In Genesis 4:25, it states: "And Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and called his name Seth: 'for God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel; for Cain slew him"
What is the ancient interpretation of this "appointment?"
In the pseudepigraphal text, Greek Life of Adam and Eve (GLAE), also known as the Apocalypse of Moses, ch. 38 delineates the first steps of Adam's burial. In Ch. 38 it states:
1
Now after all these things the archangel asked about attending to the remains.2
And God gave orders that all the angels should gather before him, each according to his rank.3
And all the angels came together, some with censers and others trumpets. And the Lord of hosts mounted up, the winds drawing him, and the cherubim being above the winds; and the angels of heaven were leading him. And when they came to the place where the body of Adam was, they took it.4
And they came into Paradise and all the plants of Paradise were stirred, so that all those born of Adam became drowsy from the fragrance except Seth, abecause he was born according to the appointment of God.a
a-a διὰ τὸ γεννηθῆναι αὐτὸν καθ᾽ ὅρον τοῦ θεοῦ
-- Passage cited from M. D. Johnson's translation in James Charlesworth (ed.), Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vol. 2 (1983), p. 291. Greek cited from Tischendorf edition.
Verse 4 is of particular interest to me because I don't quite understand why Seth is excluded from the drowsiness emitted from Paradises' fragrances. It states that it is "because he was born according to the appointment of God." But what does this mean? In Gen. 4:25, it seems to merely indicate that he is a replacement of Abel, but are some divine attributes granted him too? Well, in this historical interpretation of Seth?
Is Seth associated with eschatology/immortality/resurrection in pseudepigraphal texts? How does he avoid the same effects it has on his fellow mortals? And what does this symbolize? What does the fragrance symbolize? Immortality? Have scholars noted on Seth's role or fragrances in this case?
What was the ancient historical interpretation of Seth's appointment in Gen. 4:25 when it came to GLAE? What did his "appointment" entail?