Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help as with him. And Jehovah God formed out of the ground every beast of the field, and every fowl of the heavens, and brought it to the man to see what he would call it; and whatsoever the man called every living soul, that was the name thereof. And the man gave names to every beast, and to the fowl of the heavens, and to every wild animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a help as with him. Genesis 2:18 - 20• By "alone" is signified that he was not content to be led by the Lord, but desired to be led by self and the world
• By a "help as with him" is signified man's Own, which is subsequently called a "rib built into a woman."
• By "beasts" are signified celestial affections, and by "fowls of the heavens" spiritual affections; that is to say, by "beasts" are signified things of the will, and by "fowls" things of the understanding.
• To "bring them to the man to see what he would call them" is to enable him to know their quality, and his "giving them names" signifies that he knew it.
But notwithstanding that he knew the quality of the affections of good and of the knowledges of truth that were given him by the Lord, still he inclined to his Own, which is expressed in the same terms as before - that "there was not found a help as with him."
In verse 18 it is said, "It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him a help as with him" and presently "beasts" and "birds" are spoken of, which nevertheless had been treated of before, and immediately it is repeated that "for the man there was not found a help as with him" which denotes that
Although he was permitted to know his quality as to the affections of good, and knowledges of truth, still he inclined to his Own; for those who are such as to desire what is their own, begin to despise the things of the Lord, however plainly they may be represented and shown to them.
(Arcana Coelestia 138; 142; 146)