Meet Eve: The First Woman, Wife, and Mother of All the Living

Eve Bible Character
Adam and Eve Cast Out of Garden of Eden. Culture Club / Contributor / Getty Images

The Bible's Eve was the first woman on earth, the first wife, and the first mother. She is known as the "Mother of All the Living." Even though her accomplishments are remarkable, little else is known about Eve.

Moses’ account of the first couple is strikingly sparse. We must assume God had a reason for that lack of detail. Like many noteworthy mothers, Eve's achievements were significant but for the most part, remain unmentioned in the biblical text.

Eve in the Bible

Also Known as: Mother of All the Living

Known for: The Bible’s Eve is the wife of Adam and mother of the human race.

Bible References: Scripture records Eve's life in Genesis 2:18-4:26. The apostle Paul mentions Eve three times in his letters in 2 Corinthians 11:3 and 1 Timothy 2:8-14, and 1 Corinthians 11:8–9.

Accomplishments: Eve is the mother of humankind. She was the first woman and first wife. She arrived on the planet without a mother and father. She was made by God as a reflection of his image to be a helper to Adam. The two were to tend to the Garden of Eden, the perfect place to live. Together they would fulfill God's purpose of populating the world.

Occupation: Wife, mother, companion, helper, and co-manager of God's creation.

Hometown: Eve began her life in the Garden of Eden but was later expelled.

Family Tree:

Husband - Adam

Children - The Bible tells us that Eve gave birth to Cain, Abel, and Seth, and many other sons and daughters.

The Story of Eve

On the sixth day of creation, in chapter two of the book of Genesis, God decided it would be good for Adam to have a companion and helper. God caused Adam to fall deeply asleep. The Lord took one of Adam's ribs and used it to form Eve. God called the woman ezer, which in Hebrew means "help."

Eve was given two names by Adam. The first was the generic "woman." Later, after the fall, Adam gave her the proper name Eve, meaning "life," referring to her role in the procreation of the human race.

Eve became Adam's companion, his helper, the one who would complete him and share equally in his responsibility for the creation. She, too, was made in God's image (Genesis 1:26–27), displaying a portion of the characteristics of God. Together, Adam and Eve alone would fulfill God's purpose in the continuation of creation. With the making of Eve, God brought human relationships, friendship, companionship, and marriage into the world.

The Fall of Humanity

One day a serpent representing Satan tricked Eve into eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, something God had expressly forbidden. Adam and Eve were punished and sent away from the Garden of Eden. Eve’s punishment was to experience increased pain in childbirth and to be made subordinate to her husband.

It’s worth noting that God apparently created Adam and Eve as adults. In the Genesis account, both immediately possessed language skills that allowed them to communicate with God and each other. God made his rules and desires perfectly clear to them. He held them responsible.

Eve's only knowledge had come from God and Adam. At that point, she was pure in heart, created in the image of God. She and Adam were naked but not ashamed.

Eve had no knowledge of evil. She could not suspect the serpent’s motives. However, she did know she was required to obey God. Even though she and Adam had been put over all the animals, she chose to obey an animal rather than God.

We tend to be sympathetic toward Eve, considering her inexperience and naivety. But God had been clear: "Eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and you will die." What is often overlooked is that Adam was with his wife when she was being tempted. As her husband and protector, he was responsible for intervening but did not. For this reason, neither Eve nor Adam was singled out as being more at fault than the other. Both were held equally responsible and punished as transgressors.

Eve's Strengths

Eve was made in the image of God, specially designed to serve as a helper to Adam. As we learn in the account after the fall, she bore children, assisted only by Adam. She carried out the nurturing duties of a wife and mother with no example to guide her.

Eve's Weaknesses

Eve was tempted by Satan when he deceived her into doubting God's goodness. The serpent urged her to focus on the one thing she couldn't have. She lost sight of all of the pleasurable things God had blessed her with in the Garden of Eden. She became discontented, feeling sorry for herself because she could not share in God's knowledge of good and evil. Eve allowed Satan to subvert her trust in God.

Although she shared a close relationship with God and her husband, Eve failed to consult either of them when confronted with Satan's lies. She acted impulsively, independent of her authority. Once entangled in sin, she invited her husband to join her. Like Adam, when Eve was confronted with her sin, she blamed someone else (Satan), instead of taking personal responsibility for what she had done.

Life Lessons

We learn from Eve that women share in God's image. Feminine qualities are part of the character of God. God's purpose for creation could not be fulfilled without the equal participation of "womankind." Just like we learned from Adam's life, Eve teaches us that God wants us to choose him freely, and to follow and obey him out of love. Nothing we do is hidden from God. Likewise, it does not benefit us to blame others for our own failings. We must accept personal responsibility for our actions and choices.

Key Bible Verses About Eve

Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” (NLT)

Genesis 2:23
“At last!” the man exclaimed.
“This one is bone from my bone,
and flesh from my flesh!
She will be called ‘woman,’
because she was taken from ‘man.’” (NLT)

Sources

  • Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
  • Life Application Study Bible
  • ESV Study Bible
  • The Lexham Bible Dictionary.
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Your Citation
Fairchild, Mary. "Meet Eve: The First Woman, Wife, and Mother of All the Living." Learn Religions, Apr. 5, 2023, learnreligions.com/eve-mother-of-all-the-living-701199. Fairchild, Mary. (2023, April 5). Meet Eve: The First Woman, Wife, and Mother of All the Living. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/eve-mother-of-all-the-living-701199 Fairchild, Mary. "Meet Eve: The First Woman, Wife, and Mother of All the Living." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/eve-mother-of-all-the-living-701199 (accessed March 19, 2024).