The story of the Garden of Eden is not merely a historical account—it is the origin of the human condition. The seven curses pronounced in Genesis 3 form the foundation of how the world now operates, shaping the struggles of humanity, the hostility between good and evil, and the deep longing for restoration. By examining the curse at Eden, we gain clarity on the human heart, the nature of the devil, and the built-in hope God provides even in judgment.
- The Serpent is Cursed
- Lowered above all creatures.
- Condemned to crawl on its belly and eat dust (humiliation).
- Enmity Between the Serpent and the Woman, and Her Offspring
- A permanent spiritual war begins between Satan and humanity. (introducing struggle into what was once false harmony)
- The woman’s offspring will eventually crush the serpent’s head, while the serpent will strike his heel (fulfilled in Christ).
- Pain in Childbearing for the Woman
- Pregnancy, labor, delivery and raising children become painful and dangerous.
- Relational Conflict Between Man and Woman
- The woman will desire to control the man.
- The man will rule over her (introducing struggle into what was once harmony).
- The Ground is Cursed Because of the Man
- Creation no longer cooperates with human effort.
- The land produces thorns and thistles.
- Life Becomes Toilsome and Ends in Death
- Man must work by the sweat of his brow to survive.
- Separation from God results in returning to dust (physical death begins).
- Humanity is Banished from Eden and the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:23–24)
- God removes man from the Garden.
- God blocks access to the Tree of Life with cherubim and a flaming sword.
- This prevents humans from living forever in a fallen, corrupted condition.
The seven curses are a grim reminder that we live in a fallen world, that this place is not our home therefore, we should look forward to our exodus back home. In the next series of articles, I explore the solutions that are inbuilt in the curses themselves, and how different characters in the Bible implemented or failed to implement them, and how the Bible builds upon these themes found in Genesis 3.
What Really Happened in Eden
The seven curses in Genesis 3 are divided into two parts. The first curse to each of the perpetrators takes away a privilege they enjoyed. This is God the Father saying, “You have been naughty; I will take away your electronic gadgets. Hopefully, the consequence will help you reflect on your mistakes and make you change your ways.”
- Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.
- I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children.
- Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
The second curse to each perpetrator is a relational curse. This curse addresses the root issues that brought about the rebellion. Let’s look deeper at the issues God is correcting.
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.
This curse has two parts. The first part tells us something about what happened in the Garden that fateful day. The curse breaks up a cartel/friendship between the serpent and the woman. This ungodly relationship allowed Eve to be influenced by ideas that were not Godly. In Scripture, the fall of God’s people often begins with ungodly alliances (e.g., Israel intermarrying with surrounding nations).
God deals with this problem by putting enmity between the two—“a feeling or condition of hostility, hatred, ill will, animosity, antagonism.” God executes justice by allowing the two conspirators to turn against each other, preventing them from continuing their agenda.
The second part of the curse gives a solution to this enmity: the battle will be long and painful, but one of the woman’s children (Jesus) will ultimately have the final victory.
The second part of Eve’s curse follows the same structure: resolving the root issue, then giving the solution.
Your desire will be for your husband, but he will rule over you.
The curse gives the woman the desire to control or own the man. The word desire as used in the Old Testament means to enslave, control, or dominate. For example, God warns Cain:
“And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
— Genesis 4:7
This desire destroys the harmonious relationship that existed before the fall. In other words, the alliance that led to rebellion is broken. From now on, the woman will desire the man as something to control.
The final line gives the solution—just as Jesus is the solution to the serpent’s curse:
“but he will rule over you.”
After the fall, that harmony is replaced by enmity/ conflict over leadership. God’s relational correction establishes order intended not to suppress the woman, but to redeem relationship and prevent the same type of rebellion that occurred in Eden.
Just as Christ is the solution to the serpent’s curse, restored, godly leadership is the solution to the relational struggle between man and woman.
Adam’s second curse is slightly different. God first gives the context:
“Because you listened to your wife…”
“…for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
In the last curse, God invokes the memory of how Adam was created from dust and given the breath of life that sustained him. God is essentially saying, “How does what was dust the other day betray Me? How does it rebel against God?” The solution to this relational problem is separation: God takes back the life He breathed, and the process of returning to dust—physical death—begins.
Adam’s curse is also separation from the abundant life that God had provided. There is now enmity between the land and Adam that will cause him sorrow. The final and only solution to his condition is death.
Blessings or Curses 