the grains of sand that are on the seashore,” has a spiritual fulfillment and means that others, who “belong to Christ,” are added as part of Abraham’s seed. (Gen. 22:17; Mark 9:41; 1 Cor. 15:23) God did not disclose the number, but left it as indeterminate to man as is the number of the stars and the grains of sand. Not until about 96 C.E., in the Revelation to the apostle John, did he reveal that (spiritual) Israel, those “sealed” with God’s spirit, which is a token of their heavenly inheritance, numbers 144,000 persons.—Eph. 1:13, 14; Rev. 7:4-8; 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5.

These 144,000 are shown standing with the Lamb upon Mount Zion. “These were bought from among mankind as a first fruits to God and to the Lamb.” (Rev. 14:1, 4) Jesus Christ gave his life for them, “assisting Abraham’s seed” as their great High Priest. (Heb. 2:14-18) God the Father kindly gives his Son this congregation, this “bride.” (John 10:27-29; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:21-32; Rev. 19:7, 8; 21:2, 12) They become kings and priests, and with them he shares the glory and kingdom that the Father has given him. (Luke 22:28-30; Rev. 20:4-6) In fact, the sacred secret concerning the seed is only one feature of the great sacred secret of God’s kingdom by his Messiah.—Eph. 1:9, 10; see SACRED SECRET.

Paul illustrates this action of God by speaking of Abraham, his free wife (Sarah) and Isaac, the son by promise. He likens Sarah to heavenly Jerusalem, “our mother [that is, mother of spirit-begotten Christians].” Isaac is likened to these Christians as the offspring or sons of this “mother.”—Gal. 4:22-31.

Arrival of the “Seed”

Jesus, as has been established, is the primary “seed.” However, he was not the ‘seed of the woman,’ heavenly Jerusalem, at the time of his human birth. True, he was of the natural seed of Abraham, through his mother Mary; he was of the tribe of Judah; and, both naturally through Mary and legally through his foster-father Joseph, was of the line of David. (Matt. 1:1, 16; Luke 3:23, 31, 33, 34) So Jesus qualified according to the prophetic promises.

But it was not until Jesus was begotten by the spirit, thus becoming a spiritual son of God that he became the ‘seed of the woman’ and the seed that was to bless all nations. This occurred at the time of his baptism by John in the Jordan River, 29 C.E. Jesus was then about thirty years of age. The holy spirit, coming upon Jesus, manifested itself to John in the form of a dove, and God himself acknowledged Jesus as his Son at that time.—Matt. 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-23; John 3:3.

The addition of the associate “seed,” the congregation, began to take place at the time of the outpouring of holy spirit on the day of Pentecost, 33 C.E. Jesus had ascended into heaven, into the presence of his Father and had sent forth the holy spirit to these first followers of his, including the twelve apostles. (Acts 2:1-4, 32, 33) Acting as the High Priest according to the manner of Melchizedek, he here rendered great ‘assistance’ to Abraham’s seed.—Heb. 2:16.

Enmity between the two seeds

The great serpent Satan the Devil has produced “seed” that has manifested the bitterest enmity against those who have served God with faith like Abraham, as the Bible record abundantly testifies. He has tried to block or hinder the development of that seed. (Compare Matthew 13:24-30.) This enmity reached its height, however, in the persecution of the spiritual seed, particularly in that displayed toward Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:13-15) Paul refers to the prophetic drama to illustrate, saying: “Just as then the one born in the manner of flesh [Ishmael] began persecuting the one born in the manner of spirit [Isaac], so also now.” (Gal. 4:29) And a later report, in reality a prophecy, describes the Kingdom’s establishment in heaven and the Devil’s being hurled out of heaven down to the earth, with only a short time to continue his enmity. It concludes: “And the dragon grew wrathful at the woman, and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her seed, who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.” (Rev. 12:7-13, 17) This war against the remnant of the woman’s seed ends when ‘Satan is crushed under [their] feet.’—Rom. 16:20.

Blessing all families of the earth

Jesus Christ, the Seed, has brought great blessings to honest-hearted persons through his teachings and through his guidance of his congregation since Pentecost. But from the beginning of his thousand-year reign his spiritual “brothers,” resurrected and sharing his Kingdom rule, will also be underpriests with him. (Rev. 20:4-6) During the time when “the dead, the great and the small,” stand before the throne to be judged, those who exercise faith and obedience will “bless themselves,” taking hold of life by means of Abraham’s seed. (Rev. 20:11-13; Gen. 22:18) This will mean everlasting life and happiness for them.—John 17:3; compare Revelation 21:1-4.

The resurrection of the “Seed”

In explaining the resurrection of the Seed, Jesus Christ, the apostle Peter writes that he was ‘put to death in the flesh, but was made alive in the spirit.’ (1 Pet. 3:18) His fellow apostle Paul, in dealing with the subject of the resurrection of Christ’s associates, draws upon an agricultural illustration. He argues: “What you sow is not made alive unless first it dies; and as for what you sow, you sow, not the body that will develop, but a bare grain, it may be, of wheat or any one of the rest; but God gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and to each of the seeds its own body. . . . So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised up in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised up in glory. . . . It is sown a physical body, it is raised up a spiritual body.” (1 Cor. 15:36-44) Those composing the ‘seed of the woman,’ “Abraham’s seed,” therefore die, giving up earthly bodies of corruptible flesh, and are resurrected with glorious incorruptible bodies.

Incorruptible reproductive seed

The apostle Peter speaks to his spiritual brothers concerning their being given “a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance.” He says, “It is reserved in the heavens for you.” He calls to their attention that it was not with corruptible things such as silver and gold that they were delivered, but with the blood of Christ. After this he says: “For you have been given a new birth, not by corruptible, but by incorruptible reproductive seed, through the word of the living and enduring God.” Here the word “seed” is the Greek word spo·raʹ, which denotes seed sown, hence in position to be reproductive.—1 Pet. 1:3, 4, 18, 19, 23.

In this manner Peter reminds his brothers of their relationship as sons, not to a human father who dies and who can transmit neither incorruptibility nor everlasting life to them, but to “the living and enduring God.” The incorruptible seed with which they are given this new birth is God’s holy spirit, his active force, working in conjunction with God’s enduring word, which is itself spirit inspired. The apostle John likewise says of such spirit-begotten ones: “Everyone who has been born from God does not carry on sin, because His reproductive seed remains in such one, and he cannot practice sin, because he has been born from God.”—1 John 3:9.

This spirit in them operates to generate a new birth as God’s sons. It is a force for cleanness, and produces the fruitage of the spirit, not the corrupt works of the flesh. The one having this reproductive seed in himself will therefore not follow a course of practicing the works of the flesh. The apostle Paul comments on this matter: “For God called us, not with allowance for uncleanness, but in connection with sanctification. So, then, the man that shows disregard is disregarding, not man, but God, who puts his holy spirit in you.”—1 Thess. 4:7, 8.

However, one of these spirit-begotten ones who constantly resists the spirit or ‘grieves’ it, ‘saddens’ it, ‘hurts’ it, will eventually cause God to withdraw his spirit. (Eph. 4:30, Kingdom Interlinear Translation; compare Isaiah 63:10.) One might go so far as to commit blasphemy against the spirit, which would be calamitous for him. (Matt. 12:31, 32; Luke 12:10) Therefore Peter and John stress the maintaining of holiness and the love of God and one’s brothers from the heart, displaying submission to and guidance by the spirit of God, and proving oneself a true, loyal son of God.—1 Pet. 1:14-16, 22; 1 John 2:18, 19; 3:10, 14.

SEER

The Hebrew word ro·ʼehʹ, “seer” is drawn from a root word meaning “to see,” literally or figuratively. Evidently a seer was a man enabled by God to discern the divine will, one having such insight. He was one whose eyes had been unveiled, as it were, to see or understand things that were not open to men in general and additionally was a man consulted by others for wise counsel on problems encountered. (1 Sam. 9:5-10) The Bible names Samuel (1 Sam. 9:9, 11, 18, 19; 1 Chron. 9:22; 29:29), Zadok (2 Sam. 15:27) and Hanani (2 Chron. 16:7, 10) as seers.

The designations “seer,” “prophet” and “visionary” are closely related in the Scriptures. The distinction between the terms may be that “seer” may relate to discernment, “visionary” to the manner in which the divine will was made known, and “prophet” more to the speaking forth or the proclamation of the divine will. Samuel, Nathan and Gad are all called prophets (1 Sam. 3:20; 2 Sam. 7:2; 24:11), but a distinction in the three words is indicated at 1 Chronicles 29:29: “among the words of Samuel the seer and among the words of Nathan the prophet and among the words of Gad the visionary.”

First Samuel 9:9 states: “The prophet of today used to be called a seer in former times.” This may have been for the reason that toward the close of the days of the Judges and during the reigns of the kings of Israel (who began in the days of Samuel) the prophet as a public proclaimer of God’s will came to be more prominent. Samuel is commonly called the first of the line of men called “the prophets.”—Acts 3:24; 13:20; see PROPHET.

SEGUB

(Seʹgub) [exalted].

1. Son of Hezron and father of Jair in the tribe of Judah.—1 Chron. 2:21, 22.

2. The youngest son of Hiel the Bethelite. In fulfillment of Joshua’s curse, Segub lost his life when his father rebuilt Jericho during the reign of King Ahab.—Josh. 6:26; 1 Ki. 16:34.

SEIR

(Seʹir) [hairy, shaggy].

1. A “Horite” whose seven “sons” were sheiks in the land of Seir prior to its being occupied by Esau (Edom). (Gen. 36:20, 21, 29, 30; 1 Chron. 1:38; compare Genesis 14:4-6.) Seir may have lived in the mountainous region S of the Dead Sea, and this area was perhaps named after him. Whether the seven “sons” of Seir were immediate offspring or included later descendants is uncertain.—See ANAH; DISHON.

2. The mountainous region between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqabah. (Gen. 36:8, 30; Deut. 2:1, 8) In Abraham’s time Horites inhabited Seir. (Gen. 14:6) Later, Abraham’s grandson Esau established interests in Seir, while his twin brother Jacob resided at Paddan-aram. (Gen. 32:3) But it seems that Esau did not complete the move to Seir until sometime after Jacob returned to Canaan. (Gen. 36:6-9) Finally Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, dispossessed the Horites (Deut. 2:4, 5, 12; Josh. 24:4) and the land came to be called Edom. However, the older name “Seir” was also applied to the descendants of Esau and to the area where they lived. (Num. 24:18; compare 2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11.) It appears that during the reign of King Hezekiah men of the tribe of Simeon went to Mount Seir and, after they annihilated the remnant of the Amalekites, Simeonites began residing there. (1 Chron. 4:41-43) For details about the geography and history of Seir, see EDOM, EDOMITES.

3. A mountain between Baalah (Kiriath-jearim) and Chesalon on the N border of Judah’s territory. (Josh. 15:10) Seir is commonly identified with the ridge about nine miles (15 kilometers) W of Jerusalem, on the southern side of which lies the village of Saris.

SEIRAH

(Se·iʹrah) [possibly, wooded hills].

The place to which Ehud escaped after assassinating Moabite King Eglon. Its exact location, some place in the mountainous region of Ephraim, is not known today.—Judg. 3:26, 27.

SELA

(Seʹla) [rock].

1. A location on the boundary of Amorite territory after the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land. (Judg. 1:36) The site is unknown today. Some would identify this Sela with the one in Edom (2 Ki. 14:7), but there is no evidence that Amorite territory ever extended so far S into the region controlled by the Edomites.

2. A major Edomite city that was captured by Judean King Amaziah and renamed Joktheel. (2 Ki. 14:7) Sela may be the unnamed “fortified city” referred to at Psalm 108:10.

This city is commonly identified with Umm el-Bayyarah, a rocky acropolis lying about fifty miles (80 kilometers) S of the southern tip of the Dead Sea. This site is located in the W corner of the plain where the Nabatean city of Petra was later built. Accessible by means of a narrow, twisting gorge and surrounded by precipitous sandstone cliffs, this plain is well protected. The impressive ruins of Petra, including temples, tombs and dwellings hewn out of the rock, were no part of the ancient Edomite city of Sela.

3. A place mentioned in a pronouncement against Moab. (Isa. 15:1; 16:1) There is uncertainty as to whether or not it is the same site as No. 2 above.

SELAH

(Seʹlah).

A transliterated Hebrew expression found frequently in the Psalms and also appearing in Habakkuk, chapter 3. Although it is generally agreed to be a technical term for music or recitation, its exact significance is unknown. It is held to mean a “pause, suspension, or holding back,” either of the singing of the psalm for a musical interlude or of both singing and instrumental music for silent meditation. In either event, the pause was doubtless used to make the fact or sentiment just expressed more impressive, to allow the full import of the last utterance to sink in. The Septuagint rendering of Selah is di·aʹpsal·ma, defined as “a musical interlude.” Selah always appears at the end of a clause and generally at the end of a strophe, every occurrence being in a song containing some kind of musical direction or expression. In Psalm 9:16 it is accompanied by “Higgaion,” there understood by some to be associated with the music of the harp.

SELED

(Seʹled) [exultation].

A son of Nadab in the Jerahmeelite division of Judah’s genealogy. Seled died without sons.—1 Chron. 2:25, 30.

SELEUCIA

(Se·leuʹci·a).

A fortified Mediterranean port town serving Syrian Antioch and located about sixteen miles (26 kilometers) SW of that city. The two sites were connected by road; and the navigable Orontes River, which flowed past Antioch, emptied into the Mediterranean Sea a few miles S of Seleucia. Accompanied by Barnabas, Paul sailed from Seleucia at the start of his first missionary journey, in 47 C.E. (Acts 13:4) Though thereafter unnamed in the Acts account, Seleucia likely figured in events narrated therein. (Acts 14:26; 15:30-41) To distinguish this city from other similarly named sites in the ancient