Sibylline Oracles 1:37

Pseudepigrapha

34 He longed for conversation, being alone, 35 And prayed that he might see another form 36 Such as he had. And forthwith, from man's side 37 Taking a bone, God himself made fair Eve, 38 A wedded spouse, and in that Paradise 39 Gave her to dwell with him. And, when he gazed 40 Upon her, on a sudden filled with joy

Genesis Rabbah 40:5

Aggadah
Rabbinic

‘You are carrying precious stones.’ ‘I will pay on precious stones.’ ‘It is imperative that you open it and we see what it contains,’ he insisted. As soon as he opened it the land of Egypt was irradiated with her lustre [beauty]. R. ‘Azariah and R. Jonathan in R. Isaac’s name said: Eve’s image was transmitted to the reigning beauties of each generation. Elsewhere it is written, And the damsel was very faiwr—‘ad me’od (1 Kings 1, 4), which means that she attained to Eve’s beauty; but here in truth it is written, THE EGYPTIANS BEHELD THE WOMAN THAT SHE WAS VERY FAIR (ME’OD)— which means, even more beautiful than Eve’s image.

 Notes and References

"... On the whole, Eve is seen just the same as Adam, created in the image of God, endowed with the divine blessings of procreation and dominion over other creatures on earth (Genesis 1:26-28; Tobit 8:6-7; Sibylline Oracles 1:54-58; Numbers Rabbah 12:4; Targum Onkelos Genesis 1:26-28; 12:4; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Genesis 1:26-28; Apocalypse of Moses 15:2-4). She is advocated as the ancestor of humanity as Adam (1 Enoch 32:3-6; 2 Enoch 41:1). Her existence is to make Adam complete (Genesis 2:18; Tobit 8:6; Jubilees 3:4; Genesis Rabbah 8:9; 17:1-2; 22:2; b. Yevamot 62b). The above study indicates that Eve is recognized to be Adam’s helper (Gen 2:18; Tobit 8:6; Jubilees 3:4; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Genesis 2:18), supporter (Tobit 8:6-7; Targum Onkelos Genesis 2:18), adviser (Genesis Rabbah 20:11), guardian (b. Yevamot 62b-63a), companion and wife and co-partaker (Tobit 8:6; Jubilees 3:6, 8, 16). Eve is applauded to be wonderful and beautiful (Sibylline Oracles 1:30; Genesis Rabbah 40:5), endowed with more understanding than Adam ..."

Chan, Sariah Yau-wah 1 Timothy 2.13-15 in the Light of Views Concerning Eve and Childbirth in Early Judaism (pp. 189-195) Dallas Thelogical Seminary, 2006

 User Comments

Do you have questions or comments about these texts? Please submit them here.