King James Version

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.

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Hebrew

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וְאֵיבָ֣הveeyvahand emnityאֵיבָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and emnity”, the ordinary formH342hostilityemnity, hatred.אָשִׁ֗יתashitapplyשִׁיתverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “apply”, an unfinished actionH7896to place (in a very wide application)apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay (up), let alone, [idiom] look, make, mark, put (on), [phrase] regard, set, shew, be stayed, [idiom] take.בֵּֽינְךָ֙beynkhabetweenבֵּיןpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “between”H996between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...oramong, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.וּבֵ֣יןuveynand betweenבֵּיןconjunction, preposition — “and between”H996between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...oramong, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.הָֽאִשָּׁ֔הhaishahthe eachאִשָּׁהdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the each”, the ordinary formH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.וּבֵ֥יןuveynand betweenבֵּיןconjunction, preposition — “and between”H996between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...oramong, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.זַרְעֲךָ֖zarakhaseedזֶרַעnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “seed”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2233seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity[idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time.וּבֵ֣יןuveynand betweenבֵּיןconjunction, preposition — “and between”H996between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...oramong, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.זַרְעָ֑הּzarahseedזֶרַעnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “seed”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2233seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity[idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time.ה֚וּאhuas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.יְשׁוּפְךָ֣yeshufekhabreakשׁוּףverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “break”, an unfinished actionH7779properly, to gape, i.e. snap at; figuratively, to overwhelmbreak, bruise, cover.רֹ֔אשׁroshheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “head”, the ordinary formH7218the 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, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.וְאַתָּ֖הveatahand theeאַתָּהconjunction, pronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.תְּשׁוּפֶ֥נּוּteshufenvbreakשׁוּףverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “break”, an unfinished actionH7779properly, to gape, i.e. snap at; figuratively, to overwhelmbreak, bruise, cover.עָקֵֽבaqevheelעָקֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “heel”, the ordinary formH6119a heel (as protuberant); hence, a track; figuratively, the rear (of an army)heel, (horse-) hoof, last, lier in wait (by mistake for H6120 (עָקֵב)), (foot-) step.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

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

Translation Note

The King James reads “it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The 1917 Jewish Publication Society reads “they shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise their heel.” Brenton’s English reads “he shall watch against thy head, and thou shalt watch against his heel.” The Hebrew word for the offspring is זֶרַע, “seed,” which can be read as one descendant or as descendants.

The Jewish Publication Society takes the seed as “they” and “their.” Brenton takes a singular “he” and “his.” Christians read the promise as the Son who crushes the serpent, and who is himself bruised. Jesus is that seed, and Jesus is God the Son.

King James Version. 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.

Jewish Publication Society (1917). “they shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise their heel.”

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English. “he shall watch against thy head, and thou shalt watch against his heel.”

Septuagint, Brenton’s Greek (1851). αὐτός σοῦ τηρήσει κεφαλὴν, καὶ σὺ τηρήσεις αὐτοῦ πτέρναν.

What Does Messiah Mean? Why don’t Jews believe Jesus is the Messiah?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Young’s Literal Translation

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.'

World English Bible

I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”

Darby Translation

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

Douay-Rheims

I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

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

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

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.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἔχθραν θήσω ἀνὰ μέσον σοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς γυναικὸς, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῆς· αὐτός σοῦ τηρήσει κεφαλὴν, καὶ σὺ τηρήσεις αὐτοῦ πτέρναν.

Alluded to in

Galatians 4:4 Galatians 4:4 · King James VersionBut when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,Galatians 4:4 · King James VersionOpen the Source
seed of the woman / serpent crusher · early church, Edersheim’s rabbinic list
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Romans 16:20 Romans 16:20 · King James VersionAnd the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.Romans 16:20 · King James VersionOpen the Source
seed of the woman / serpent crusher · early church, Edersheim’s rabbinic list
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.