Why Childbirth Hurts
Unfortunately, we can read why childbirth is so painful in Genesis 3:16. My daughter asked the other day if there would be a long queue in heaven to speak to Eve because of this very reason, and I think she might be right!
Pain is now part of the suffering brought into the world through the sin of Adam and Eve. We can see that God addresses Eve (after the serpent) because God cursed all of them in one way or another by order of when they sinned
Eve’s Curse
“I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth.”
Genesis 3:16
Ladies, we need to realise that Eve is not to blame for bringing pain into childbirth! It appears that, even before the fall, there would have been some pain because God said that He would greatly “multiply” or “sharpen” or use a Hebrew word meaning “to increase”, but unfortunately, the pain of childbirth would be more than before. The pain since the fall has been intensified
The pain in childbirth that Eve would experience (and every woman after her) involved more than just the actual delivery of the baby. The phrase “painful labour” indicates that the whole process of childbirth – from conception to delivery – would now be much more difficult because the pain serves as a universal reminder of God’s judgment for the sin Adam and Eve brought into the world
Eve’s Blessing
Interestingly, the judgment from God is immediately followed by Genesis 3:20, where Adam names his wife Eve because even in judgment, God shows us mercy. Eve took on pain of childbirth, but she would also receive a blessing – a child
Yet, God gave a further blessing to Eve even before He cursed her through the condemnation of the serpent:
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel”
Genesis 3:15
This is a messianic prophecy, but it also contains an immediate focus: Eve would have children who would be in direct conflict with the serpent, and this dispute between Satan and humanity has been ongoing ever since
Our Reminder
Indeed, this passage in Genesis 3 does not explain why Eve was judged with increased pain in childbirth. I would believe that every Mum has asked this at some point too! However, we know that this judgment impacted the rest of Eve’s life and serves as an ongoing reminder of the consequences of sin, which needs to stand as a reminder to ourselves as well
Categories: Genesis
