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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 3:16

We have here the sentence passed upon the woman for her sin. Two things she is condemned to: a state of sorrow, and a state of subjection, proper punishments of a sin in which she had gratified her pleasure and her pride. I. She is here put into a state of sorrow, one particular of which only is specified, that in bringing forth children; but it includes all those impressions of grief and fear which the mind of that tender sex is most apt to receive, and all the common calamities which they... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 3:17-19

I. God put marks of his displeasure on Adam in three instances:? 1. His habitation is, by this sentence, cursed: Cursed is the ground for thy sake; and the effect of that curse is, Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee. It is here intimated that his habitation should be changed; he should no longer dwell in a distinguished, blessed, paradise, but should be removed to common ground, and that cursed. The ground, or earth, is here put for the whole visible creation, which, by the sin... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said ,.... The woman receives her sentence next to the serpent, and before the man, because she was first and more deeply in the transgression, and was the means of drawing her husband into it. I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception , or "thy sorrow of thy conception" F1 והרנך עצבונך "tuum dolorem etiam conceptus tui", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "tuum dolorem conceptus tui", Drusius, Noldius, p. 315. No. 1978. , or rather "of thy... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 3:17

And unto Adam he said ,.... Last of all, being the last that sinned, but not to be excused: because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife ; which was not only mean but sinful, since it was opposite to the voice of God, which he ought to have hearkened to God is to be hearkened to and obeyed rather than man, and much rather than a woman; to regard the persuasion of a woman, and neglect the command of God, is a great aggravation of such neglect; see Acts 4:19 . and hast eaten... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 3:18

Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ,.... Not for his advantage, but to give him more trouble, and cause him more fatigue and sorrow to root them up: these include all sorts of noxious herbs and plants, and troublesome weeds, which added to man's labour to pluck up, that those more useful might grow and flourish: and Rabbi Eliezer F5 Apud Fagium in loc. was of opinion, that if there had not been a new blessing upon the earth, it would have brought forth nothing else,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 3:19

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread ,.... Or "of thy nose" F6 אפיך "nasi tui", Picherellus. , sweat appearing first and chiefly on the forehead, from whence it trickles down by the nose in persons employed in hard labour; and here it takes in all the labour used in cultivating the earth for the production of herbs, and particularly of corn, of which bread is made; with respect to which there are various operations in which men sweat, such as ploughing, sowing, reaping,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said - She being second in the transgression is brought up the second to receive her condemnation, and to hear her punishment: I will greatly multiply, or multiplying I will multiply; i.e., I will multiply thy sorrows, and multiply those sorrows by other sorrows, and this during conception and pregnancy, and particularly so in parturition or child-bearing. And this curse has fallen in a heavier degree on the woman than on any other female. Nothing is better attested than... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 3:17

Unto Adam he said - The man being the last in the transgression is brought up last to receive his sentence: Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife - "thou wast not deceived, she only gave and counseled thee to eat; this thou shouldst have resisted;" and that he did not is the reason of his condemnation. Cursed is the ground for thy sake - from henceforth its fertility shall be greatly impaired; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it - be in continual perplexity concerning the seed... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 3:18

Thorns also and thistles, etc. - Instead of producing nourishing grain and useful vegetables, noxious weeds shall be peculiarly prolific, injure the ground, choke the good seed, and mock the hopes of the husbandman; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field - thou shalt no longer have the privilege of this garden of delights, but must go to the common champaign country, and feed on such herbs as thou canst find, till by labor and industry thou hast raised others more suitable to thee and more... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 3:19

In the sweat of thy face - Though the whole body may be thrown into a profuse sweat, if hard labor be long continued, yet the face or forehead is the first part whence this sweat begins to issue; this is occasioned by the blood being strongly propelled to the brain, partly through stooping, but principally by the strong action of the muscles; in consequence of this the blood vessels about the head become turgid through the great flux of blood, the fibres are relaxed, the pores enlarged, and... read more

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