In Genesis 2:18-25, the first female figure of the Old Testament, Eve, is introduced. This pericope has been extensively interpreted from an exegetical perspective and, in some cases, has been invoked to justify the subordination of women to men. My research begins with an analysis of Genesis 2:20, where Eve is described as βοηθὸς ὅμοιος αὐτῷ " helper corresponding to him" or "an aid equal to him." This expression carries no inherent moral hierarchy; rather, it is employed elsewhere in the Bible to elevate the status of women (e.g., Tobit 8:6; Sirach 25:24). By contrast, in the New Testament and among the Church Fathers, the term βοηθός when applied to women acquires often a pejorative nuance. The female figure is construed as "a helper" subordinated to man. The aim of this article is to trace the socio-cultural factors that contributed to this semantic shift, beginning with a comparison of conceptions of womanhood in Semitic and Greek cultures.