Do men have one less rib?

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Question: Because of God's creation of Eve do men have one less rib than women?

Answer: The verses in question regarding the creation of women and the possibility of men having one less rib can be found in the book of Genesis: "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept;  and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.  Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;  She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.'" (Genesis 2:18, 21-23, NKJV)

The direct answer to your question is that men do not have one less rib due to the creation of Eve. In regard to Adam, although the Bible is not specific, either he lived the rest of his life missing a rib or God healed him. Below are some fascinating thoughts to consider regarding God's creation of men and women:

"She was not made out of his head to surpass him, nor from his feet to be trampled on, but from his side to be equal to him, and near his heart to be dear to him." (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary)

"Some part of man was to be used on the occasion, whether bone or flesh it matters not; though it is likely . . . that a part of both was taken; for Adam, knowing how the woman was formed, said, 'This is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone.'

"God could have formed the woman out of the dust of the earth, as he had formed the man; but had he done so, she would have appeared in his eyes as a distinct being, to whom he had no natural relation. But as God formed her out of a part of the man himself, he saw she was of the same nature, the same identical flesh and blood, and of the same constitution in all respects, and consequently having equal powers, faculties, and rights. This at once ensured his affection . . ." (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible)

"But when he (God) saw that Adam had no female companion, no society, for there was no such created, and that he wondered at the other animals which were male and female, he laid him asleep, and took away one of his ribs, and out of it formed the woman; whereupon Adam knew her when she was brought to him, and acknowledged that she was made out of himself.

"Now a woman is called in the Hebrew tongue Issa (or Ishah, Strong's Concordance #H802) but the name of this woman was Eve, which signifies 'the mother of all living.' " (Antiquities (History) of the Jews by Flavius Josephus, Book 1, Chapter 1)

A man (or men) in the Hebrew language is known as Ish, which is Strong's #H376. When God made Eve out of Adam, he was making Ishah out of Ish. Ultimately, God's "rib surgery" on Adam did not seem to have an adverse affect on his health (even if he had less body parts) since he lived to the ripe old age of 930 years (Genesis 5:5). Adam lived the fourth longest life of any human (Methuselah lived the longest at 969 years of life).

Thank you for allowing me to answer your question on whether men do or do not have one less rib.