Eve as "helper" for Adam

Genesis 2:18 describes God making Eve as a "helper" (עֵזֶר) for Adam.

This particular word occurs 19 times in the Old Testament, and it pays to notice carefully what it does and does not mean elsewhere.

• 2 are in Genesis 2 (Gen 2:18; 2:20)
• 4 are proper nouns, so don’t contribute to a discussion of its meaning (1 Chronicles 12:9; 25:4; 25:31; Nehemiah 3:19)
• 2 describe the help offered by one nation or king to another – a political alliance, “let me come and help you” (1 Kings 20:16; Daniel 11:34)
• 4 describe the helplessness of those who have no-one to help them (2 Kings 14:26; Job 29:12; 30:13; Jeremiah 47:4)
• The remaining 7 all describe God as the helper either of the nation of Israel or of the king or other individuals (Psalm 30:10; 54:4; 72:12; 89:19; 107:12; Isaiah 31:3; 63:5)

So excluding the 2 uses in this passage, and the 4 proper nouns, we are left with 13 instances.

Of those 13, 4 describe the help that may be given to the helpless or the needy, and 7 describe God as the one who defends and cares for his people.

What is certainly not implied therefore is any implication that the "helper" is an inferior or second-class partner.