Helpers are subordinate, aren they?
Not necessarily, in fact, not at all in the biblical usage of the word. The nuance of “helper” in English varies according to region. Where I live, there is no indication of subordination, however where a friend of mine lives, helper always means “subordinate”. That said, the Bible wasn’t written in English, not even the good old KJ English. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (then later translated into Greek). The Hebrew word translated here as “helper” is ‘ezer. ‘Ezer is used 21 times in the Hebrew Bible. Nineteen times it is used to describe God. I believe we would agree God is not subordinate to us, even though He is our helper. Yet, the comparison of that usage can not be taken too far. Woman is not God, and is no more in God’s image than man. ‘Ezer is modified by the Hebrew word ‘kenegdo”. ‘kenegdo limits the type of helper Woman would be. Did it make her inferior or less authoritative? No. kenegdo limits her to an ‘ezer “corresponding to” ‘adam. Eve was like Adam. Adam hims
