“Seed of the woman” is a biblical expression from Genesis 3:15 that points to the offspring of the woman who will oppose and ultimately defeat the serpent. Christians commonly understand its fullest fulfillment to be in Jesus Christ.
“Seed of the woman” is a biblical expression from Genesis 3:15 that points to the offspring of the woman who will oppose and ultimately defeat the serpent. Christians commonly understand its fullest fulfillment to be in Jesus Christ.
The expression “seed of the woman” is drawn from Genesis 3:15, spoken by God after the fall. In its immediate context, it describes enmity between the serpent and the woman and between their respective offspring, culminating in the serpent’s striking of the seed’s heel and the seed’s crushing of the serpent’s head. Conservative Christian interpretation has long understood this verse as a foundational promise of God’s coming victory over evil, often called the first gospel promise, with its fullest and decisive fulfillment in Jesus Christ through His saving work. At the same time, interpreters differ on how broadly the verse should also be applied to the ongoing conflict between the righteous and the wicked; the safest conclusion is that Genesis 3:15 establishes both a continuing spiritual conflict and a climactic triumph that Christians rightly see fulfilled in Christ.
