Genesis 3:17
New International Version
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.

New Living Translation
And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.

English Standard Version
And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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;

New King James Version
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.

New American Standard Bible
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; With hard labor you shall eat from it All the days of your life.

NASB 1995
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’ Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.

NASB 1977
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In pain you will eat of it All the days of your life.

Amplified Bible
Then to Adam the LORD God said, “Because you have listened [attentively] to the voice of your wife, and have eaten [fruit] from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’; The ground is [now] under a curse because of you; In sorrow and toil you shall eat [the fruit] of it All the days of your life.

Christian Standard Bible
And he said to the man, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And He said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life.

American Standard Version
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;

Contemporary English Version
The LORD said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat. And so, the ground will be under a curse because of what you did. As long as you live, you will have to struggle to grow enough food.

English Revised Version
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;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree, although I commanded you, 'You must never eat its fruit.' The ground is cursed because of you. Through hard work you will eat [food that comes] from it every day of your life.

Good News Translation
And he said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate the fruit which I told you not to eat. Because of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse. You will have to work hard all your life to make it produce enough food for you.

International Standard Version
He told the man, "Because you have listened to what your wife said, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat from it,' cursed is the ground because of you. You'll eat from it through pain-filled labor for the rest of your life.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
But to Adam he said, "Because you obeyed your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat from it,' cursed is the ground thanks to you; in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

New Heart English Bible
To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

Webster's Bible Translation
And to Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened to 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;

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And to the man He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and eat from the tree concerning which I have charged you, saying, You do not eat of it, cursed [is] the ground on your account; in sorrow you eat of it [for] all days of your life,

Young's Literal Translation
And to the man He said, 'Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and dost eat of the tree concerning which I have charged thee, saying, Thou dost not eat of it, cursed is the ground on thine account; in sorrow thou dost eat of it all days of thy life,

Smith's Literal Translation
And to Adam he said, Because thou didst listen to the voice of thy wife, and thou wilt eat from the tree which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat from it; cursed the earth for thy sake; in labor shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And to Adam he said: Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work; with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Yet truly, to Adam, he said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, from which I instructed you that you should not eat, cursed is the land that you work. In hardship shall you eat from it, all the days of your life.

New American Bible
To the man he said: Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, You shall not eat from it, Cursed is the ground because of you! In toil you shall eat its yield all the days of your life.

New Revised Standard Version
And to the man he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And to Adam he said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it, cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat the fruits of it all the days of your life;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And to Adam He said, “Because you listened to the voice of your wife, and you ate from the tree that I ordered you and said to you, that you shall not eat from it, Earth is cursed because of you; in sorrows you will eat of it all the days of your life;
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And to Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and eaten of the tree concerning which I charged thee of it only not to eat - of that thou hast eaten, cursed is the ground in thy labours, in pain shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Punishment of Mankind
16To 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.” 17And 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. 18Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.…

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 / that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. / We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.

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. / Therefore a curse has consumed the earth, and its inhabitants must bear the guilt; the earth’s dwellers have been burned, and only a few survive.

Hebrews 6:8
But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.

Jeremiah 12:4
How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field be withered? Because of the evil of its residents, the animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, “He cannot see what our end will be.”

Hosea 4:3
Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.

Deuteronomy 28:15-24
If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: / You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. / Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed. ...

Romans 5:12-19
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned. / For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law. / Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the way that Adam transgressed. He is a pattern of the One to come. ...

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3
“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!” / What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?

Isaiah 65:21-23
They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. / No longer will they build houses for others to inhabit, nor plant for others to eat. For as is the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands. / They will not labor in vain or bear children doomed to disaster; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD—they and their descendants with them.

2 Corinthians 11:3
I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

Job 5:6-7
For distress does not spring from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground. / Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

Revelation 22:3
No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him.

Psalm 107:34
and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. / For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Isaiah 55:10-11
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, / so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.


Treasury of Scripture

And to Adam he said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life;

Because.

1 Samuel 15:23,24
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king…

Matthew 22:12
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Matthew 25:26,27,45
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: …

and hast.

Genesis 3:6,11
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat…

Genesis 2:16,17
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: …

Jeremiah 7:23,24
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you…

cursed.

Genesis 5:29
And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.

Psalm 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Ecclesiastes 1:2,3,13,14
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity…

in sorrow.

Job 5:6,7
Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; …

Job 14:1
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

Job 21:17
How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

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Genesis 3
1. The serpent deceives Eve.
6. Both she and Adam transgress the divine command, and fall into sin.
8. God arraigns them.
14. The serpent is cursed.
15. The promised seed.
16. The punishment of mankind.
21. Their first clothing.
22. Their expulsion from paradise.














And to Adam He said
This phrase marks a direct address from God to Adam, emphasizing the personal nature of the consequences of sin. The Hebrew name "Adam" (אָדָם) is closely related to "adamah" (אֲדָמָה), meaning "ground" or "earth," highlighting Adam's creation from the earth and his role as caretaker of creation. This connection underscores the gravity of Adam's disobedience, as it affects not only himself but the very ground from which he was formed.

Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
The phrase indicates a deviation from God's command, as Adam chose to heed his wife's counsel over God's explicit instruction. The Hebrew word for "listened" (שָׁמַע, shama) implies not just hearing but obeying or giving heed. This highlights the importance of prioritizing God's word above all else, a principle that resonates throughout Scripture. It serves as a cautionary reminder of the consequences of placing human counsel above divine command.

and have eaten from the tree
This action signifies the pivotal moment of disobedience. The act of eating from the tree, which God had forbidden, represents a willful transgression of divine law. The Hebrew verb "eaten" (אָכַל, akal) is a simple yet profound action that brought about complex consequences, illustrating how seemingly small acts of disobedience can lead to significant ramifications.

of which I commanded you not to eat
This phrase reiterates the clear command given by God, emphasizing the clarity and directness of His instructions. The Hebrew word for "commanded" (צִוָּה, tzivah) conveys a sense of authoritative instruction, underscoring God's rightful authority over His creation. The repetition of the prohibition highlights the seriousness of Adam's disobedience and the importance of adhering to God's commands.

cursed is the ground because of you
Here, the consequence of Adam's sin extends beyond himself to the very earth he was meant to steward. The Hebrew word for "cursed" (אָרוּר, arur) indicates a profound alteration in the state of creation, reflecting the brokenness introduced by sin. This curse on the ground signifies a disruption in the harmony between humanity and creation, a theme that echoes throughout the biblical narrative and points to the need for redemption.

through toil you will eat of it
The introduction of "toil" (עִצָּבוֹן, itzavon) signifies a shift from the ease of provision in Eden to a life of labor and struggle. This reflects the broader biblical theme of work being both a blessing and a burden, a means of provision now marred by the effects of sin. The necessity of toil serves as a reminder of humanity's dependence on God for sustenance and the hope of eventual restoration.

all the days of your life
This phrase underscores the enduring nature of the consequence, affecting Adam and his descendants throughout their earthly existence. It serves as a sobering reminder of the long-lasting impact of sin and the need for divine intervention. The continuity of this struggle points to the ultimate hope found in Christ, who redeems and restores what was lost through Adam's disobedience.

(17, 18) Unto Adam (without the article, and therefore a proper name) he said.--Lange thoughtfully remarks that while the woman was punished by the entrance of sorrow into the small subjective world of her womanly calling, man is punished by the derangement of the great objective world over which he was to have dominion. Instead of protecting his wife and shielding her from evil, he had passively followed her lead in disobeying God's command; and therefore "the ground," the adamah out of which Adam had been formed, instead of being as heretofore his friend and willing subject, becomes unfruitful, and must be forced by toil and labour to yield its produce. Left to itself, it will no longer bring forth choice trees laden with generous fruit, such as Adam found in the garden, but the natural tendency will be to degenerate, till "thorns" only "and thistles" usurp the ground. Even after his struggle with untoward nature man wins for himself no paradisiacal banquet, but must "eat the herb of the field" (Job 30:4); and the end of this weary struggle is decay and death. In the renewed earth the golden age of paradise will return, and the tendency of nature will no longer be to decay and degeneration, but to the substitution unceasingly of the nobler and the more beautiful in the place of that which was worthless and mean (Isaiah 55:13).

Verse 17. - And unto Adam he said. The noun here used for the first time without the article is explained as a proper name (Keil, Lunge, Speaker's 'Commentary'), though perhaps it is rather designed to express the man s representative character (Macdonald). Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife. Preceding his sentence with a declaration of his guilt, which culminated in this, that instead of acting as his wife's protector prior to her disobedience, or as her mentor subsequent to that act, in the hope of brining her to repentance, he became her guilty coadjutor through yielding himself to her persuasions. And hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it. For which a twofold judgment is likewise pronounced upon Adam. Cursed is the ground. Ha adamah, out of which man was taken (Genesis 2:7); i.e. the soil outside of the garden. The language does not necessarily imply that now, for the first time, in consequence of the fall, the physical globe underwent a change, "becoming from that point onward a realm of deformity and discord, as before it was not, and displaying in all its sceneries and combinations the tokens of a broken constitution" (vide Bushnell, 'Nature and the Supernatural,' Genesis 7.); simply it announces the fact that, because of the transgression of which he had been guilty, he would find the land beyond the confines of Eden lying under a doom of sterility (cf. Romans 8:20). For thy sake. בַּעֲבוּרֶך.

1. Because of thy sin it required to be such a world.

2. For thy good it was better that such a curse should lie upon the ground. Reading ד instead of ר, the LXX. translate ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις; and the Vulgate, In operetuo. In sorrow. Literally, painful labor (cf. ver. 16; Proverbs 5:10). Shalt thou eat of it. I.e. of its fruits (cf. Isaiah 1:7; Isaiah 36:16; Isaiah 37:30). "Bread of sorrow" (Psalm 127:2) is bread procured and eaten amidst hard labor. All the days of thy life.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And to Adam
וּלְאָדָ֣ם (ū·lə·’ā·ḏām)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 121: Adam -- the first man, also a city in the Jordan Valley

He said:
אָמַ֗ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you have listened
שָׁמַעְתָּ֮ (šā·ma‘·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

to the voice
לְק֣וֹל (lə·qō·wl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

your wife
אִשְׁתֶּךָ֒ (’iš·te·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

and have eaten
וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ (wat·tō·ḵal)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

of the tree
הָעֵ֔ץ (hā·‘êṣ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

from which
אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

I commanded
צִוִּיתִ֙יךָ֙ (ṣiw·wî·ṯî·ḵā)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

you not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to eat,
תֹאכַ֖ל (ṯō·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

cursed
אֲרוּרָ֤ה (’ă·rū·rāh)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Strong's 779: To execrate

[is] the ground
הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ (hā·’ă·ḏā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 127: Ground, land

because of you;
בַּֽעֲבוּרֶ֔ךָ (ba·‘ă·ḇū·re·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5668: Crossed, transit, on account of, in order that

through toil
בְּעִצָּבוֹן֙ (bə·‘iṣ·ṣā·ḇō·wn)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6093: Worrisomeness, labor, pain

you will eat [of] it
תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֔נָּה (tō·ḵă·len·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

all
כֹּ֖ל (kōl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the days
יְמֵ֥י (yə·mê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117: A day

of your life.
חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ (ḥay·ye·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life


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OT Law: Genesis 3:17 To Adam he said Because you have (Gen. Ge Gn)
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