God gave ha-‘adam dominion over all creation and empowered the earth creature to name all things in existence. In doing so, God bound creation to humanity and made humanity a co-creator with God. Naming is powerful but such a responsibility. Biblical theologian Phyllis Trible gives us a compelling reinterpretation of a passage normally cited for traditional, patriarchal roles and gender categories. She writes that this creature need not necessarily be thought of as male. Rather, the Hebrew text presents us with a word-play: ha-‘adam (“earth creature”) is created from the earth, ha-‘adamah.[2]
