Who was Seth in the Bible?

from the old testament

• Seth was one of Adam and Eve's sons, born after the death of Abel. Genesis 4:25 describes his birth this way: "Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, 'God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.'" Eve rejoiced in having another son, remembering God’s promise in Genesis 3:15 that the woman's seed would crush the head of the serpent.
• Seth was the father of Enosh. Around the time that Enosh was born, "people began to call upon the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26).
• Seth's line of descendants is often considered the righteous line. Noah came from the line of Seth, and thus all of humanity today descended through Seth (Genesis 5; 10; 1 Chronicles 1:1–4). Seth is also the direct ancestor of Abraham and thus of the Jewish people (Genesis 11:10–26).
• Seth had many sons and daughters (Genesis 5:7), and he lived for 912 years (Genesis 5:8).

from the new testament

• Jesus' genealogy is traced back to Seth in Luke 3. God's promise to Eve of a Savior in Genesis 3:15 was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. He is the seed of the woman who crushed the serpent.

implications for today

Cain's murder of Abel demonstrated the quick escalation and utter devastation of sin. Seth's birth brought Adam and Eve hope. Seth's birth reminds us of God's faithfulness to set apart a people to Himself and to fulfill His plan of rescue for humanity. Through Seth's line, Jesus, whose blood speaks a better word than Abel's (Hebrews 12:24), was born. Paul explains, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:56–57). Jesus is fully God and fully human. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross as payment for our sins. He rose back to life, proving He is who He claimed and that His sacrifice is sufficient. He is victorious over sin and death. All who put their faith in Him are forgiven by God and given eternal life (Ephesians 1:3–14; 2:1–10).

Adam and Eve had good reason to be hopeful when Seth was born. The Savior would, indeed, come. One day the serpent will be fully and finally crushed (Revelation 20:7–10). We know that, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). So we live in faith, hope, and obedience. Like those in Enosh's time, we call upon the name of the Lord, knowing He is faithful and worthy of all praise.