King James Version

What Does Genesis 3:17 Mean?

Genesis 3:17 in the King James Version says “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I co...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 3 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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;”

Genesis 3:17 · KJV

Context

15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. to thy: or, subject to thy husband

17

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;

18

Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; bring: Heb. cause to bud

19

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Read Genesis 3 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the... This chapter narrates humanity's tragic fall from innocence through temptation, sin, and divine judgment. The serpent's subtle questioning of God's word, Eve's addition to and misquotation of God's command, and Adam's passive participation demonstrate the progression from doubt to disobedience to disaster.

The consequences affect every dimension of human existence: spiritual death (separation from God), physical death (mortality), relational dysfunction (shame, blame, conflict), vocational difficulty (cursed ground, painful labor), and cosmic disruption (groaning creation). Yet within the curses, God provides gracious provisions: proto-evangelium promise of redemption, clothing to cover shame, and preservation of life despite deserved death.

Theologically, this chapter establishes the origin and nature of sin, the reality of Satan's activity, the universality of human fallenness, the justice of divine judgment, and the necessity of redemption. Understanding the fall illuminates why the world contains suffering and evil, why humans rebel against God, why salvation requires divine intervention, and how Christ as the second Adam reverses the first Adam's failure (Romans 5:12-21, 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The serpent in Genesis 3 reflects ancient Near Eastern associations between serpents and chaos, evil, or deceptive wisdom. Unlike pagan myths where serpents might be deified, Genesis presents the serpent as a mere creature, though Satan's instrument (Revelation 12:9, 20:2). Ancient curse formulas from various cultures parallel God's pronouncements, but Genesis uniquely embeds redemptive promise within judgment.

The agricultural curses (thorns, sweat, difficult labor) would have resonated deeply with ancient subsistence farmers for whom crop failure meant starvation. The pain in childbearing acknowledges a universal female experience that ancient cultures attributed to various causes, but Genesis traces it to sin's consequences rather than divine cruelty or inherent evil in creation or sexuality.

Archaeological evidence of humanity's ancient struggles with agriculture, disease, death, and violence aligns with Genesis's portrayal of a fallen world. Ancient wisdom literature from Mesopotamia and Egypt grappled with suffering's origins, but Genesis alone provides the theological explanation: human rebellion against God brought cosmic corruption. This account would have answered Israelite questions about why their promised land required hard labor, why they suffered pain and death, and why they needed redemption.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does this passage reveal about God's sovereignty and human responsibility?
  2. How should this truth about Curse and Promise shape our daily decisions and priorities?
  3. In what ways does this narrative foreshadow or typify aspects of Christ's redemptive work?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 23 words
וּלְאָדָ֣ם1 of 23

“And unto Adam”

H121

adam the name of the first man, also of a place in palestine

לֵאמֹ֔ר2 of 23

“he said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

כִּֽי3 of 23
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

שָׁמַעְתָּ֮4 of 23

“Because thou hast hearkened”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

לְק֣וֹל5 of 23

“unto the voice”

H6963

a voice or sound

אִשְׁתֶּךָ֒6 of 23

“of thy wife”

H802

a woman

תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֔נָּה7 of 23

“Thou shalt not eat”

H398

to eat (literally or figuratively)

מִן8 of 23
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

הָעֵ֔ץ9 of 23

“of the tree”

H6086

a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)

אֲשֶׁ֤ר10 of 23

“of which”

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

צִוִּיתִ֙יךָ֙11 of 23

“I commanded thee”

H6680

(intensively) to constitute, enjoin

לֵאמֹ֔ר12 of 23

“he said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

לֹ֥א13 of 23
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֔נָּה14 of 23

“Thou shalt not eat”

H398

to eat (literally or figuratively)

מִמֶּ֑נּוּ15 of 23
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

אֲרוּרָ֤ה16 of 23

“of it cursed”

H779

to execrate

הָֽאֲדָמָה֙17 of 23

“is the ground”

H127

soil (from its general redness)

בַּֽעֲבוּרֶ֔ךָ18 of 23
H5668

properly, crossed, i.e., (abstractly) transit; used only adverbially, on account of, in order that

בְּעִצָּבוֹן֙19 of 23

“for thy sake in sorrow”

H6093

worrisomeness, i.e., labor or pain

תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֔נָּה20 of 23

“Thou shalt not eat”

H398

to eat (literally or figuratively)

כֹּ֖ל21 of 23

“of it all”

H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

יְמֵ֥י22 of 23

“the days”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

חַיֶּֽיךָ׃23 of 23

“of thy life”

H2416

alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or livin

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 3:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 3:17 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Romans 8:20-22Genesis 5:29Isaiah 24:5-6Ecclesiastes 2:22-23John 16:33Job 14:1

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