Genesis 3:14-15 – Eat Dust and Crushing Underfoot

Genesis 3:14-15 – Eat Dust and Crushing Underfoot
[14] The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Comment
My theme this week continues to explore the above verses.
Recently I was watching a Bible Study and the following little insights came to light.
The commentary below was taken from this Bible study.
*****

These verses are not about snakes. The word used for serpent is nahash.
Nahash is also translated in Isaiah 27:1 and also in Rev 12:9 where it specifically identifies the ancient serpent is the devil.

In verse 14, God is speaking to the serpent and not to Adam nor Eve.
And so verse 14 is a curse by God, so it is bad news for the serpent.

Verse 15 represents the first prophetic announcement of the Messiah and His victory over sin and over the devil.
Right after Adam and Eve sin, God doesn’t abandon them. He gives them hope. He tells them there will eventually be someone who will come and defeat the devil..

There are phrases in the Bible which when you see how they have been applied elsewhere may give you extra insight as to what is possibly being said here.
(Two such phrase are below)

Eat dust
Gen 3:14
The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.


“Eat the dust” imagery is found elsewhere in the Old Testament and helps us understand what God is saying here.

Psalm 72:9-11 describes how the kind, the Davidic king will have his enemies bow down before him and they will eat or lick the dust.
It describes the defeat of the kings enemies.

May his foes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!

Crushing under foot
Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Bruising or crushing the head of the serpent is one way of saying the serpent is ‘under the feet’
(different translations of Genesis 3:15 say either crushed, bruised or strike the head)
“under feet” imagery is found elsewhere in the Old Testament and helps us understand what God is saying here.

Psalm 110:1 describes how the Davidic kings defeat their enemies by placing the enemies as a footstool – underneath the feet.
The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool."

2 Samuel 22:37-43 describes how David’s enemies are crushed and trampled under foot.

[37] Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip;
[38] I pursued my enemies and destroyed them, and did not turn back until they were consumed.
[39] I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise; they fell under my feet.
[40] For thou didst gird me with strength for the battle; thou didst make my assailants sink under me.
[41] Thou didst make my enemies turn their backs to me, those who hated me, and I destroyed them.
[42] They looked, but there was none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.
[43] I beat them fine as the dust of the earth, I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets.


So when you hear this idea about being under foot, crushed under foot that brings to mind a defeat, a king defeating the enemy.
When you read about the serpent being crushed by this child of a woman, crushing the head of the serpent,
it foreshadows that one day the woman will have a royal son, a Davidic son, a new king who will come and crush the serpent and defeat the devil.

Source: Dr Edward Sri - KNOWING MARY THROUGH THE BIBLE