The Literal Meaning of Genesis (continued)
BOOK NINE THE CREATION OF THE WOMAN
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The meaning of earth in Gen. 2.19.
1. And the Lord God said: "It is not good that the man should be alone. Let Us make for him a helper like himself." And again God formed from the earth all the beasts of the field and all the birds of heaven and brought them to Adam to see what be would call them. And whatever Adam called a living creature, that ts its name. And Adam gave names to all the cattle and to all the birds of heaven and to all the beasts of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper like himself. And God cast Adam into an ecstasy, and as Adam slept, God took one of bis ribs and in its place put flesh, and the Lord God made the rib which He took from Adam into a woman and brought ber to Adam. And Adam said: "This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she has been taken out of the man. For this reason a man shall leave bis father and mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall be two in one flesh."
If my reader is helped at all by the reflections I have put down in the preceding books, I have no need to delay longer over the statement, Again God formed from the earth all the beasts of the field and all the birds of heaven. Earlier in this treatise I have explained to the best of my ability why the word "again" is used, that is, because of the first creation of creatures accomplished in the six days, when all were perfected in their causal principles and were begun in such a way that the causes would be brought subsequently to their effects.? Now, if anyone thinks that a different solution of this problem should be offered, I ask only that he give careful attention to all the points I have considered in