Mary Conway and R. David Freedman's etymology argument: 'ezer' derives from a root meaning 'strength/power,' making Eve 'a power equal to man.'

Mary Conway (Discovering Biblical Equality, pp. 41-42) cites R. David Freedman's article 'A Power Equal to Man' which argues 'ezer' derives from a different Hebrew root (spelled with gimel) meaning 'strength/might/valor,' whose spelling became conflated with the standard root. The Hebrew-Aramaic Lexicon (HALOT) and Dictionary of Classical Hebrew recognize a possible third root 'ezer III' glossed as 'strength.' This would change 'helper fit for him' to 'a power/strength equivalent to him.'