Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

a. NLT: And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

b. NIV: And 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.”

c. YLT: And enmity I put between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he doth bruise thee -- the head, and thou dost bruise him -- the heel.'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring; He will bruise and tread your head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel.

e. Septuagint: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed, he shall watch against thy head, and thou shalt watch against his heel.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will pound your head, and you will bite his heel.

1. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman…”

a. And I will put [Strong: 7896 shiyth sheeth a primitive root; to place (in a very wide application):--apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay (up), let alone, X look, make, mark, put (on), + regard, set, shew, be stayed, X take.]

b. enmity [Strong: 342 'eybah ay-baw' from 340; hostility:--emnity, hatred.]

c. between [thee] [Strong: 996 beyn bane (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.]

d. [and the] woman [Strong: 802 'ishshah ish-shaw' feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym {naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as 582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none, one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.]

2. “…and between thy seed and her seed…”

a. and between [Strong: 996 beyn bane (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.]

b. [thy] seed [Strong: 2233 zera` zeh'-rah from 2232; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing- time.]

c. [and] her seed [Strong: 2233 zera` zeh'-rah from 2232; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity:--X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing- time.]

1). This is the first prophecy in the Bible of the redemption of man. The seed of the woman is a hint to the virgin birth because biologically the seed comes from the man and a male is not mentioned.

2). The seed of Satan is unregenerate man.

a). 1 John 3:10-12 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

b). From the resurrection of Christ until now, the Church has been the subject of bitter persecution from unregenerate man, the seed of Satan.

3). As generations pass, spiritual death works in mankind and causes him to walk alienated from God.

a). Ephesians 4:17-19 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

3:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

3:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

4). The “seed” of the woman is referring to Christ. The genealogy listed in Luke, which is actually Mary’s, shows the linage from Adam down to Christ. It would be Christ who bruises and crushes the serpents head.

a). Luke 3:23-38 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

3:24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,

3:25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,

3:26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son] of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,

3:27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,

3:28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,

3:29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,

3:30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,

3:31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,

3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son] of Juda,

3:34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,

3:35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

3:36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,

3:37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,

3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

2). Gordon Lindsay: The seed of the woman is a prophecy of a child born independent of natural generation. The children are always referred to as the seed of man, but not Jesus.

a). Matthew 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

b). Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

3). A reference that is continued in the Abrahamic Covenant .

a). Genesis 15:18 “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land…”

4). The Apostle Paul writing in Galatians declares the seed was Christ.

a). Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

5). Paul also wrote that those who are in Christ through the New Birth are also the seed of Abraham.

a). Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

6). Universal man has craved an incarnation, it is seen in the naming of kings after the titles of gods. The gods of probably all mythologies were divine and human.

2. “…it shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel.”

a. It shall bruise [Strong: 7779 shuwph shoof a primitive root; properly, to gape, i.e. snap at; 

figuratively, to overwhelm:--break, bruise, cover.]

b. thy head [Strong: 7218 ro'sh roshe from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.]

c. and thou shall bruise [Strong: 7779 shuwph shoof a primitive root; properly, to gape, i.e. snap at; figuratively, to overwhelm:--break, bruise, cover.]

d. his heel [Strong: 6119 `aqeb aw-kabe' or (feminine) hiqqbah {ik-keb-aw'}; from 6117; a heel (as protuberant); hence, a track; figuratively, the rear (of an army):--heel, (horse-)hoof, last, lier in wait (by mistake for 6120), (foot- )step.]

1). These words speak first of the total defeat of the devil by the Messiah Jesus bruising the head of Satan and secondly of the bruising Jesus endured during the trial and crucifixion and death. Thirdly it refers to the earth walk of the church and the persecution Satan inflicted on the church.