Genesis 3:18

18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

Genesis 3:18 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
English Standard Version (ESV)
18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
New Living Translation (NLT)
18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.
The Message Bible (MSG)
18 The ground will sprout thorns and weeds, you'll get your food the hard way, Planting and tilling and harvesting,
American Standard Version (ASV)
18 thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
18 The ground will grow thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat wild plants.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
18 You will eat the plants of the field, even though the ground produces thorns and thistles.

Genesis 3:18 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 3:18

Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee,
&c.] 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 was of opinion, that if there had not been a new blessing upon the earth, it would have brought forth nothing else, as that which is rejected and nigh unto cursing does, ( Hebrews 6:8 ) and this curse continued, at least it was not wholly removed, until the times of Noah, ( Genesis 8:21 ) which made it hard and difficult to the antediluvian patriarchs to get their bread.

And thou shall eat the herb of the field;
not the fruits of the garden of Eden, but only the common herbs of the field, such as even the beasts of the earth fed upon: to such a low condition was man, the lord of the whole earth, reduced unto by sin; and this was according to the law of retaliation, that man, who could not be content with all the fruits of Eden, save one, by eating the forbidden fruit should be deprived of them all.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Apud Fagium in loc.

Genesis 3:18 In-Context

16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Job 31:40; Isaiah 5:6; Hebrews 6:8
  • 2. Psalms 104:14
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