Genesis 3:14 kjv
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Genesis 3:14 nkjv
So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life.
Genesis 3:14 niv
So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "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.
Genesis 3:14 esv
The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
Genesis 3:14 nlt
Then the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed
more than all animals, domestic and wild.
You will crawl on your belly,
groveling in the dust as long as you live.
Genesis 3 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:15 | And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." | Protoevangelium, ultimate victory over evil |
| Gen 4:11 | "Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand." | Example of divine curse for sin |
| Num 21:6 | Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people; and they bit the people, so that many of Israel died. | Serpents as instruments of divine judgment |
| Deut 28:15 | "But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes... then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you." | Curses for disobedience |
| Ps 72:9 | The desert tribes will bow before him, and his enemies will lick the dust. | Symbolic humiliation of enemies |
| Isa 65:25 | The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord. | Affirmation of serpent's diet/defeat |
| Mic 7:17 | They shall lick the dust like a snake; like crawling things of the earth, they shall come trembling out of their strongholds... | Nations humbling themselves before God |
| John 8:44 | You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth... | Serpent linked to the Devil, source of lies |
| 2 Cor 11:3 | But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. | Serpent's cunning and deceptive nature |
| Gal 3:13 | Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— | Redemption from the curse through Christ |
| Rom 16:20 | The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. | Ultimate victory over Satan |
| Rev 12:9 | And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels with him. | Serpent directly identified as Satan |
| Rev 20:2 | And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years... | Serpent (Satan) bound and defeated |
| 1 John 3:8 | Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. | Devil's origin in sin |
| Job 40:12 | Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; tread down the wicked where they stand. | God's power to abase the proud |
| Ps 104:24 | O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. | God's sovereign design over creation |
| Ps 44:25 | For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our body clings to the ground. | Image of profound humiliation |
| Heb 12:29 | For our God is a consuming fire. | God's justice and severity against sin |
Genesis 3 verses
Genesis 3 14 Meaning
Genesis 3:14 details God's direct judgment upon the serpent for its role in the deception of humanity. This curse outlines a profound debasement of the serpent, stripping it of any former elevated status and subjecting it to perpetual humiliation, manifested physically as crawling on its belly and symbolically as feeding on dust. It underscores God's immediate justice following sin and sets the stage for future conflict and ultimate divine triumph over evil.
Genesis 3 14 Context
Genesis chapter 3 records humanity's fall into sin. Prior to verse 14, Adam and Eve have disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, prompted by the serpent's deception. When confronted by God, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Verse 14 initiates God's direct judgment on each party involved, beginning with the deceiver. This judgment precedes the pronouncements upon the woman (Gen 3:16) and the man (Gen 3:17-19), highlighting the serpent's primary role as instigator.
Genesis 3 14 Word analysis
- So the Lord God (Yahweh Elohim): This phrase refers to God by both His covenant name (YHWH/Lord), signifying His personal relationship and faithfulness, and His title as Creator and Judge (Elohim). This combined name emphasizes God's sovereign authority and just character as He administers judgment.
- said to the serpent (ha-nachash): The Hebrew word "nachash" (נָחָשׁ) translates to "serpent" or "snake." However, it can also relate to concepts of divination or a shining, coppery appearance. In this context, it identifies the creature through which the ultimate deceiver, Satan, acted. God addresses the instigator directly.
- "Because you have done this": This phrase links the ensuing curse directly to the serpent's malicious act of deception, holding it accountable for corrupting humanity and defying God's command.
- "cursed are you (arur attah)": The Hebrew "arur" (אָרוּר) signifies a state of severe and ongoing separation, marked by divine disfavor, shame, and irreversible condemnation. This is the first recorded curse from God in the Bible, establishing a powerful precedent for consequences of rebellion against His will.
- "above all livestock and all wild animals!": This specifies the unparalleled nature of the serpent's curse. Its punishment is unique and more severe than any other animal's, signifying its exceptional culpability and distinct debasement.
- "You will crawl on your belly (al-gechonka telech)": "Gechon" (גָּחוֹן) refers to the belly. This pronouncement is commonly interpreted as a physical alteration from a prior state (though this pre-curse form is not described), but more fundamentally, it represents an act of profound physical and symbolic humiliation. The serpent, possibly an upright or alluring creature before, is condemned to a perpetually low, groveling posture.
- "and you will eat dust (ve'apar tochel)": "Aphar" (עָפָר) is dust or dry earth. This symbolizes ultimate humiliation, degradation, and total defeat. For the serpent to eat dust signifies its perpetual abasement to the lowest state, perpetually connected to the earth that received the curses, and metaphorically to the defeat it will experience. It suggests being confined to the earth, consuming that which represents mortality and decay.
- "all the days of your life": This emphasizes the perpetual and lasting nature of the curse. It is not a temporary affliction but an eternal judgment against the tempter and all it represents.
Words-group analysis:
- "cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals": This phrase underlines the extraordinary nature of the serpent's judgment, differentiating it sharply from general animal behavior. It elevates the serpent's punishment due to its role as the tool of spiritual rebellion.
- "You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust": These two physical descriptions powerfully convey the symbolic debasement of the serpent. The shift from a potentially majestic or unencumbered form to one that grovels and consumes the very substance of the ground, marks its complete and irreversible degradation. This vivid imagery communicates defeat and complete subservience.
Genesis 3 14 Bonus section
- Many biblical scholars understand "the serpent" (ha-nachash) in Genesis 3 as more than just a literal snake; it is a manifestation or vessel used by Satan, the adversary of God and humanity (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). Therefore, the curse upon the serpent is fundamentally a pronouncement of judgment against Satan himself.
- The idea of "eating dust" (apharm) ties back to humanity's creation "from the dust of the ground" (Gen 2:7) and return to dust in death (Gen 3:19). The serpent's being forced to "eat dust" is symbolic of its contempt for and debasement of humanity, as well as its own ultimate powerlessness and defeat by the One who rules over both creation and destiny.
- This verse establishes an eternal conflict between humanity and evil, specifically manifested as a physical degradation and perpetual humiliation for the latter, laying groundwork for the eventual crushing of the serpent's head by the Seed of the woman (Gen 3:15).
Genesis 3 14 Commentary
Genesis 3:14 is a pivotal declaration of divine judgment against the instrument of the Fall. It highlights God's swift and unwavering response to rebellion against His holy character and commands. While addressing the physical serpent, the curse is deeply symbolic of the utter humiliation and eventual defeat awaiting the spiritual power, Satan, who manipulated the creature. The perpetual crawling and "eating dust" symbolize permanent abasement, stripping the deceiver of all dignity and preeminence it might have held or sought. This act of condemnation asserts God's ultimate sovereignty and justice over creation and the forces of evil. It also serves as an immediate, visible consequence of sin and precedes the ultimate redemptive plan revealed in Genesis 3:15, affirming that even in judgment, God is already setting the stage for salvation and victory over the serpent. This divine decree illustrates that evil, no matter its perceived power, is ultimately brought to absolute lowliness by the Almighty.