Rom 8:20: the ground cursed in Gen 3:17–19 (MT and LXX)
Says In Gen 3:17 the Lord God says to Adam אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ (arurah ha'adamah ba'avurekha, "cursed is the ground because of you," BSB), with the Qal passive participle of אָרַר (arar, "curse," BDB p. 76). The ground will yield "thorns and thistles" (3:18, BSB), and Adam returns to dust (3:19).
Says Swete has ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου, "in your works" (literal), where the MT has "because of you."
Implies Rom 8:20, τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, alludes to this curse on the ground. The creation suffers the curse because of Adam, but in Gen 3 the Lord God pronounces it.
Implies The one who subjected creation (διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα) is God. Only God pronounces the curse in Gen 3:17, and only God could subject it "in hope" (8:20, BSB). Some take Adam as the subjecter, since the curse is "because of you."
On Adam, the curse, and death in Gen 2–3 see note.language.Rom.5.12-Rom.5.14.gen-2-3-adam.
Claims
- SaysGen 3:17 the Lord God says אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ (Qal passive participle of אָרַר, BDB p. 76); thorns and thistles (3:18); return to dust (3:19).
- SaysSwete's Gen 3:17 has ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου ("in your works") where the MT has "because of you."
- ImpliesRom 8:20 τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη alludes to the curse on the ground in Gen 3:17–19.
- ImpliesThe one who subjected creation (διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα) is God, who pronounces the curse in Gen 3:17 and alone could subject it in hope; some take Adam as the subjecter.
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 3:17 (morph HVqsfsa), 18–19
- BDB CC BY 4.0 s.v. 'arar (H779), p. 76, entry a.fy.aa
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 3:17 (apparatus p. 5: "τουτου] τουτο E | om εν λυπαις...ζωης σου E"). LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 1 (1909), p. 5.
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 8:20
- BSB public domain Gen 3:17–18; Rom 8:20
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-11-01
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