Women don't have seed. Women have ova (eggs). Yet many Christian translations state that Chava (Eve) in B'reshit / Genesis 3:15 had "seed."
From this they conclude that Mary was special -- the one woman to ever have "seed." Consider this quote from the Blue Letter Bible: "In Genesis 3, there is no explanation of the phrase the seed of the woman." The Benson commentary says "All carnal and wicked men, who, in reference to this text, are called the children and seed of Satan; and her seed — That is, her offspring, first and principally (Jesus), who, with respect to this promise, is termed, by way of eminence, her seed, (see Galatians 3:16; Galatians 3:19)." These, and many more, Christian commentators jump to the conclusion that this verse is about Jesus and makes him unique because Chava (Eve) had "seed." This just goes to show you how people are misled, and mislead others, because they rely on translations. The passage actually does not say seed. Surprise! It does not say seed. The word mistranslated as "seed" by so many Christian translations is the Hebrew word זַרְעֲ / zĕra . It should be translated as "offspring," not "seed." It literally means the living offspring from the parent. For women this SHOULD be translated as "egg" or "ova." It never made sense to me that a missionary could somehow conclude that Jesus was special because he, and only he (and his followers?) came from the seed of "Eve." After all Chava (Eve) was the mother to ALL humans! This error is all based on mistranslating the word זַרְעֲ / zĕra . Since זַרְעֲ / zĕra does not mean "seed" what does it mean? זַרְעֲ / zĕra is a collective noun, which means all of the offspring who come from a parent. It is sometimes translated as sperm (seed) or egg although those are not quite accurate since not all sperm or egg result in living offspring. This word always refers to the living offspring from plants, animals and humans. When used to speak of humans זֶרַע / zĕra means the totality of all a person's descendants, considered collectively as a group. Instances of this word in the sense of one specific person are rare, and when it is used in this way the person referenced is invariably identified in the actual text. Got that? The Hebrew word זֶֽרַע / zĕra is invariably a compound noun that denotes the totality of all the progenitor’s progeny (descendants) considered as a whole group or class. For it to refer to one person (aka "Jesus") he would have to be listed BY NAME in B'reshit / Genesis 3:15 -- and he isn't! "I will plant hatred between you and the woman, and between your offspring / זַרְעֲךָ֖ and her offspring / זַרְעָ֑הּ. He will strike you in the head, and you will strike him in the heel.'" B'reshit / Genesis 3:15 "The Living Torah" translation. The very first claim on this list is based on a mistranslation which is then spun into something that not even the mistranslation infers, hints at or claims! Some modern Christian translations are translating זַרְעֲ / zĕra accurately. The NIV, ESV, NLD and NetBible translations are a few who have "offspring" rather than "seed." Still, many Christians believe the claim that Genesis 3:15 says "seed" and that this somehow applies to Jesus and / or Christians. The Blue Letter Bible goes on to say "The seed is to be understood as either one individual or a group of people whose appearance would be some time in the future. It was a promise of someone or some people to come." The Christian Courier identifies this "seed" as Jesus (along with his people). Yet B'reshit / Genesis 3:15 does not say anything about one individual or a "group" of people -- it speaks of ALL people. After all Chava (Eve) was the mother to every single human who ever lived! In this first claimed prophetic fulfillment the list maker references Luke 1:35 "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of G-d." King James Version. There is no mention of the seed of a woman. It simply says that Mary will be impregnated by a "holy ghost" (adultery since she was married and definitely a pagan idea since the gods often impregnated human women) -- but it has nothing to do with "the seed of a woman." The other claimed fulfillment is given as Matthew 1:18 - 20. These verses also talk about Mary getting pregnant by someone other than her legal husband, the aforementioned "holy" ghost. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." King James Version. No mention at all about the "seed of a woman" in either reference given as "proof" that Jesus fulfilled a prophecy that, upon examination, does not exist. The Hebrew word זֶֽרַע / zĕra can mean a “seed” (in the agricultural or botanical sense), or “progeny” (i.e. the totality of a person’s descendants for all time, considered together as a group), or a single individual descendant (rarely, and only if that individual is identified in the same verse as the word is used), or “semen." Since the subject here is Chava (Eve) it should be translated as her living offspring or descendants -- it has nothing to do with a woman having "seed."
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