Hebrews 11:12

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.

a. NLT: And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

b. NIV: And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

c. YLT: Wherefore, also from one were begotten -- and that of one who had become dead -- as the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as sand that is by the sea-shore -- the innumerable.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: So from one man, though he was physically as good as dead, there have sprung descendants whose number is as the stars of heaven and as countless as the innumerable sands on the seashore.

1. “Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead…”

a. Therefore [Strong: 1352 dio dee-o' from 1223 and 3739; through which thing, i.e. consequently:--for which cause, therefore, wherefore.]

b. sprang there [Strong: 1080 gennao ghen-nah'-o from a variation of 1085; to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to regenerate:--bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.]

c. even [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

d. of [Strong: 575 apo apo' a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):--(X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.]

e. one [Strong: 1520 heis hice (including the neuter (etc.) hen); a primary numeral; one:--a(-n, -ny, certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some.]

f. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

g. him [Strong: 5023  tauta tow'-tah nominative or accusative case neuter plural of 3778; these things:--+ afterward, follow, + hereafter, X him, the same, so, such, that, then, these, they, this, those, thus.]

h. as good as dead [Strong: 3499 nekroo nek-ro'-o from 3498; to deaden, i.e. (figuratively) to subdue:--be dead, mortify.]

1). I believe this is primarily referring to Abraham, but Sarah can be included for at least three reasons:

a). A married couple is regarded as one flesh.

(1) Genesis 2:23, 24 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

b). Both Abraham and Sarah are referred to in deadness.

(1) Romans 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

c). The use of “Therefore” immediately after the verse referring to Sarah’s faith, joins Sarah with Abraham in believing God for this miracle birth.

2). Exposition of Hebrews, Arthur W. Pink, p. 715: “Wherefore also from one were born, and that too of (one), having become dead, even as the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as the sand which (is) by the shore of the sea the countless” We have quoted the rendering given in the Bagster Interlinear because it is more literal and accurate than our A.V. The “him” in the English translation is misleading, for in this verse there is no masculine pronoun: at the most the “one” must refer to one couple…”

2. “…so many as the stars of the sky in multitude…”

a. so many as [Strong: 2531 kathos kath-oce' from 2596 and 5613; just (or inasmuch) as, that:--according to, (according, even) as, how, when.]

b. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

c. stars [Strong: 798 astron as'-tron neuter from 792; properly, a constellation; put for a single star (natural or artificial):--star.]

d. of the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

e. sky [Strong: 798 [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

f. [in] multitude [Strong: 4128  plethos play'-thos from 4130; a fulness, i.e. a large number, throng, populace:--bundle, company, multitude.]

1). God had previously promised this very thing.

a). Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

2). A confirmation is found in Jeremiah.

a). Jeremiah 31:35, 36 Thus saith the LORD which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:

31:36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.

b). Not only are the number of stars comparable to the number of Abraham’s seed, if the stars cease their orbits cease, Israel will cease from being a nation.  

3. “…and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. as [Strong: 5616 hosei ho-si' from 5613 and 1487; as if:--about, as (it had been, it were), like (as).]

c. [the] sand [Strong: 285 ammos am'-mos perhaps from 260; sand (as heaped on the beach):--sand.]

d. which [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

e. is by [Strong: 3844 para par-ah' a primary preposition; properly, near; i.e. (with genitive case) from beside (literally or figuratively), (with dative case) at (or in) the vicinity of (objectively or subjectively), (with accusative case) to the proximity with (local (especially beyond or opposed to) or causal (on account of):--above, against, among, at, before, by, contrary to, X friend, from, + give (such things as they), + that (she) had, X his, in, more than, nigh unto, (out) of, past, save, side...by, in the sight of, than, (there-)fore, with. In compounds it retains the same variety of application.]

f. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

g. sea [Strong: 2281 thalassa thal'-as-sah probably prolonged from 251; the sea (genitive case or specially):--sea.]

h. shore [Strong: 5491 cheilos khi'-los from a form of the same as 5490; a lip (as a pouring place); figuratively, a margin (of water):--lip, shore.]

i. Innumberable [Strong: 382 anarithmetos an-ar-ith'-may-tos from 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of 705; unnumbered, i.e. without number:--innumerable.]

1). Genesis 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of thine enemies.