King James Bible
"And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;"
God initiates the first recorded divine anesthesia, demonstrating His sovereign control over human consciousness. This deep sleep (Hebrew 'tardemah') appears elsewhere in Scripture during significant divine revelations, suggesting this is no ordinary slumber but a supernatural state where God performs creative work. The Hebrew word 'tsela' can mean rib, side, or part, indicating God removes a substantial portion of Adam's being. This extraction from Adam's side symbolizes the intimate connection and equality between man and woman, as she comes from neither his head to rule over him nor his feet to be trampled. God completes the surgical procedure by healing Adam's wound, showing divine care for physical wholeness. This detail emphasizes that the creation of woman doesn't diminish man but rather fulfills God's design for human companionship without leaving Adam incomplete or damaged.