Genesis 3 - The Fall of Man (Part 4)
…continued from Genesis 3 - The Fall of Man (Part 3)
At this point, God started with Adam. “What have you done?” Adam refers to God to Eve. Eve refers God to Satan. God punishes Satan… but now He comes back to Eve. I’d be like, “Uh oh.”
 16 To the woman he said,
      “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;
      with pain you will give birth to children.
      Your desire will be for your husband,
      and he will rule over you.”
For those who use 1 Cor 15:21 and Romans 5:12 as evidence that there was no death before sin, many Young Earthers take it a step further and say that child-bearing was painless before sin. However, I do not believe this verse says that. Just as in Genesis one, God appeared to create animals after a kind, suggesting the kind already existed, God increased the pain of childbearing… suggesting that it already hurt, suggesting that Eve had given birth before and it hurt, or that other women existed (outside the garden) who gave birth.
It also suggests that until now, women’s desires had not been for their husband. These days, women do desire their husband, but they tend to desire him emotionally… and husbands do tend to rule over their wives, though quite often it is with a sense of control, as opposed to responsibility. Remember that in Genesis 2, Eve was created as a helper to Adam.
It would be very easy to say that Adam and Eve are not equals, and if they are not, then this verse makes sense. But, does this verse prohibit them from being equals? Not at all. Notice God’s statement to Eve. “Your desire will be…”, “he will rule over you.” God is not saying, “Serve your husband and do what he says,” but letting Eve know how things will now be. Why the change? Because she has sinned.
Noting the changes that took place for Eve, they would appear to be physiological; more labor pains in birth, raging hormones for men and women (more estrogen to make Eve more nurturing toward Adam, who has more testosterone to make him more bossy). However, that is not necessarily the case. In the King James version, the word used instead of pain is sorrow. Could that be closer to God’s meaning? I know that many women lament bringing their children into this world, because there is so much war, pain, suffering. Eve could have had children in the Garden of Eden… but now she must bear her children in the cold harsh world from which Adam came. That should bring on sorrow, and such sorrow is emotionally painful.
Eve would not also have the need to be protected, much more so than before. She will need to be fed and provided shelter, especially when she is pregnant, and later while raising her children. Her dependence on Adam will increase dramatically, as will her worry; her desire will be for her husband. Finally, Adam will be the one scouting food, determining which land is good for raising food, and safe from animals who want to eat it. Adam would also be the hunger, and often be gone. Yes, Eve will desire him during those times, wanting him back home safe. And in a very practical sense, Adam will start ruling over his wife, if only to protect her with he knows from his exploits and his observations… and God already made him with testosterone, so that he can do it.
No, I do not believe these were physiological changes in verse 16, but practical results of living in a sinful world.