The Lord had shown the people of the Most Ancient Church (Adam) the spiritual gifts of their celestial state, their state of love to the Lord. He had shown them the loving affections (beasts of the field), the inspired thoughts (fowl of the air) and the life that filled their spiritual existence (living creatures). And the people recognized the nature of those things, and where they came from (they gave them names).

But it was not enough. The people wanted to lead themselves and feel life as their own. They did not want to be in the highest celestial state anymore.

(Referenties: Arcana Coelestia 142, 143, 144, 145)

151. Verse 22 And Jehovah God built the rib which He took from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man.

'Building means reconstructing that which has fallen down, 'rib' the proprium that has not been given life, 'woman the proprium that has been given life by the Lord, 'bringing her to the man' that a proprium was granted to him. Since the descendants of this Church, unlike their ancestors, did not wish to be the celestial man, but to be their own guides and so set their heart on the proprium, they were allowed to have one. It was however a proprium given life by the Lord, which is why it is called 'a woman', and after that 'a wife'.