Seed

sed (Old Testament always for zera`, Aramaic (Da 2:43) zera`, except in Joe 1:17 for perudhoth (plural, the Revised Version (British and American) "seeds," the King James Version "seed"), and Le 19:19 (the King James Version "mingled seed") and De 22:9 (the King James Version "divers seeds") for kil'ayim, literally, "two kinds," the Revised Version (British and American) "two kinds of seed." Invariably in Greek Apocrypha and usually in the New Testament for sperma, but Mr 4:26,27; Lu 8:5,11; 2Co 9:10 for sporos, and 1Pe 1:23 for spora):

(1) For "seed" in its literal sense see AGRICULTURE. Of interest is the method of measuring land by means of the amount of seed that could be sown on it (Le 27:16). The prohibition against using two kinds of seed in the same field (Le 19:19; De 22:9) undoubtedly rests on the fact that the practice had some connection with Canaanitish worship, making the whole crop "consecrated" (taboo). Jer 31:27 uses "seed of man" and "seed of beast" as a figure for the means by which God will increase the prosperity of Israel (i.e. "seed yielding men").

(2) For the transferred physiological application of the word to human beings (Le 15:16, etc.) see CLEAN; UNCLEANNESS. The conception of Christians as "born" or "begotten" of God (see REGENERATION) gave rise to the figure in 1Pe 1:23; 1 Joh 3:9. If the imagery is to be stressed, the Holy Spirit is meant. In I Joh 3:9 a doctrine of certain Gnostics is opposed. They taught that by learning certain formulas and by submitting to certain rites, union with God and salvation could be attained without holiness of life. John's reply is that union with a righteous God is meaningless without righteousness as an ideal, even though shortcomings exist in practice (1 Joh 1:8).

(3) From the physiological use of "seed" the transition to the sense of "offspring" was easy, and the word may mean "children" (Le 18:21, etc.) or even a single child (Ge 4:25; 1Sa 1:11 the Revised Version margin). Usually, however, it means the whole posterity (Ge 3:15, etc.); compare "seed royal" (2Ki 11:1, etc.), and "Abraham's seed" (2Ch 20:7, etc.) or "the holy seed" (Ezr 9:2; Isa 6:13; /RAPC 1Es 8:70; compare Jer 2:21) as designations of Israel. So "to show one's seed" (Ezr 2:59;, Ne 7:61) is to display one's genealogy, and "one's seed" may be simply one's nation, conceived of as a single family (Es 10:3). From this general sense there developed a still looser use of "seed" as meaning simply "men" (Mal 2:15; Isa 1:4; 57:4; /RAPC Wis 10:15; 12:11, etc.).

In Ga 3:16 Paul draws a distinction between "seeds" and "seed" that has for its purpose a proof that the promises to Abraham were realized in Christ and not in Israel. The distinction, however, overstresses the language of the Old Testament, which never pluralizes zera` when meaning "descendants" (plural only in 1Sa 8:15; compare Ro 4:18; 9:7). But in an argument against rabbinical adversaries Paul was obliged to use rabbinical methods (compare Ga 4:25). For modern purposes it is probably best to treat such an exegetical method as belonging simply to the (now superseded) science of the times.

Burton Scott Easton

• → Every herb, tree, and grass, yields its own Ge 1:11,12,29
• → Each kind has its own body 1Co 15:38
• → Not to be mingled in sowing Le 19:19; De 22:9
• → Parables concerning Mt 13; Lu 8
• → Illustrative Ec 11:6; Ho 10:12; 2Co 9:6; Ga 6:7,8
• → Sowing of, type of burial of the body 1Co 15:36-38

• Every herb, tree and grass yields its own Ge 1:11,12,29
• Each kind of, has its own body 1Co 15:38
• SOWING OF
  • Time for, called seed time Ge 8:22
  • Necessary to its productiveness Joh 12:24; 1Co 15:36
  • Required constant diligence Ec 11:4,6
  • Often attended with great waste Mt 13:4,5,7
  • Often attended with danger Ps 126:5,6
• Yearly return of time of sowing, secured by covenant Ge 8:21,22
• The ground carefully ploughed, and prepared for Isa 28:24,25
• Often sown beside rivers Ec 11:1; Isa 32:20
• Often trodden into the ground, by the feet of oxen Isa 32:20
• Required to be watered by the rain Isa 55:10
• In Egypt required to be artificially watered De 11:10
• Yielded an abundant increase in Canaan Ge 26:12; Mt 13:23
• MOSAIC LAWS RESPECTING
  • Different kinds of, not to be sown in the same field Le 19:19; De 22:9
  • If dry, exempted from uncleanness though touched by an unclean thing Le 11:37
  • If wet, rendered unclean by contact with an unclean thing Le 11:38
  • The tithe of, to be given to God Le 27:30
  • Not to be sown during the sabbatical year Le 25:4,20
  • Not to be sown in year of jubilee Le 25:11
• Difference between, and the plant which grows from it, noticed 1Co 15:37,38
• THE JEWS PUNISHED BY
  • Its rotting in the ground Joe 1:17; Mal 2:3
  • Its yielding but little increase Isa 5:10; Hag 1:6
  • Its increase being consumed by locusts De 28:38; Joe 1:4
  • Its increase being consume by enemies Le 26:16; De 28:33,51
  • Its being choked by thorns Jer 12:13; Mt 13:7
• ILLUSTRATIVE OF
  • The word of God Lu 8:11; 1Pe 1:23
  • Spiritual life 1Jo 3:9
• SOWING, ILLUSTRATIVE OF
  • Preaching the gospel Mt 13:3,32; 1Co 9:11
  • Scattering or dispersing a people Zec 10:9
  • Christian liberality Ec 11:6; 2Co 9:6
  • Men's works producing a corresponding recompence Job 4:8; Ho 10:12; Ga 6:7,8
  • The death of Christ and its effects Joh 12:24
  • The burial of the body 1Co 15:36-38