Christian Claim: Genesis 3 is a messianic proof text showing that Jesus was to be born of a virgin.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18 – NKJV)
Jewish Response: The word used for “seed” is zera – זַרְעָהּ. The root word (זֶרַע) is used throughout the Tanakh and has various meanings.
*Part of a plant (such as an apple seed)
And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, seed yielding herbs and fruit trees producing fruit according to its kind in which its seed is found, on the earth,” and it was so. (Genesis 1:11 – Chabad)
*The sowing season
So long as the earth exists, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22 – Chabad)
*Field crops and grains
And it shall be concerning the crops, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and the [remaining] four parts shall be yours: for seed for [your] field[s], for your food, for those in your houses, and for your young children to eat.” (Genesis 47:24 – Chabad)
*Male discharge
This is the law for one who has a discharge, and one from whom semen issues, through which he becomes unclean, (Leviticus 15:32 – Chabad)
*Progeny/offspring
Also, of the fowl of the heavens, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive on the face of the earth. (Genesis 7:3 – Chabad)
There are different uses and meanings of the word “seed” depending upon its usage within the passage. When this term is used in the case of generic offspring, it is implicitly plural but if it is referring to a specific offspring, the term is singular. When the term is used regarding offspring it always implies progeny – that is, biological descendants.
And I shall place hatred between you and between the woman, and between your seed and between her seed. He will crush your head, and you will bite his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 – Chabad)
“I will put enmity between you and your offspring and hers: They shall strike at your head, and you shall strike at their heel” (Genesis 3:15 – Etz Hayim)
In Genesis 3:15, “her seed” is a generic reference to mankind since it is speaking of Eve’s descendants. It is understood as a plurality since there is no explicit reference to an individual and as a consequence the term “they” should be used instead of “he” in the English translations at the end of the verse.
The singular huw – הוּא can also be plural as we can see in Exodus.
Get ready, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they increase, and a war befall us, and they join our enemies and wage war against us and depart from the land.” (Exodus 1:10 – Chabad)
This use of the term “seed” when referring to a woman is not exclusive to this passage in Genesis.
And the angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your seed, and it will not be counted for abundance.” (Genesis 16:10 – Chabad)
And they blessed Rebecca and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads, and may your seed inherit the cities of their enemies.” (Genesis 24:60 – Chabad)
But if the kohen’s daughter becomes widowed or divorced, and she has no offspring she may return to her father’s household as in her youth [and] eat of her father’s food, but no non kohen may eat of it. (Leviticus 22:13 – Chabad)
And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and he would say, “May the Lord grant you seed from this woman,” because of the request which he had requested of the Lord, and they would go to his place. (I Samuel 2:20 – Chabad)
Conclusion: The “seed” referred to in Genesis 3 refers to all of Eve’s descendants and not to Jesus. There is no messianic prophecy about a “virgin birth”.