Hebrews 11:12

Hebrews 11:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

Context of Hebrews 11:12

10Abraham was waiting for the city that God had designed and built, the city with permanent foundations. 11Faith enabled Abraham to become a father, even though he was old and Sarah had never been able to have children. Abraham trusted that God would keep his promise. Abraham was as good as dead. Yet, from this man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the grains of sand on the seashore. 13All these people died having faith. They didn’t receive the things that God had promised them, but they saw these things coming in the distant future and rejoiced. They acknowledged that they were living as strangers with no permanent home on earth. 14Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for their own country.

Hebrews 11:12 word by word

διὸ καὶ ἀφ᾽ ἑνὸς ἐγεννήθησαν, καὶ ταῦτα νενεκρωμένου, καθὼς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ πλήθει καὶ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ ἀναρίθμητος.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thereforeδιόdio · thereforeG1352
• sprang thereγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• evenκαίkai · andG2532
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• as good as deadνεκρόωnekroō · to put to deathG3499
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• the starsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the starsἄστρονastron · starG798
• of the skyοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• in multitudeπλῆθοςplēthos · multitudeG4128
• asὡσείhōsei · like/as/aboutG5616
• the sandἄμμοςammos · sandG285
• byπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• theχεῖλοςcheilos · lipG5491
• seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
• innumerableἀναρίθμητοςanarithmētos · countlessG382

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:12

• Romans 4:19Abraham didn’t weaken. Through faith he regarded the facts: His body was already as good as dead now that he was about a hundred years old, and Sarah was unable to have children.
• Genesis 15:5He took Abram outside and said, “Now look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He also said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
• Genesis 22:17I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities.
• Genesis 26:4I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and give all these lands to your descendants. Through your descendant all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
• Exodus 32:13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. You took an oath, swearing on yourself. You told them, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. I will give to your descendants all the land I spoke of. It will be their permanent possession.’ ”
• Deuteronomy 1:10The Lord your God has made your population increase so that you are now as numerous as the stars in the sky.
• Deuteronomy 28:62At one time you were as numerous as the stars in the sky. But only a few of you will be left, because you didn’t obey the Lord your God.
• 1 Chronicles 27:23David didn’t count those under 20 years old, because the Lord had promised that the people of Israel would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.
• Nehemiah 9:23You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky. You brought them into the land you told their parents to enter and possess.
• Romans 4:17as Scripture says: “I have made you a father of many nations.” Abraham believed when he stood in the presence of the God who gives life to dead people and calls into existence things that don’t even exist.
• Genesis 32:12But you did say, ‘I will make sure that you are prosperous and that your descendants will be as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one will be able to count them because there are so many.’ ”
• Joshua 11:4They came out with all their armies. Their troops were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. They also had horses and chariots.
• Judges 7:12Midian, Amalek, and all of Kedem were spread out in the valley like a swarm of locusts. There were so many camels that they could not be counted. They were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.
• 1 Samuel 12:5Samuel told them, “The Lord is a witness to what you’ve said, and his anointed king is a witness today that you’ve found nothing in my hands.” “He is a witness,” they answered.
• 2 Samuel 17:11So my advice is to gather all Israel’s troops from Dan to Beersheba, since they are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself.
• 1 Kings 4:20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and lived happily.

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Him 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.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Therefore 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-19Verses 8-19 We are often called to leave worldly connexions, interests, and comforts. If heirs of Abraham's faith, we shall obey and go forth, though not knowing what may befall us; and we shall be found in the way of duty, looking for the performance of God's promises. The trial of Abraham's faith was, that he simply and fully obeyed the call of God. Sarah received the promise as the promise of God; being convinced of that, she truly judged that he both…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12and he as good as dead: Abraham, who was very old, became the ancestor of an entire nation. Faith means believing that God can fulfill his promises, even when it seems impossible. as the stars … and the sand: See Genesis 22:17. God kept his promise (Exodus 1:7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. as good as dead--literally, "deadened"; no longer having, as in youth, energetic vital powers. stars ... sand--(Ge 22:17).Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:12

• Faith
• Obedience

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible
• Proper
• Rewarder
• Trial

Commentaries on Hebrews 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings