The Meaning of Genesis 3:19 Explained

Genesis 3:19

KJV: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

YLT: by the sweat of thy face thou dost eat bread till thy return unto the ground, for out of it hast thou been taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust thou turnest back.'

Darby: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou return to the ground: for out of it wast thou taken. For dust thou art; and unto dust shalt thou return.

ASV: in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In the sweat  of thy face  shalt thou eat  bread,  till  thou return  unto the ground;  for out of it wast thou taken:  for dust  thou  [art], and unto dust  shalt thou return. 

What does Genesis 3:19 Mean?

Study Notes

return Death (physical).
Genesis 5:5 ; Genesis 3:19 ; Hebrews 9:27

Context Summary

Genesis 3:9-21 - God's Condemnation Of Adam And Eve
God does not wait for Adam to find his own way back, but hastens in search of him. "Where art thou" is rendered in one version, Alas for thee. Jesus met the Tempter not in a garden, but in the wilderness. He suffered being tempted, but has become to all who obey Him a Life-giving Spirit, and the Author of Eternal Salvation. Read 1 Corinthians 15:45, and Hebrews 5:9. The penalty is gone, borne by Him in His own body on the Cross. So Paul affirms in Romans 5:14, etc. Our bias toward evil is counteracted by His indwelling through the Holy Spirit; so we are taught in Romans 8:1-4. He bruises Satan beneath the feet of those who trust Him. Such is His own assurance in Luke 10:19, and Mark 16:17. He transforms the other results of sin. Through pain the mother's love is drawn out to her child. Hard work is educative and ennobling. Death is the gate of life. Where sin abounded, grace abounds much more. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 3

1  The serpent deceives Eve
6  Both she and Adam transgress the divine command, and fall into sin
8  God arraigns them
14  The serpent is cursed
15  The promised seed
16  The punishment of mankind
21  Their first clothing
22  Their expulsion from paradise

What do the individual words in Genesis 3:19 mean?

by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground for out of it you were taken for dust you [are] and to you shall return
בְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם עַ֤ד שֽׁוּבְךָ֙ אֶל־ הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה לֻקָּ֑חְתָּ כִּֽי־ עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־ תָּשֽׁוּב

בְּזֵעַ֤ת  by  the  sweat 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: זֵעָה  
Sense: sweat.
אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙  of  your  face 
Parse: Noun, mdc, second person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
תֹּ֣אכַל  you  shall  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
לֶ֔חֶם  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
עַ֤ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
שֽׁוּבְךָ֙  you  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
מִמֶּ֖נָּה  out  of  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
לֻקָּ֑חְתָּ  you  were  taken 
Parse: Verb, QalPass, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
עָפָ֣ר  dust 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.
אַ֔תָּה  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
וְאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
תָּשֽׁוּב  you  shall  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.