And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
Parallel translations
- WEB Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, saying, “for God has given me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”
- BSB And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
- NKJV And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.”
- NASB Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, “God has appointed me another child in place of Abel, because Cain killed him.”
- NLT Adam had sexual relations with his wife again, and she gave birth to another son. She named him Seth, for she said, “God has granted me another son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Eve bears Seth, whom she sees as God's gift replacing the slain Abel. It marks the continuation of a godly line through whom the promise advances.
Overview
After Abel's death and Cain's exile, God grants Adam and Eve another son, Seth, viewed as a divinely given replacement. Through Seth the line leading toward the promised seed continues, preserving hope amid loss. This sets the stage for the godly line that contrasts with the line of Cain and ultimately leads to Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Gen 4:8And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
- Luke 3:38Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
- Gen 4:1–3And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
- 1 Chr 1:1Adam, Sheth, Enosh,
- Gen 5:3–4And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
- Gen 4:10–11And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 4:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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