How do you know whether 'seed' in the Bible means many descendants or one descendant?
The Hebrew word for seed, Zerah, functions like the English word sheep: one seed or many seeds are still the same form. Therefore, the surrounding text and context must determine whether it refers to a multitude of descendants, such as Israel's tribes, or to the singular seed, who is Christ.
Les teaches that the Hebrew noun for seed is like the English word sheep: whether it is one sheep or five or six, it is still sheep. Likewise, Zerah can be singular or plural without changing form. So the reader must watch the text and context. If the passage has in view the many, it means the offspring of Israel, the tribes, and multitudes of people. If it has in view the singular, it means the seed, which was Christ. In Genesis 21:12, 'in Isaac shall thy seed be called,' the context indicates the singular, not the millions from the twelve tribes.
More Questions
Does 'thy seed' in Genesis 21:12 mean Israel's many descendants or Christ?
In Genesis 21:12 the word 'seed' is singular — it refers to Christ, not to the millions of offspring from the twelve tribes.