Biblical Hebrew Forum

[John Ronning <ronning AT nis.za>]

peter_kirk AT sil.org wrote:
> 
> 
> Who is "thy seed" in Genesis 3:15, when YHVH is speaking to Satan?
> 
> PK: Note that in Hebrew the addressee is not Satan, not even some
> special "serpent", but an ordinary snake [NFXF$]. 

Peter, do "ordinary" snakes speak and have knowledge of
divine and human matters?

> Surely the seed of
> Eve and the seed of the snake are simply all future generations of
> humanity and all future generations of snakes. I have not noticed even
> today a general friendly relationship between humanity and snakes, the
> latter still bite the heels of former and the former still smash the
> heads of the latter. This is I think the primary meaning of this
> passage. There may be other typological meanings, but they go beyond
> this Hebrew text.

That would probably be Adam's initial take also, but take
note of the next chapter where the predicted enmity is first
found (between Cain and Abel), and Cain is modelled after
the serpent of Genesis 3 in at least three ways (he is a
liar, a murderer, and is cursed).  The serpent's seed is
thus not snakes but the wicked; thus the snake is more than
a snake (which is also indicated by several other
considerations).

Regards,

John