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 3:17KJV
Know the Bible

Genesis 3:17 (KJV)

What does Genesis 3:17 mean?

Genesis 3:17 records God telling Adam that, because Adam listened to his wife and ate from the forbidden tree, the ground is now cursed and Adam will have to work in sorrow to get food from it for the rest of his life. This verse marks a turning point where human disobedience leads to hardship and struggle in daily life.

God is speaking directly to Adam after Adam and Eve have eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The verse explains the consequences of Adam's choice: not only is Adam affected, but the very ground he must work is now cursed, making his life more difficult. The sorrow and toil described are a direct result of Adam's decision to listen to another voice over God's clear command.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 3:17

  • "hearkened" — שָׁמַע (shamaʿ): This word means more than just hearing; it often carries the sense of listening with the intent to obey. Here, it highlights that Adam not only heard Eve but chose to follow her advice over God's instruction.
  • "cursed" — אָרַר (ʾarar): This word means to bind with a curse or to pronounce a curse upon. The focus is not just on Adam but on the ground itself, showing that the effects of disobedience reach beyond the individual.
  • "ground" — אֲדָמָה (ʾadamah): This is the same word used for "ground" from which Adam was formed, tying Adam's fate closely to the earth and emphasizing the broken relationship between humans and creation.
  • "sorrow" — עִצָּבוֹן (ʿitstzavon): This word refers to pain, hardship, or toil. It is the same word used earlier for Eve's pain in childbirth, showing a parallel in the consequences for both man and woman.

Why Genesis 3:17 matters

  • Genesis 3:17 clarifies that the curse is not just on Adam personally but on the ground itself, affecting all of human work and survival.
  • The verse shows that the consequences of disobedience are not limited to spiritual separation but also bring real, physical hardship into everyday life.
  • The connection between Adam and the ground (ʾadamah) deepens the theme of humanity's relationship with creation, which is now marked by struggle rather than harmony.

Where else these words appear

“sorrow” Hebrew H6093 · used in 3 verses

  • Genesis 3:16 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.
  • 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.

“Adam” Hebrew H121 · used in 9 verses

  • Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
  • Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
  • Joshua 3:16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

“all” Hebrew H3605 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
  • Exodus 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
  • 2 Samuel 3:35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

“cursed” Hebrew H779 · used in 52 verses

  • Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
  • Deuteronomy 27:15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
  • Joshua 9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.