And the LORD God said unto the serpent, {m} Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and {n} dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

(m) He asked the reason from Adam and his wife, because he would bring them to repentance, but he does not ask the serpent, because he would show him no mercy.

(n) As a vile and contemptible beast, Isa 65:25.

Wesley's Notes

3:14 To testify a displeasure against sin, God fastens a curse upon the serpent, Thou art cursed above all cattle - Even the creeping things, when God made them, were blessed of him, Ge 1:22, but sin turned the blessing into a curse. Upon thy belly shalt thou go - No longer upon feet, or half erect, but thou shalt crawl along, thy belly cleaving to the earth. Dust thou shalt eat - Which signifies a base and despicable condition.

Scofield Reference Notes

[1] And the Lord God said

The Adamic Covenant conditions the life of fallen man--conditions which must remain till, in the kingdom age, "the creation also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God" Rom 8:21. The elements of the Adamic Covenant are:

(1) The serpent, Satan's tool, is cursed (Gen 3:14), and becomes God's illustration in nature of the effects of sin--from the most beautiful and subtle of creatures to a loathsome reptile! The deepest mystery of the atonement is intimated here. Christ, "made sin for us," in bearing our judgment, is typified by the brazen serpent Num 21:5-9 Jn 3:14 2Cor 5:21. Brass speaks of judgment--in the brazen altar, of God's judgment, and in the laver, of self-judgment.

(2) The first promise of a Redeemer (Gen 3:15). Here begins the "Highway of the Seed," Abel, Seth, Noah Gen 6:8-10, Shem Gen 9:26,27, Abraham Gen 12:1-4, Isaac Gen 17:19-21 Jacob Gen 28:10-14, Judah Gen 49:10, David 2Sam 7:5-17 Immanuel-Christ Isa 7:9-14 Mt 1:1,20-23 1Jn 3:8 Jn 12:31.

(3) The changed state of the woman (Gen 3:16). In three particulars:

(a) Multiplied conception;

(b) motherhood linked with sorrow;

(c) the headship of the man (cf) Gen 1:26,27 The entrance of sin, which is disorder, makes necessary a headship, and it is vested in man 1Tim 2:11-14 Eph 5:22-25 1Cor 11:7-9.

(4) The earth cursed (Gen 3:17) for man's sake. It is better for fallen man to battle with a reluctant earth than to live without toil.

(5) The inevitable sorrow of life (Gen 3:17).

(6) The light occupation of Eden Gen 2:15 changed to burdensome labour Gen 3:18,19.

(7) Physical death Gen 3:19 Rom 5:12-21, See "Death (spiritual)" Gen 2:17. See Scofield Note: "Eph 2:5".

See for the other covenants:

EDENIC See Scofield Note: "Gen 1:28"

NOAHIC See Scofield Note: "Gen 9:1"

ABRAHAMIC See Scofield Note: "Gen 15:18"

MOSAIC See Scofield Note: "Ex 19:25"

PALESTINIAN See Scofield Note: "Dt 30:3"

DAVIDIC See Scofield Note: "2Sam 7:16"

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Ge 3:14-24. The Sentence.

14. And the Lord God said unto the serpent-The Judge pronounces a doom: first, on the material serpent, which is cursed above all creatures. From being a model of grace and elegance in form, it has become the type of all that is odious, disgusting, and low [Le CLERC, Rosenmuller]; or the curse has converted its natural condition into a punishment; it is now branded with infamy and avoided with horror; next, on the spiritual serpent, the seducer. Already fallen, he was to be still more degraded and his power wholly destroyed by the offspring of those he had deceived.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:14,15 God passes sentence; and he begins where the sin began, with the serpent. The devil's instruments must share in the devil's punishments. Under the cover of the serpent, the devil is sentenced to be degraded and accursed of God; detested and abhorred of all mankind: also to be destroyed and ruined at last by the great Redeemer, signified by the breaking of his head. War is proclaimed between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. It is the fruit of this enmity, that there is a continual warfare between grace and corruption, in the hearts of God's people. Satan, by their corruptions, buffets them, sifts them, and seeks to devour them. Heaven and hell can never be reconciled, nor light and darkness; no more can Satan and a sanctified soul. Also, there is a continual struggle between the wicked and the godly in this world. A gracious promise is here made of Christ, as the Deliverer of fallen man from the power of Satan. Here was the drawn of the gospel day: no sooner was the wound given, than the remedy was provided and revealed. This gracious revelation of a Saviour came unasked, and unlooked for. Without a revelation of mercy, giving some hope of forgiveness, the convinced sinner would sink into despair, and be hardened. By faith in this promise, our first parents, and the patriarchs before the flood, were justified and saved. Notice is given concerning Christ. 1. His incarnation, or coming in the flesh. It speaks great encouragement to sinners, that their Saviour is the Seed of the woman, bone of our bone, Heb 2:11,14. 2. His sufferings and death; pointed at in Satan's bruising his heel, that is, his human nature. And Christ's sufferings are continued in the sufferings of the saints for his name. The devil tempts them, persecutes and slays them; and so bruises the heel of Christ, who is afflicted in their afflictions. But while the heel is bruised on earth, the Head is in heaven. 3. His victory over Satan thereby. Christ baffled Satan's temptations, rescued souls out of his hands. By his death he gave a fatal blow to the devil's kingdom, a wound to the head of this serpent that cannot be healed. As the gospel gains ground, Satan falls.