“The man’s fate [in Gen 3:17]…matches the woman’s. He will know grievous toil (‘etseb) as she does. Here it certainly refers to challenging economic circumstances, as the man is locked in a struggle with the land, hoping through “painful toil” to grow sufficient green plants in the midst of “thorns and thistles” to survive. The work done in the field corresponds to the work done at home (notice that the woman’s ‘etseb is said to increase, not to begin)… The man is not only in a struggle with the land, but Gen 3:16 tells us that he’s also locked in a struggle with his spouse… Men and women are created to work and rule in partnership… but now the man relates to the woman as if she were a part of the creation, rather than a co-ruler over creation with the man. And she, for her part, is not portrayed as blameless in this increased dysfunctionality in male-female relations… Intended for partnership, they will in fact find themselves embroiled in a struggle for dominance… This is why family life will be more “painful” for the woman… dysfunction now marks not only the human relationship with God and with the land, but also with each other. There remainder of the book of Genesis powerfully illustrated this dysfunction and the sorrow that it brings.” —ADAPTED FROM IAN PROVAN, “PAIN IN CHILDBIRTH?”, P. 291-292.

Consequences for the Man: Genesis 3:17-19

The punishment is “that work will now involve more pain than before. The work will be experienced in a different way— as a struggle with an earth that is more reluctant to give up good things, and that insists on producing “thorns and thistles for you” (Gen 3:8). The wording of this verse is strange, and underlines that it is not the world that has changed but people’s experience of this world… The land will still provide food, but only at a greater cost.” —IAIN PROVAN, SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS RELIGION, 121.

End fo The Eden Story

Genesis 3:20-24

The provision of clothing for the humans in Genesis 3:21 is a mercy moment. It presents the complex portrait of a God who does not condone poor action but continues to work with people in non-ideal situations. —Tim Mackie, The Bible Project

Exile from Eden: Genesis 3:22-24

Bibliography

Mangum, Douglas, Miles Custis, and Wendy Widder. Genesis 1–11. Lexham Research Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012.
https://bibleproject.com/course/adam-noah/
https://www.gotquestions.org/two-Creation-accounts.html
Terje Stordalen, Echoes of Eden: Genesis 2-3 and Symbolism of the Garden of Eden in Biblical Hebrew Literature
Seth Postell, Adam as Israel: Genesis 1-3 as the Introduction to the Torah and Tanakh
John H. Walton. About The Lost World of Adam and Eve: Genesis 2–3 and the Human Origins Debate
https://benwitherington.blogspot.com/2006/02/literal-renderings-of-texts-of.html
https://weekly.israelbiblecenter.com/snake-garden-serpent-satan
https://weekly.israelbiblecenter.com/why-did-the-serpent-speak?via=f1d21ea&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=IBC_lead_drip_content_E19_why-did-the-serpent-speak_2023-7-27#f1d21ea