Genesis 3:17

17. Unto Adam he said The examination began with Adam, (Genesis 3:9,) and the offence was traced to the serpent, (Genesis 3:13;) the condemnation was pronounced first upon the serpent (Genesis 3:14) and last upon the man . The curse pronounced against the man seems manifold . It contains, at least, five elements of woe: 1) On account of him the very soil is cursed, and, as a penal result of that curse, 2) the ground he tills will produce thorns and thistles along with the herb which is to be his food . Genesis 3:18. Moreover, 3) the cultivation of the grain which is to be his food, will involve toilsome and tiring labour, causing the sweat to stand upon his face, (Genesis 3:19,) and consequently, 4) his very eating will be in sorrow. 5) At last he himself must die and return to the dust from which he was taken.

Because thou hast hearkened… and hast eaten To listen was a culpable weakness, to eat the forbidden fruit a crime. The plea of Adam (in Genesis 3:12) is of no avail. For the weakness of hearkening to his transgressing wife he must expend his manly strength in life-long painful struggle with a cursed soil, and for his own transgression of the commandment he must return to dust.

Cursed is the ground Instead of a delightful Paradise, he shall find the ground becoming barren and unfruitful. Often since this general curse was uttered has God, by special judgments, cursed the land for the sins of the people. See Isaiah 24:1-6; Jeremiah 23:10.

In sorrow shalt thou eat עצבון , labour, distress. The same word employed in Genesis 3:16 to denote the woman’s sorrow. Her perpetual reminder of the original sin is to be the pain of childbearing; his, the corresponding sorrow of oppressive labour for food in the midst of manifold vocations.