Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 11:12
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
12. as the stars as the sand ] Gen 22:17; Deu 1:10.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Therefore sprang there even of one – From a single individual. What is observed here by the apostle as worthy of remark, is, that the whole Jewish people sprang from one man, and that, as the reward of his strong faith he was made the father and founder of a nation.
And him as good as dead – So far as the subject under discussion is concerned, To human appearance there was no more probability, that he would have a son at that period of life, than that the dead would have.
So many as the stars in the sky … – An innumerable multitude. This was agreeable to the promise; Gen 15:5; Gen 22:17. The phrases used here are often employed to denote a vast multitude, as nothing appears more numerous than the stars of heaven, or than the sands that lie on the shores of the ocean. The strength of faith in this case was, that there was simple confidence in God in the fulfillment of a promise where all human probabilities were against it. This is, therefore, an illustration of the nature of faith. It does not depend on human reasoning; on analogy; on philosophical probabilities; on the foreseen operation of natural laws; but on the mere assurance of God – no matter what may be the difficulties to human view, or the improbabilities against it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 12. Him as good as dead] According to nature, long past the time of the procreation of children. The birth of Isaac, the circumstances of the father and mother considered, was entirely supernatural; and the people who proceeded from this birth were a supernatural people; and were and are most strikingly singular through every period of their history to the present day.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Because of this faith of Abraham and Sarah, and the fruit of it in conceiving and bringing forth Isaac, was laid the foundation of a numerous seed by Gods promise; from Abraham, a hundred, and Sarah, ninety years old, and barren, and both dead as to procreation, Rom 4:19, there were begotten a vast and unbounded seed, as the stars in the firmament, or the sand on the sea shore; and amongst them the teeming blessing, the one eminent Seed of Abraham, the Messiah, in whom all nations were to be blessed. Within four hundred years from the birth of Isaac, this seed increased to above six hundred thousand fighting men, besides women and children, and after increased to a stupendous greatness, according to the promise, Gen 13:16; 15:5; Exo 12:47; 1Ch 21:5,6.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. as good as deadliterally,”deadened”; no longer having, as in youth, energetic vitalpowers.
stars . . . sand (Ge22:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Ver. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one,…. That is, Abraham: the Arabic version has here a strange interpolation;
“this faith Isaac and Rebecca conceived in mind, and so there were born of one, Esau and Jacob.”
And him as good as dead; being an hundred years of age;
[See comments on Ro 4:19]. The Ethiopic version reads, “the bodies of both were like a dead carcass”; both of Abraham and Sarah:
so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable; as was promised to Abraham,
Ge 15:5 which has been fulfilled, Isa 10:22 and will still have a further fulfilment, Ho 1:10.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And that as good as dead ( ). Accusative of general reference (), sometimes singular as in 1Co 6:8. The perfect passive participle from , late verb to make dead, to treat as dead (Ro 4:19), here by hyperbole.
By the sea shore ( ). “Along the lip of the sea” (from Ge 22:17), here alone in this sense in the N.T.
Innumerable (). Old compound verbal adjective (alpha privative and , to number), here alone in N.T.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
As good as dead [] . Comp. Rom 4:19. As good as is an addition of A. V. The Greek reads and that a dead man. Comp. nekrwsin deadness applied to Sarah, Rom 4:19.
Stars – sand. See Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12.
By the seashore [ ] . Lit. by the lip of the sea. The phrase N. T. o. Very often in LXX, as Gen 22:17; Exo 14:30 : lip of a river, Gen 41:17; Exo 7:15 : of a brook, Deu 2:36; Deu 3:12 : of Jordan, 2Ki 2:13. So in Class. The vigor thus supernaturally imparted to Abraham does not appear to have exhausted itself in the generation of Isaac; since, according to Gen 25:2, Abraham became by Keturah the father of six sons after the death of Sarah.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Therefore sprang there even of one,” (dio kai aph’ enos egenethesan) “Wherefore there be came from one,” the one God called, Abraham, Gen 12:1-4; When he was an hundred years of age and Sarah was more than ninety years of age, Gen 17:15-19.
2) “And him as good as dead,” (kai tauta nenekromenou) “And that one too having (already died),” from the reproduction standpoint, having become impotent, unproductive, or incapable of causing childbearing, according to natural life, barren or unfruitful; From such a state Abraham, by supernatural power and intervention, begat Isaac, Heb 11:17-19.
3) “So many as the stars of the sky in multitude,” (kathos ta astra tou ouranou to plethei) “Just as the stars, a constellation of the sky, innumerable,” Gen 41:49; Jos 11:4; in multitudes, in unlimited numbers. Abraham at one hundred years of age was promised that he should be “exceeding fruitful,” and make nations and “kings” to come out of him. This means that he was the progenitor of royalty, thru Judah and David, Gen 17:4-8; Gen 49:10.
4) “And as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable,” (kai hos he ammos he para to chelos tes thalasses he amarithmetos) “And as innumerable as the sand by (the lip of) the seashore; Gen 22:15-18 recounts this confirmation of God’s covenant to Abraham by an angel from God. This expression is later used regarding Israel and Judah, God’s ancient chosen offspring people of Abraham and Sarah’s seed-line, with whom Christ shall yet dwell and over whom he shall reign in fulfilling the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, Hos 1:10-11; Luk 1:30-33.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
12. Therefore sprang there even of one, etc. He now also reminds the Jews, that it was by faith that they were the descendants of Abraham; for he was as it were half dead, (220) and Sarah his wife, who had been barren in the flower of her age, was now sterile, being far advanced in years. Sooner then might oil be expected to flow from a stone, than a nation to proceed from them: and yet there sprang from them an innumerable multitude. If now the Jews are proud of their origin, let them consider what it was. Whatever they are, everything is doubtless to be ascribed to the faith of Abraham and Sarah. It hence follows, that they cannot retain and defend the position they have acquired in any other way than by faith.
(220) Calvin renders ταῦτα adverbially “quidem,” “and indeed dead;” Doddridge “in his repeat;” Macknight, “to these matters;” Stuart “as to these things.” But the word is rendered in Luk 6:23, “in the like manner;” and this would be the best rendering here. Abraham was like Sarah, “dead” as to the power of begetting children, — “Therefore even from one, and him in a like manner dead, there sprang so many as the stars,” etc. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(12) The stars of the sky.Better, the stars of the heaven. (See Gen. 15:5; Gen. 22:17.)
And as the sand.And as the sand by the seashore, which is innumerable (Gen. 22:17). With the first words of the verse compare Rom. 4:19.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. Therefore sprang there And now comes the point that renders these events and characters most illustrious to every Hebrew memory. From this miraculous point sprang his chosen race. The Messianic race, like the Messiah himself, had a supernatural birth. Abraham was that Christ might be; and Sarah was the ancestress of the blessed mother of Jesus.
Even of one From one fountain head, Abraham, all the diverging streams of the tribes sprang.
Dead And so from a divinely energized source. Israel was miracle-born. Every Hebrew read in the narrative proof that he was a son of God. The human race was born from Adam; again from Noah; the Jewish race from energized Abraham.
Multitude Forming the twelve tribes, and even now spread through all the earth.
Stars sand The most natural images in primitive times of a number beyond enumeration.
So in old Herodotus, the oracle is made to say, “I know the number of the sand and the measures of the sea.” And so God said to Abraham, (Gen 22:17,) “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Heb 11:12. Therefore sprang there, &c. “By this mighty principle of faith in her, and in Abraham, there sprang even from one father, and he, in this respect, as it were dead, a posterity in multitude as the stars of the heavens, &c. according to that divine promise, which carried its efficacy into so many remoter ages, and retains it even to this day.” See my Annotations on the promises made to Abraham, as recorded in the book of Genesis.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Heb 11:12 . The wondrous result of the faith displayed by Sarah.
] sc . through Sarah as mother and ancestress, , of being born , usual also elsewhere in classic (Xen. Cyr . 1:2. 1, al .) and Hellenistic Greek (Rom 1:3 ; Gal 4:4 , al .).
] from one , namely Abraham. Wrongly does Carpzov apprehend as a neuter , in that he will have it supplemented by or . Just as wrongly Zeger: “vel ab uno Abrahae et Sarae corpore (juxta illud: Erunt duo in carne una).” Comp. already Theodoret: , , , .
] and that too, and more than that . According to Winer, Gramm. , 7 Aufl. p. 153, equivalent to . But the plural is, no doubt, placed because the author has in his mind, besides the of Abraham, also that remarked in Heb 11:11 with regard to Sarah (her former unbelief and her advanced age).
] has reference to the dead power of generation, as Rom 4:19 .
Of one were born even as the stars of heaven in regard to number, i.e. of one were descendants born innumerable in multitude as the stars of heaven. A supplementing of or (so still Bleek) is, moreover, unnecessary. The comparison of the multitude of descendants to the stars of heaven, and the countless sand upon the sea-shore, is based upon the use of the same figures in the words of the promise given to Abraham; comp. Gen 13:16 ; Gen 15:5 ; Gen 22:17 ; Gen 26:4 ; Gen 32:12 ; Exo 32:13 ; Deu 1:10 .
] for shore occurs also with the classics, and that in prose equally (Herod. 2:94; Polyb. 3:14. 6, and frequently) as with the poets (Hom. Il . xii. 52). Comp. also Plin. xxxi. 2 : Herba in labris fontis virens; Caes. de hello Gall. vii. 72: ut ejus (fossae) solum tantundem pateret, quantum summa labra distabant.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Ver. 12. As the stars, &c. ] The seed of Abraham (saith one) are of two sorts. Some are visible members of a Church, yet have earthly hearts, dry and barren as the sand. Others as the stars of heaven, of spiritual hearts, minding things above.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
12 .] Wonderful result of this faith of Abraham and Sarah . Wherefore also ( , which occurs again ch. Heb 13:12 , is frequent in St. Luke and St. Paul, see reff.) from one sprung there (the reading is doubtful, but . seems to suit better the father , whereas . , ‘these were born from,’ would almost necessarily be said of the mother ) and that (there is no foundation for Lnemann’s notion, that the plur. has reference to the two circumstances, the deadness of Abraham and the unbelief of Sarah: in such sentences is perpetually the collective plural, = . Cf. Khner, Gram. 667 c, who gives as examples, Plato, Rep. iii. p. 404 B, , : Demosth. c. Phorm. Extr., , , “quamvis civis vester esset”) ( from one ) deadened (past that vital power which nature requires: see ref. Rom.) even as (it may be asked what is the subject to ? Some supply or , see Winer, 64. 3: but it is better to make the whole, to the end, the virtual subject, latent in = . . . .) the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is by the lip (margin, cf. in ref. Herod. and Polyb. v. 14. 6; iii. 43. 8 al. fr. in index) of the sea which is innumerable (so ran the promises to Abraham, Gen 13:16 , : Gen 15:5 , , , , : and more fully Gen 22:17 , , . The comparison with the sand as indicating great number is frequently found in the O. T., e. g. Gen 41:49 ; Jos 11:4 ; 1Sa 13:5 ; 2Sa 17:11 ; 1Ki 4:29 ; Isa 10:22 . Cf. also Herod. i. 48, , , and Pind. Olymp. ii. in fine, ).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
sprang = were begotten.
him, &c. = and that too, one having become dead. Greek. nekroo. See Rom 4:19.
stars, sand. Gen 15:5; Gen 22:17; Gen 26:4. Exo 32:13. Isa 48:19.
sky = heaven. See Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10.
by. Greek. para. App-104.
innumerable. Greek. anarithmetos. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
12.] Wonderful result of this faith of Abraham and Sarah. Wherefore also ( , which occurs again ch. Heb 13:12, is frequent in St. Luke and St. Paul, see reff.) from one sprung there (the reading is doubtful, but . seems to suit better the father, whereas . , these were born from, would almost necessarily be said of the mother) and that (there is no foundation for Lnemanns notion, that the plur. has reference to the two circumstances, the deadness of Abraham and the unbelief of Sarah: in such sentences is perpetually the collective plural, = . Cf. Khner, Gram. 667 c, who gives as examples, Plato, Rep. iii. p. 404 B, , : Demosth. c. Phorm. Extr., , , quamvis civis vester esset) (from one) deadened (past that vital power which nature requires: see ref. Rom.) even as (it may be asked what is the subject to ? Some supply or , see Winer, 64. 3: but it is better to make the whole, to the end, the virtual subject, latent in = . …) the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is by the lip (margin, cf. in ref. Herod. and Polyb. v. 14. 6; iii. 43. 8 al. fr. in index) of the sea which is innumerable (so ran the promises to Abraham, Gen 13:16, : Gen 15:5, , , , : and more fully Gen 22:17, , . The comparison with the sand as indicating great number is frequently found in the O. T., e. g. Gen 41:49; Jos 11:4; 1Sa 13:5; 2Sa 17:11; 1Ki 4:29; Isa 10:22. Cf. also Herod. i. 48, , , and Pind. Olymp. ii. in fine, ).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Heb 11:12. , from one) from Abraham, by Sarah.-) sprung, namely, sons.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
In this verse we have an illustration of the fruit of the faith before declared, by the eminent consequent of it, in the numerous or innumerable posterity of Abraham.
Heb 11:12. , , , .
Heb 11:12. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.
The things contained in this verse, as they were a consequent of the original mercy or fruit of faith in the conception and birth of Isaac, so they are reckoned also themselves unto the gratuitous remuneration of faith, although it be not added particularly that it was by faith. For they are expressly contained in the promise to Abraham, which he received by faith, and that in the very words recorded here by the apostle: Gen 15:4-5, the Lord said unto him, He that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir; which is what was declared in the foregoing verse. And then he adds, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them, So shall thy seed be; as it is in this place:
Gen 22:17, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore.
Wherefore the belief hereof belonged unto that faith of Abraham which he is commended for. And it had its peculiar difficulties also, that rendered it both acceptable and commendable. For whereas he himself had but one son by virtue of the promise, it was not easy for him to apprehend how he should have such an innumerable posterity.
And it may be observed, that the first testimony given unto the justification of Abraham by faith, was upon his belief of this part of the promise, that his seed should be as the stars of heaven, that cannot be numbered; for thereon it is immediately added, that he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness, Gen 15:5-6. For although this promise concerned things temporal, yet it belonged unto the way of redemption by Christ, the promised seed: so that justifying faith may act itself, and be an evidence of our justification, when we believe promises even about temporal mercies, as they belong unto the covenant; whereof we have innumerable examples under the old testament.
The note of inference, , therefore, respects not a consequence in the way of reasoning, but the introduction of a consequent, or other matter, upon what was before asserted.
And the particle in the original is not conjunctive, but emphatical only; so we render it even, even of one.
The blessing here declared as a fruit of faith, is, a numerous posterity. Not only had Abraham and Sarah one son, upon their believing, but by him a numerous, yea, an innumerable, posterity.
But it may be inquired, whence this should be such a blessing as to be celebrated amongst the most eminent fruits of faith, as being the subject of a solemn divine promise. I answer, It was so, because the whole church of God, who should be the true worshippers of him under the old testament, was confined unto the posterity of Abraham. Therefore was their multiplication a singular blessing, which all the faithful prayed for and rejoiced 3: So is it stated by Moses, Deu 1:10-11 :
The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!
And,
Obs. 1. When God is pleased to increase his church in number, it is on various accounts a matter of rejoicing unto all believers; and a subject of their daily prayers, as that which is frequently promised in the word of truth.
Obs. 2. An ungodly, carnal multitude, combined together in secular interests for their advantage, unto the ends of superstition and sin, calling themselves the church, like that of Rome, is set up by the craft of Satan, to evade the truth and debase the glory of these promises. This blessing of a numerous posterity is variously set forth, illustrated, and heightened.
1. From the root of it. It was one, one man; that is Abraham. Unto him alone was the great promise of the blessing Seed now confined. And he, though but one, was heir of all the promises. And this privilege of Abraham, the Jews, when they were grown wicked and carnal, boasted of and applied unto themselves. They spake, saying,
Abraham was one, and he inhabited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for an inheritance, Eze 33:24.
He was that one whose rights and privileges they appropriated unto themselves He was mentioned so here by the apostle, to set off the greatness of the mercy proposed, that so many should spring of one.
2. From the consideration of the state and outward condition of that one when he became the spring of this numerous posterity; and him as good as dead, : so all our translations from Tyndal, much to the sense of the words. So it is expressed, Rom 4:19, , His body now dead; or rather, mortified, brought towards death, made impotent by age; being, as the apostle there observes, about an hundred years old: The word is variously rendered; but, as Erasmus observes, it is often used adverbially, and rendered idque, atque, id, et quidem; and that, and truly. And if we shall say that is taken for , as sometimes it is, the meaning will be plain: And as unto these things, that is, the generation of children, one that was dead. Otherwise I cannot better express the sense than as it is in our translation. For this sense cannot be allowed, that there sprang from one, and that after he was dead; with respect unto the succeeding progenitors of the people: but respect is had unto the then present state of Abraham. His body naturally was as useless unto the end of the procreation of such a posterity as if it had been dead.
Obs. 3. God oftentimes by nature works things above the power of nature in its ordinary efficacy and operations. So by weak and dead means he often produceth mighty effect.
The way of the raising of this posterity from this one, we express by, They sprang from him; that is, as the word signifies, were begotten or born in their several generations, the original spring and fountain of them all being in him.
3. The greatness of this fruit of faith, in a numerous posterity, is expressed by declaring the multitude of them, in a twofold proverbial expression.
(1.) They were for multitude, as many as the stars in the sky. I had rather say, the stars of heaven, as it is in the original, for so they are constantly called; and in all naturalists the place of their fixation is termed the starry heaven.
This expression was first used by God himself, who commanded Abraham to go out, or brought him forth abroad, and bade him look toward heaven and tell the stars, if he were able to number them. Now, although it is pretended that, by rules of art, those of them which are visible or conspicuous may be numbered, and are not so great a multitude as is supposed, yet it is evident that in a naked view of them, by our eyes, without any outward helps, such as God called Abraham unto, there can be no greater appearance of what is absolutely innumerable.
Besides, I judge that in this comparison of the posterity of Abraham unto the stars of heaven, not only their number, but their beauty and order are also respected. The stars of heaven are like the inhabitants of a well- governed commonwealth, a people digested into order and rule, with great variety as unto their magnitude and aspects. This was a just representation of the numerous posterity of Abraham, disposed into the order of a wise commonwealth in the giving of the law.
(2.) In the other allusion they are declared to be absolutely innumerable. It is not said that they should be as many as the sand by the sea-shore; but as that is innumerable, so should they also be. So were they a multitude, in their successive generations, which could be no more numbered than the sand by the sea-shore.
On many considerations there cannot be a greater instance of the absolute certainty of an almighty efficacy in divine promises for their accomplishment, than is in that here proposed. Neither their own sins, nor the oppressions of the world, nor their Egyptian bondage, nor the graves of the wilderness, could hinder this fruit of faith, or the accomplishment of this promise. And hence proceeded the miraculous multiplication of the posterity of Jacob in Egypt, wherein from seventy-five persons, in little more than two hundred years, there sprang six hundred thousand men, besides women and children. Wherefore,
Obs. 4. Whatever difficulties and oppositions lie in the way of the accomplishment of the promises under the new testament, made unto Jesus Christ concerning the increase and stability of his church and kingdom, they shall have an assured accomplishment.
Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews
and him: Rom 4:19
as the stars: Gen 15:5, Gen 22:17, Gen 26:4, Exo 32:13, Deu 1:10, Deu 28:62, 1Ch 27:23, Neh 9:23, Rom 4:17
as the sand: Gen 22:17, Gen 32:12, Jos 11:4, Jdg 7:12, 1Sa 12:5, 2Sa 17:11, 1Ki 4:20, Isa 10:22, Isa 48:19, Jer 33:22, Hos 1:10, Hab 1:9, Rom 4:18, Rom 9:27, Rev 20:8
Reciprocal: Gen 13:16 – General Gen 18:11 – old Gen 18:12 – laughed Num 1:46 – General Deu 10:22 – as the stars Psa 105:12 – and strangers Psa 105:24 – And he Isa 54:1 – for more Rom 9:9 – Sarah Heb 11:19 – from the Heb 13:14 – General Rev 7:9 – no man
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 11:12. As good as dead. The second word is not in the original as a separate term. The phrase is used figuratively because all appearances were that way. We know Abraham’s reproductive powers were not gone, for at least thirty-seven years later he married the second time and begat six sons (Gen 23:1 Genesis 25 Genesis 1, 2). There is no evidence that a miracle was performed to enable him to beget these sons. Besides, they were not needed to fulfill the promise made in the beginning. Stars and sand are used to indicate the vast number of his descendants.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 11:12. Wherefore also (a common Pauline expression, Rom 4:22; Rom 15:22, etc.) from one (the emphatic part) sprang there, etc.from a single, nay a lifeless, source sprang there a race like the dust of the earth (Gen 13:16), the stars of the heaven, the sand on the lip (the margin) of the sea, innumerable; and through faith Abraham became the father and Sarah the mother of them all.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
These words acquaint us with that gratuitous remuneration and gracious reward which God gave Abraham and Sarah, as the fruit of the faith, namely, the blessing of a numerous posterity; there sprang of them, and both of them, as good as dead, with reference to the procreation of children, a numerous issue like the stars of heaven, and the sands of the sea.
Hence learn, That the God of nature, at his own pleasure, works things above the power of nature in its ordinary efficacy and operations; by weak and dead means he often produces mighty effects.
Learn, 2. That whatever difficulties and oppositions lie in the way of the accomplishing of God’s promises, they shall have an assured accomplishment on God’s part, if faith be kept up in lively exercise on our part.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 12
As good as dead; on account of his advanced age.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as {f} dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
(f) As unlikely to bear children, as if he had been dead.