In Hesiod's Pandora story, Zeus commands Hephaestus to make a woman.
The command begins Pandora's creation in Hesiod's Theogony. Zeus instructs Hephaestus, the divine smith, to shape a woman from earth. Other gods then contribute gifts or attributes, producing the figure whose name means “all-gifted” or “all-endowed.”
This episode forms part of Zeus's response to Prometheus's theft of fire for humanity. The creation of Pandora is therefore not an isolated origin story but part of a chain involving divine authority, fire, sacrifice, and punishment. Hesiod's version portrays the woman as a burden or danger sent to humans.
Modern retellings often reduce the episode to “the gods made Pandora,” leaving out the specific role of Zeus's command and Hephaestus's craftsmanship. The command is directed toward creating a woman, not the jar itself; the container belongs to the later stage of the story.