-communicable attributes that belong to Himself alone. Rather, cut after the pattern of His own likeness, G-d created the human race with the communicable characteristics of Himself.
The godly characteristics that were passed on to the human race are characteristics such as:
• Wisdom
•Intellect
• Emotions
• An innate understanding of G-d and His holiness
• And above all, the ability to love and love deeply.
Having these communicable attributes of G-d allows man to be set apart from all other created things in the universe. As such, after G-d created Adam, Elohim gave him the command, which we read in Genesis 1:28-29,
“28 G-d blessed them. G-d said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 G-d said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.”
Being made after the pattern of Elohim, that is ‘G-d, or Hashem’, this command for humans to have dominion over everything in the earth is fitting. Yet, again, because of man’s necessary imperfections, human beings are unable, literally utterly incapable, of keeping perfect dominion since this is an attribute of G-d alone. Indeed, only G-d is omnipotent. Only Hashem is all powerful and able to keep perfect dominion over His own creation.
This nugget of wisdom will become more and more important to keep in mind as we go deeper into G-d’s word in later studies. For, in order to even begin to understand the infinite wisdom of G-d, we must understand and keep in the forefront of our eyes that it is G-d and G-d alone who is utterly perfect, spotless, without blemish, and wholly holy.
G-d gives a stark reminder of this in His second account of creation in Genesis 2, specifically Genesis 2:7, where we read for the first time the personal name of G-d: Hashem. In the Hebrew language there are no sounds that would allow for the pronunciation of this name. So, in English translations, often the translators have written Hashem for readability sake.
This tetra-gram in Hebrew means the LORD. When translated to English this personal name of G-d means “The Almighty over all” literally “I am who I am”.
We learn from Genesis 2 that it is this One True and Living G-d, the G-d of Israel, who is G-d over all who created everything in the heavens and earth. Though He fashioned man after the pattern of Himself, Hashem made clear that man is not equal to Himself in that He fashioned man from dust.
G-d willing, we will discuss the importance of this seemingly small detail in part two of this study of the creation of man. For now, we want to skip down to verses 18-25 in Genesis 2, were we read about the creation of woman. As it is written in the World English Bible:
18 Hashem G-d said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.” 19 Out of the ground Hashem G-d formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature became its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21 Hashem G-d caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. As the man slept, he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Hashem G-d made a woman from the rib which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.
In Genesis 2:18, we read for the first time G-d stating that something in His own creation was “not good”. This one “not good” thing was for man to be alone.
In Hebrew the word for good is tov.
• Tov when literally translated means “pleasant or favorable” in the absolute sense of the word.
Here, then, we read of G-d’s own declaration that it was not favorable for Adam (the first one of the male sex of the human race) to be alone. This statement by G-d was made right after G-d commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil, lest he (Adam) would surely die.
Thus, Adam did not need to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to know that his lonesome existence was not good. For G-d declared that him being alone was not good. Yet, G-d did not leave it up to Adam to figure out the fix for his own state of “not goodness”. Instead, G-d made Adam a promise, which we read also in Genesis 2:18,
“I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
Now, most biblical scholars we have listened to and sat under misinterpret this passage of scripture to mean something along the lines of “I will make him a help mate of lesser value/strength/ability”. Yet, studying the original Hebrew language reveals that this simply is not the correct translation of G-d’s promise.
The original Hebrew word used for “the helper” is ezer.
• Ezer when directly translated to English means more than a weaker helper. Rather, ezer means “a strength and power directly equal to” (in this case) the man. Scholars of the Hebrew language say this word corresponds to the Greek word kenegdo, which connotes being a helper that, again, is equal and complimentary to (the man).
This same word for helper (ezer) is used to describe G-d Himself in other parts of scripture such as Psalm 30:10, where it is written:
“Hear, O Hashem, and be gracious to me; O Hashem, be Thou my HELPER (ezer).”
This nugget of wisdom tells us that Hashem did not cut woman from a different or lesser pattern than man. Rather, it tells us that Hashem planned to cut and fashion Adam’s helper in a manner that would make her equal in every way to man (with respect to the communicable attributes of G-d), and therefore after the pattern of Himself (Hashem), just as He had fashioned Adam.
In G-d’s own account of His creation, we can gather that by His omniscients He foresaw the argument that women would be cast as a lesser being than man, perhaps equated to dogs and animals. We can gather this by the refutation of sorts that He gives in the order of His own creation account in Genesis 2.
In Genesis 1, we read that G-d first separated the light from dark. Then He separated the waters. Then He created all the plants. Then He created the animals. Then He created man.
Yet in Genesis 2, we read that G-d created Adam, promised Adam a helper, then made all of the Why the shift of order? Did G-d get confused? Did G-d lie the first time around?
No! For, G-d is not a man that He should lie. Rather, it is likely to make the point that yes, He promised Adam an ezer, but as we see, none of the animals were fit to be Adam’s equal and complimentary partner. So, G-d put Adam into a deep sleep and fashioned the first woman from the same cloth from which Adam was made.
Stop and Think:
The fact that G-d definitively states that the ezer which He planned for Adam was not found among the animals means that women are not equal to animals either. We too are made in the very image of G-d Himself and cut from the same cloth as Adam. That cloth is the fabric and pattern of Hashem Himself.
Looking to Genesis 2:21-22, we read:
21 Hashem G-d caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. As the man slept, he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Hashem G-d made a woman from the rib which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
Here we see proof that woman is cut from the same pattern as man. G-d did not form woman from the ground, as if she was a new creature or life-form separate from Adam (i.e. as if she was not a human being, or that she is a different type of human being/creature). We say this because every time G-d wanted to create a new genus of species, He formed it from the ground, not some other created thing.
But, G-d created woman from Adam, who G-d had made into a “living soul”. This means that in His ordained plan of creation, G-d fashioned women equal to man in every way at the outset of creation. So much so that she was cut from Adam’s very being. Like a Siamese twin, she was cut away from Adam and became her own living soul made from the cloth of Hashem.
Before you assume that we are trying to say that there is currently no difference between men and women, let us pause and clarify:
We must remember that the state of creation that we have now is not the same as the state that existed at the beginning of creation, before the fall, sin, and the curse. None of us can fathom the state of pre-fall sinlessness. However, that is where G-d formed Adam and Havah.
In Hashem’s eyes, there is now no difference between males and females. In Hashem’s creation, everyone stands on equal ground in the eyes of G-d. Now, however, due to the fall and the curse (which we will G-d willing learn about in our study of Genesis 3) there is indeed a difference between fallen men and fallen women. These differences are in dominion, sorrows, and specific struggles due
to the curse.
But, at the outset of creation before sin and the curse, there was no difference between Adam and Havah since they were both cut out of the robe of Hashem and fashioned in His image. Thus, in the eternal kingdom, when all is returned to the state of glory that existed from before the foundations of the earth, men and women will be returned to the state of utter equality that existed at the time of
creation, yet without the ability to sin.
This equality is seen through Adam’s own statement in Genesis 2:23, where he states that the ezer which G-d had made was “bone from my bone, flesh from my flesh.”
She is called woman BECAUSE as it is literally translated from Hebrew
“out of man has been taken this”.
The “this” is “flesh and bone.” Again, this flesh and bone of Adam is the same flesh and bone, which had been fashioned by G-d in the likeness of Elohim, who is G-d, literally Hashem Himself.
BECAUSE of this pattern of creation, G-d declares in Genesis 2:24 that
“Man shall leave his father and mother and shall cling to his wife.”
There is eternally significant meaning in this small sentence that describes the union between a man and his wife.
Here, the Hebrew word used to describe the union is dabaq:
• Dabaq literally translated to English means “to cling, to cleave, to keep close”.
This union between a man and his wife is like a fusion. A bond that cannot be broken. What is 2 is made 1. In other writings, we have detailed how this union between Adam and Havah reveals the eventual union between Hashem and His Jewish Israelite people.
Throughout the Hebrew scriptures, Hashem promises that He will one day come and marry His people and His land (the Nation of Israel). Indeed, in Hosea 2, He says that we (His Jewish people) will call Him Ishi (my husband). Passages in Isaiah (54 and others) tell us that Hashem will come and take His Jewish people as His bride and He will marry the land and the people will marry the land (of Israel).
Thus, we see G-d’s own inspired word declare that the union between husband and wife is the physical manifestation of Hashem and His body of Jewish Israelites and His eternal home, Jerusalem and the entire Jewish nation of Israel.
What is the Significance?
Tying all of the parts of today’s lesson together, we see that just as it is not favorable for man to be without his female equal, so too it would not be favorable for Hashem to be without His Bride. Thus from the outset of creation, G-d ordained a plan of creation that would necessitate the birth of His Bride. Thus, in later chapters of the book of Genesis, we see Hashem make the election of Abram, to whom Hashem promises the elect seed, Isaac, from whom the Jewish Israelites would be born. It is this chosen and elect people who are (and will eternally be) Hashem’s Bride.
Thus, Jewish Israelites are united with Hashem in the same manner that Adam is here united with woman (Havah). This union with Hashem is unbreakable. Inseparable from our Bridegroom, Jewish Israelites become the “bone from Hashem’s bone and flesh from Hashem’s flesh”.
Being united with Hashem’s bone and flesh also means that there will come a day when Jewish Israelites will be like Him, fitted with a glorified body, that is willing and able to live out the mitzvot of Hashem perfectly. Passages such as Ezekiel 36 describe the day when moshiach will come and Hashem will make us to keep His commands.
This “making us do” will not be against our will. Rather, when moshiach comes, no Jew will have to learn Torah anymore. Instead, we will all be able to see, hear, and comprehend clearly. The spark of Hashem that is within our Jewish souls will then be fanned into a flame that will radiate the holiness of Hashem as we simply do mitzvot without worry of how, or why, or “am I doing this right.” In this state of glorified union with Hashem, all Jewish Israelites will be able to stand on equal ground before G-d naked and unashamed just as Adam and Havah walked in the presence of G-d at the outset of creation in Genesis 2:25, where it is written:
25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.
This passage tells us that in the nakedness of their vulnerability, Adam and Havah stood bare in the garden, where The Almighty G-d walked among them, and were not ashamed. They did not hide, they did not cover themselves like the angels did with their wings (as was discussed previously). Shrouded in G-d’s presence and cut from the cloth of Hashem, they lived with, and approached, G-d in confident intimacy.
Life Application:
If you are a Jewish Israelite, this close, intimate and confident relationship with G-d is the promise that G-d has for you not only in eternity, but here on earth this very day. Yet, because Hashem lives, we also have the hope of eternal glory where every spot and speck of sin will be removed and we will return to a state of utter unabashed worship in the presence of G-d Almighty. Without the hindrance
of any sin, Jewish Israelites have the hope of eternal perfect freedom in glory.
If you are not a Jewish Israelite and do not know Hashem as your personal Savior, this passage tells you that like Adam, you are currently in a state of “not goodness,” since you are apart from Hashem. This state is not favorable for you, just like G-d said it was not favorable for Adam. Thus, like Adam, G-d calls you to find your Bride through faith in Hashem, who is the promised Bridegroom of all who will believe.
Through faith in Hashem, the guilt and shame of your sin will be washed clean. You will receive the forgiveness of your sins and will be reconciled with Hashem as if you never forsook Him, turned your back on Him, and/or did not keep His mitzvot. He will accept you with open arms and will unite you with Himself, as if you are one “born in the land."
Am Yisrael Chai!
Kimberly Davis
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