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The Woman's Bible Chapter II - Comments on Genesis ii by Elizabeth Cady Stanton
[Ed. Note: The Bible used in the preparation of The Woman's Bible is the 1888 edition of the Julie Smith translation of the Bible - a literal translation - one of FIVE translations by this brilliant woman. See the appendix for more information.]
THE BOOK OF GENESIS - CHAPTER II. Genesis ii 21-25 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep
to fall upon Adam and he slept; and he took one of his ribs amd closed
u[ the flesh thereof. ---------------------------------------- (Commentary by Elizabeth Cady Stanton): As the account of the creation in the first chapter is in harmony with
science, common sense, and the experience of mankind in natural laws, the
inquiry naturally arises, why should there be two contradictory accounts
in the same book, of the same event? The first account dignifies woman as an important factor in the creation,
equal in power and glory with man. There is something sublime in bringing order out of chaos; light out
of darkness; giving each planet its place in the solar system; oceans and
lands their limits; wholly inconsistent with a petty surgical operation,
to find material for the mother of the race. The equal position declared in the first account must prove more satisfactory
to both sexes; created alike in the image of God The Heavenly Mother and
Father. All the commentators and publicists writing on woman s position, go
through an immense amount of fine-spun metaphysical speculations, to prove
her subordination in harmony with the Creator's original design. -- E. C. S. (Another commentary on the same verses by Lillie Devereux Blake): In v. 23 Adam proclaims the eternal oneness of the happy pair, Next comes the naming of the mother of the race. "She shall be called Woman," in the ancient form of the word Womb-man. She was man and more than man because of her maternity. The assertion of the supremacy of the woman in the marriage relation is contained in v. 24: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife." Nothing is said of the headship of man, but he is commanded to make her the head of the household, 'the home, a rule followed for centuries under the Matriarchate. -- L. D. B. [Next Chapter III - Genesis iii 1-24] | GO BACK | THE WOMEN'S BIBLE - CONTENTS | CONTINUE | |
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