Genesis 3:17

15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

16 To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

18 Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
KJV
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
WEB
To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life.
ASV
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
DARBY
And to Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed be the ground on thy account; with toil shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life;
BLB
And to the man He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and ate from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘you shall not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground on your account, in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life,
ÅB
Og til Adam sa han: Fordi du lød din hustru og spiste av det tre som jeg forbød deg å spise av, så skal jorden være forbannet for din skyld! Med strev skal du nære deg av den alle ditt livs dager.
OTB
Til Adam sa Han: «Fordi du hørte på din kone og spiste av treet som Jeg forbød deg å spise av, er jorden forbannet for din skyld; med møye skal du nære deg av den alle dine levedager.
B1930
Og til Adam sa han: Fordi du lød din hustru og åt av det tre som jeg forbød dig å ete av, så skal jorden være forbannet for din skyld! Med møie skal du nære dig av den alle ditt livs dager.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Romans 8:20–22

    For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope

    Read in context
  • Genesis 5:29

    And he named him Noah, saying, “May this one comfort us in the labor and toil of our hands caused by the ground that the LORD has cursed.”

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 24:5–6

    The earth is defiled by its people; they have transgressed the laws; they have overstepped the decrees and broken the everlasting covenant.

    Read in context
  • Ecclesiastes 2:22–23

    For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?

    Read in context
  • John 16:33

    I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

    Read in context
  • Job 14:1

    “Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 7:23–24

    but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 127:2

    In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat— for He gives sleep to His beloved.

    Read in context