Women were created to be helpmeets to their husbands. Strong’s dictionary for the word helpmeet is:
H5828 — ‛êzer — ay’-zer
From H5826; aid: – help.
This is used it the following passages in Genesis 2 (NASB):
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper (êzer) [o]suitable for him.” 19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the [p]sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the [q]sky, and to every beast of the field, but for [r]Adam there was not found a helper (êzer) [s]suitable for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 The Lord God [t]fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
And this is the context of the other 19 times that êzer is used in the Scriptures:
Exodus 18:4 [c]The other was named [d]Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help (êzer), and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
Deuteronomy 33:7 And this regarding Judah; so he said, “Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people. With his hands he contended for [g]them, And may You be a help (êzer) against his adversaries.”
Deuteronomy 33:26 “There is none like the God of [p]Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens [q]to your help (êzer),
Deuteronomy 33:29 “Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, Who is the shield of your help (êzer) And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places.”
Psalm 20:1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! 2 May He send you help (êzer) from the sanctuary And support you from Zion!
Psalm 33:20 Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help (êzer) and our shield.
Psalm 70:5 But I am afflicted and needy; Hasten to me, O God! You are my help (êzer) and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.
Psalm 89:19 [o]Once You spoke in vision to Your godly [p]ones, And said, “I have [q]given help (êzer) to one who is mighty;
Psalm 115:9 O Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help (êzer) and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help (êzer) and their shield. 11 You who [e]fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help (êzer) and their shield.
Psalm 121:1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help (êzer) come? 2 My help (êzer) comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 124:8 Our help (êzer) is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
Paslm 146:5 How blessed is he whose help (êzer) is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
Isaiah 30:5 “Everyone will be ashamed because of a people who cannot profit them, Who are not for help (êzer) or profit, but for shame and also for reproach.” (This was Judah’s warning against an alliance with Egypt.)
Ezekiel 12:14 I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers (êzer) and all his troops; and I will draw out a sword after them.
Daniel 11:34 Now when they fall they will be granted a little help (êzer) and many will join with them in hypocrisy.
Hosea 13:9 It is your destruction, O Israel, [j]That you are against Me, against your help (êzer).
You can see the difference in help from the Lord especially in the Psalms contrasted to help from either earthly powers or those who disobey God in the prophets.
I’m not a woman, and I don’t know what it is like to be a woman. I suspect that most feminists would have vehement hatred to be called an êzer, but that’s the incorrect frame of mind. Christian wives should revel in being an êzer, as she is created to be the physical representation of the help of the Lord to her husband. Is there any higher calling than to walk in the will of the Father?
Just as husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, so wives are to help their husbands as the Lord is our help in times of trouble.
