The Hermaphrodite and the Rib: Interpretations of Two Creation Narratives in Genesis

David L. Cohen

Genesis presents two creation accounts of people: the first in 1:27-28 in which the man and woman are created simultaneously and the second at 2:18-42 in which the woman is created after man, from his rib. As these two narratives are mutually contradictory, any later interpretation of the creation of humans must, of necessity, attempt to reconcile these differences. This paper seeks to demonstrate that the interpretive choice a text makes with respect to its stance on the creation of humans is indicative of that textÕs attitude toward women. Those texts which privilege the Genesis 1:27 creation account tend to have a more favorable view of women than do those texts which privilege the Genesis 2:18ff. account.

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