Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Isaac Fried" <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Gary,

The root ZR( essentially means 'spread'. Hence ZERA( for the loose plant 
seeds to be disposed and fanned out over the earth as in Genesis 1:11, also 
'sperm, semen' for the emitted fertilizing fluid, as in Leviticus 15:32, and 
the result of procreation multiplying and spreading over the land as in 
Genesis 13:16.

> From the same root we have also ZRO(A , 'arm', as in Deuteronomy 33:20, for 
the folding up and spreading out upper, or for-, limb system.

Notice also the semantic affinity of the roots ZR( and SR( [with sin], 
'spread out', as in Isaiah 28:20.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Dikeman" <grbike AT sbcglobal.net>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 5:04 AM
Subject: [b-hebrew] Genesis 3:15 and order of ideas
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> The real question at this point is whether the Hebrew word zera is meant 
> to convey the idea of offspring, or at least whether or not this is the 
> sole intent of the word as used here.
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