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 3:17)
For the first time the noun “Adam” is used as a proper name without the article, a fact that is not apparent in the KJV, where ha’adam, in chs. 2:19, 23; 3:8, 9, is translated as a personal name, although the article in each instance indicates that the word is used in the sense of “the man.” Before passing sentence God explained why it was necessary and appropriate. Adam had acted in accord with Eve’s persuasive arguments, setting her word above that of God. He had thus withdrawn his supreme affection and allegiance from God, and so had forfeited the blessings of life, and even life itself. Having exalted his will above the will of God, Adam must learn that independence from God does not mean a more exalted sphere of existence but separation from the Source of life. Death would therefore show him the worthlessness of his own nature.
Cursed is the ground.
It should be noticed again that God did not curse either Adam or his wife. Curses were pronounced only upon the serpent and the ground. But “cursed is the ground for thy sake,” God said to Adam.
In sorrow shalt thou eat.
The same word that had been used to express the sufferings associated with childbearing is now used to inform Adam of the difficulties to be encountered in eking out a meager living from the cursed ground. So long as he lived there would be no hope of relief from this condition. The expression “all the days of thy life” is the first indication that death would surely come, though the event might for a time be postponed.