“God created Adam and brought all the animals before him. Adam did not find a proper companion among them suitable for marriage, so God then said, “It is not good that Adam should be alone. I will create a helpmeet for him to be with him always.” And he sent a deep sleep upon Adam, and took a rib from him, and dosed his side up again. And out of this very rib taken from Adam, God created a woman and brought her to him. Then Adam said, “This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called a woman, because she was taken from her man. This is why a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh” [Gen. 2:18–24].

All of this is from God’s word. These words teach us where man and woman come from, how they were given to one another, for what purpose a wife was created, and what kind of love there should be in the estate of marriage.

If God himself does not give the wife or the husband, anything can happen. For the truth indicated here is that Adam found no marriageable partner for himself, but as soon as God had created Eve and brought her to him, he felt a real married love toward her, and recognized that she was his wife. Those who want to enter into the estate of marriage should learn from this that they should earnestly pray to God for a spouse.” (Luther’s Works, vol. 44, p.7-8).