Genesis 3:17f
God said to Adam: ‘Because you have hearkened 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 you shall eat of it, all the days of your life…. You shall eat the herb of the field!’ Genesis 3:17-18.
Commented Calvin: “Punishment was not inflicted upon the first of our race, so as to rest on those two alone. But was extended generally to all their posterity. In order that we might know that the human race was cursed in their person…. They were subjected only to temporal punishment — so that, from the moderation of the divine anger, they might entertain hope of pardon….
“After He had briefly spoken of Adam’s sin, He annoy unced that the earth would be cursed for his sake. The ancient interpreter has translated it, ‘In your work’…. God withdraws His favour.. .. Through the son of man, punishment would overflow the earth…. The ruin of man drives headlong all those creatures which were formed for his sake and had been made subject to him….
“Properly speaking, this whole punishment is exacted not from the earth itself, but from man alone. For the earth does not bear fruit for itself, but in order that food may be supplied to us out of its bowels…. Although (as David says) the earth is still full of the mercy of God (Psalm 33:5) — yet at the same time appear manifest signs of His dread ful alienation from us….
“Lest sadness and horror should overwhelm us, the Lord sprinkles everywhere the tokens of His goodness…. If what remains behind be considered in itself, David truly and properly exclaims: ‘The earth is full of the mercy of God’ ….
“By ‘eating of the earth,’ Moses means ‘eating of the fruits’ which proceed from it. The Hebrew word…itsabon…is rendered ‘pain.’ (It) is also taken for ‘trouble’ and ‘fatigue’…. It stands in antithesis with the pleasant labour in which Adam previously so employed himself….
“In that labour, there had been sweet delight. Now, servile work is enjoined upon him — as if he were condemned to the mines! And yet, the a sperity of this punishment also is mitigated by the clemency of God. Because something of enjoyment is blended with the labours of men, lest they should be altogether ungrateful….
“By the increasing wickedness of men, the remaining blessing of God is gradually diminished and impaired…. ‘You shall eat the herb of the field’ are expounded too strictly…by those who think that Adam was thereby deprived of all the fruits which he had before been permitted to eat.
God intends nothing more than that he (man) should be to such an extent deprived of his former delicacies, as to be compelled to use in addition to them the herbs…. As if it had been said: ‘Although the earth which ought to be the mother of good fruits only, be covered with thorns and briers — still it shall yield to you sustenance.'” By eating, in sorrow, the herb of the field!
