Here again, Hawk. If the words don't mean what they say, then they can not be read literally word for word as the literalists do. If they do mean what they say, then they contradict and the meaning must be found in a nonliteral-word-for-word reading. Can't have it both ways. I prefer the second approach, but literalists reject it.
God made man in his own image. God wanted a helper for man because it was not good that he be alone. God made the animals and brought them to man. No fit helper was found among the animals. God made woman. Woman was found to be a fit helper.
The words on the page spell out both the motives and the order of actions. It is clear unless the words are not true. If that is the case, then other parts of the Bible may contain words that are equally untrue. If you get over the idea that every word is absolutely true as it appears on the page and try to determine what the story is trying to tell you, then you get a much fuller understanding of the message without having to do all the spinning.
