Woe Is Me!
To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth children; yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Genesis 3:16 NASB
Pain – What a twisted verse! When you read this, doesn’t it make you question the justice of God? Doesn’t it communicate nonsensical consequences for an act of seduced disobedience? If measure-for-measure is the biblical principle of justice, where does it apply here? We can see that Adam suffers the consequences directly related to his origin (the ground) and his assignment (to steward the earth), but how is childbirth related to anything connected to Eve’s (Havvah’s) sin? Is giving birth a punishment for choosing to embrace a supposed deeper knowledge of good and evil? When did the consequences of sexual reproduction enter the picture? No! As it stands, this verse makes a mockery of God’s justice and a travesty of every birth. It actually leads us to the impossible theological predicament that our greatest sin is being born.
We aren’t the first to recognize this difficulty. Katherine Bushnell noticed the problem with the diacritical pointing added to the text more than 1000 years after it was written.[1] She demonstrated that the removal of the Sheva from the words harba arbeh (greatly increase) radically changes the meaning. Now it is about the one who seduces, not God adding more pain. Bushnell’s insight is in alignment with Meyers examination of the verse. As I point out in Guardian Angel, Meyers claims that the verse cannot be translated as a statement about birth.[2] At best it is about raising children, not birthing them. Finally, even Cassuto notices the oddity of this verse:
Yet another example of paronomasia is noted by Cassuto in the pericope of the curse on the woman and the man in Gen 3. Pain in childbirth (ʿissābôn and ʿeṣeb) are decreed for the woman (Gen 3:16), and pain in manual labor (ʿiṣṣābôn) is decreed for the man (Gen 3:17). Both came as the consequence of the sin respecting the fruit of the forbidden tree. Noting that “tree” (ʿēṣ) has the same first two radicals as pain (ʿṣb), Cassuto writes, “It was with respect to ʿēṣ that the man and the woman sinned, and it was with ʿeṣebh (pain) and ʿiṣṣābhōn (toil, suffering) that they were punished” (Genesis, I, p. 165).[3]
While Cassuto (and Allen in TWOT) retains the usual Christian exegesis about childbirth, his insight lets us see that whatever is happening here is an application of measure-for-measure in relation to the Tree. Unless we are willing to claim that the Tree is about sex (which some actually have claimed), it seems very unlikely that God punished us with sexual reproduction. I am not crying “Woe is me” during intercourse. Nor is the birth of a child accompanied with declarations of woe. It seems much more likely that this verse is the interpretive mangling of an exegetical heritage based principally on a male dominated religious hierarchy, replete with numerous historical examples of the oppression of women because of gender bias. The context and the text simply cannot support the idea that God punishes women while they fulfill their roles in propagating the species. Everywhere in Scripture, the birth and life of children is considered a blessing. Why should we interpret this verse in opposition to that general consensus?
What do we learn from this examination? Hopefully we learn that sometimes we must interpret a verse within the whole context of Scripture, especially when that verse seems to stand apart from the character of the God of Scripture. Sometimes it’s necessary to loosely translate because the implications of the traditional handling of the text are diabolically opposed to a God who calls Himself rahum (compassionate – Exodus 34:6).
Topical Index: Cassuto, Genesis 3:16, pain, Bushnell, Guardian Angel, harba arbeh
[1] Katherine Bushnell, God’s Word for Women, p. 51.
[2] Meyers, TDOT, Vol. XI, p. 280.
[3] Allen, R. B. (1999). 1666 עָצַב. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.
Thanks Skip for today’s post, for a long time now I have questioned this same verse in Genesis why would a God of love and compassion,curse havah like that childbirth is such a beautiful thing and our children are gifts from him! HAVE A BLESSED DAY!
Assuredly, in this day and age, with so much eroding of morality/ degeneration of the human character,
since the deception and wrong choice in Gan Eden, the raising up of children has been a big issue / responsibility, down the Biblical lineage.
Clearly it is not about childbirth! I had three easy ones, and very thankful for three wonderful, caring grown-ups. All kevod to ABBA!
Was Father not saying ” because you have have caused me, your Father, such pain, I am going to increase your pain through your children.” ? And didn’t that very thing happen to her?
Your suggestion is not supported by the text, although it MIGHT be a logical conclusion of OUR CULTURE. It, however, does not fit the culture where childbirth and children are seen as the blessing of God.
Thanks Skip. It has always bothered me when people talk about original sin. I look at children and see so much beauty in them. They are full of wonder and curiosity. I said something recently to a young mom about the terrible two stage. I could tell by the look on her face, she didn’t care for that expression. I think I’ll refrain from using it from now on. We do a disservice to moms, their children and as you said beautifully in your TW, to YHVH.
I originally viewed the first sin as sexual intercourse based on this verse. Later biblical warnings about whoring just confirmed my deduction… Many years later I slightly changed this view to be when the deed and childbearing is used to dominate a relationship…
This view I have not changed due to insufficient dialogue on the topic…
As reproduction is part of God’s plan He would not curse it except when the process is abused contrary to the intent…
Ester may be way you had such precious moments.
Just my 2c thoughts
Hi Seeker, interesting and I guess you are a guy? Can you define intimacy? And abuse is not part of a healthy relationship for sure.
Intimacy holding hands looking in each others eyes having an open and honest conversation concerning issues of mutual interest…
Why seeker, I’m surprised but happy to read your response. Love is a wonderful thing and intimacy is part of the equation. 🙂
Shalom Seeker! I did my part, no doubt. I read up a lot on pregnancy, went on a good diet, not much carbohydrates, had a good doctor who started me on calcium, went for daily evening walks. I was well prepared, even to the last minute! Blessings!
I think “Guardian Angel” is one of the most important books I’ve ever read. I highly recommend that anyone visiting this site beg, borrow, or buy a copy of their own.
Thanks for the endorsement. Most of the topics covered in the last few blogs are in the book. And please, don’t beg or borrow. Buy! That makes a big difference to me. 🙂
YES! I second that strongly, Thomas! It should be top of the list of Best Sellers in the world for Believers particularly, for those who are seeking to walk in His ways!
1. Personally, I’d take the pain of child birth gladly had the child REARING gone smoother.
2. Also, I’m wondering about the wisdom of questioning God’s choice of punishment for us. Isn’t it up to Him to decide, whether it seems fair or not to us?
Fair isn’t the issue. The issue is what the text actually says. The verse in question has been a theological nightmare for centuries, probably because the typical exegetes had a preconceived Christian stance on the whole affair. Frankly, if Jewish thinkers and scholars question the usual translation, and the culture of the time portrays a very different orientation, are we not obliged to consider another view? The text wasn’t written to us, to the West, to Christians or even to Jews. It was written to Hebrews coming out of Egypt and the thought patterns belong in that arena. So, let’s explore, investigate and keep an open mind about what God was really communicating. And, as always, be prepared to be revised.
“And, as always, be prepared to be revised.” Wow, that’s one thing we can count on. The last 12 years have revised so much of what I thought I knew in the previous 24 as a believer. And it also opened up so many avenues of understanding that I didn’t know existed. Much of it hasn’t been easy, especially putting it into practice. But it’s very exhilarating and I feel like I have made some progress (sometimes). And I feel like I know the God of Israel and the Messiah more as I continue this journey.
I have come to view the willingness to change as one of the more valuable characteristics that a disciple of Yeshua can possess. It pains me when I encounter his disciples who aren’t willing to change even when encountering biblical truth that doesn’t fit what they have been taught. I’m very thankful for those in my life who have challenged my understanding. Thanks Skip (and many who comment here) for being an instrument of change in my life. It may be true that it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. It may be hard, but with God’s help it can be done. I hope I’m one living example of that.
Skip, Etal. I would like to write about Skip’s last two sentences in his comment above. In my lengthy life, my interruption of many scriptures has changed several times. Born in 1933, we had few books in our home, my parents were both devout Christians, and they set a great example of what I should study; THE HOLY BIBLE, AND A DICTIONARY. We were also in church on Sunday. So when I was approximately 8 or 9 years, I became interested in where and how babies got into the world. However; I dared not ask or speak to anyone about such a thing. So I got the ” Original King James Bible out and began to study Genesis. But of course the only word it used was “knew”. ( Adam knew Eve). I could not figure out the meaning of that, therefore I went to the big old dictionary, and looked up the word, “knew”. And I was still blank.
I guess I was in 7th grade or so when I began to hear the older students ( we all walked to and from school) talk about sex; I began to get some clues. I went to college, & married a young man at 19 and had a baby two years later. My husband had been drafted in the Korean conflict, and the baby was born in Letterman’s Hospital in the Presidio in San Francisco, over looking the Pacific Ocean and Alcatraz-when it was still a Prison. However; the young medical Dr’s. did not educate women/wives/ at all on sex, or even having a baby. Just a check-up with a potential date, and nothing about birth-control, etc.
But, God was gracious to me, and I clung to the simple proverbs about “trusting the Lord with all my heart and soul” . “When my time came”, my husband drove through the tunnel from the Island of Alameda, to Oakland, he stopped by some apartment houses there to tell his commuters to the base, that he would not pick them up in the morning. While he was doing that; he left me in the car in the dark parking lot in hard labor.. Then we drove across the Bay Bridge- longer than Golden Gate Bridge. Finally we reached Letterman’s Hospital. After checking me, the M.D. called for a quick needle that included an injection into my spine- a saddle block. By then it was 7:00 a.m. and a shift change. All the M.D. or potential ones had gathered around my bed to watch this young naïve mother to be, give birth. They were discussing all the details, and their opinions. I was wide awake and just wanted to die! My husband was not invited in the room. However; I survived and gave birth to an 8lb. 8oz boy, two and half hours after we left Alameda and arrived to Letterman Hospital in the Presidio in SF.
Two years later, we had a daughter, and I was determine that my children would know whatever I could find to teach them from very young ages that they would know about sex and where children came from. I found one book written and illustrated for children and bought it. They almost wore the book out, but my own Mother was appalled that they knew so much about sex! She declared several times that she had never known children to understand such things. The book survived in part, so that years later two more baby girls were born into our home, and loved that same book, too.!
And much of my own interruption of scripture has continued to change up to now. I am in old age, and my needs are so different. I feel the Lord in his great Wisdom, helps us if we are open and seeking with all our hearts, souls, minds; He continues to answer our prayers. He is indeed Faithful! He uses people like you Skip, and those of you who write, to make me think, and study and pray. All of you are truly a part of my life in my own home, yet. Of course, it also keeps getting older, and needs constant upkeep! — ALL OF THIS IS LIFE! Love to all who read this. LaVaye ( I truly ask for forgiveness for the length, Mark. I just so wanted to write this in response to this Hebrew Word.– And the word, et.al is found in a 1960’s dictionary, words certainly change too!)
Appreciate you sharing your experiences, LaVaye. Hope you are living nearby your children.
Would there be Retirement Villages/ Communities nearby that you can move into, to enjoy independent living, yet have some social life? Rather than be on your own? Just my thoughts. Then you won’t have to worry about maintaining your house?
Hugs and love, Ester