New Living Translation
Hebrews 11:18
18even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”
Hebrews 11:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
- New International Version (NIV)even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named."
- New King James Version (NKJV)of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
Context of Hebrews 11:18
16But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. 20It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.
Read all of Hebrews 11Hebrews 11:18 word by word
πρὸς ὃν ἐλαλήθη ὅτι ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Hebrews 11:18
- Genesis 17:19But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.
- Genesis 21:12But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.
- Romans 9:7Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
Commentaries on Hebrews 11:18
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called; - Genesis 21:12. A numerous posterity had been promised to him. It was there said expressly that this promise was not to be fulfilled through the son of Abraham, by the bondwoman Hagar, but through Isaac. Of course, it was implied that Isaac was to reach manhood, and yet notwithstanding this, and notwithstanding Abraham fully believed it, be prepared deliberately, in obedience to the divine…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. 17-19ready to offer his one and only son: See Genesis 22:1–18. God did not want Abraham to sacrifice his son. He was testing Abraham's faith, which Abraham showed through his obedience.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Of whom--rather as Greek "He (Abraham, not Isaac) TO whom it was said" [Alford]. Bengel supports English Version. So He 1:7 uses the same Greek preposition, "unto," for "in respect to," or "of." This verse gives a definition of the "only-begotten Son" (He 11:17). in Isaac shall thy seed be called--(Ge 21:12). The posterity of Isaac alone shall be accounted as the seed of Abraham, which is the heir of the promises (Ro 9:7).Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 11:18
In the dictionaries
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
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