Hebrews 11:12

“Therefore also from one man, and that a man as good as dead, there were born descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and as the countless sand by the shore of the sea.”
Hebrews 11:12 · direct translation from the Greek

Study it in the app

With the Greek beneath

Thereforeδιὸalsoκαὶfromἀφ’one man,ἑνὸςand thatκαὶ ταῦταa man as good as dead,νενεκρωμένουthere were bornἐγεννήθησανdescendantsasκαθὼςthe starsτὰ ἄστραof heavenτοῦ οὐρανοῦin number,τῷ πλήθειandκαὶasὡςthe countlessἡ ἀναρίθμητοςsandἡ ἄμμοςbyἡ παρὰthe shoreτὸ χεῖλοςof the sea.τῆς θαλάσσης

Allusion · Genesis 22:17

Go to Genesis 22:17

Hebrews describes Abraham’s offspring with the images of Genesis 22:17: the stars of heaven and the sand on the shore (“lip”) of the sea.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

ἄστραastraG798כוֹכְבֵיjojveH3556“star”
ἄμμοςammosG285חוֹלjolH2344“sand”
χεῖλοςcheilosG5491שְׂפַתsefatH8193“lip”
θαλάσσηςthalassēsG2281יָּםyamH3220“sea”

Hebrews 11:12, word by word

Thereforeδιὸdio

therefore

"Therefore", "for this reason".

Where else “dio” appears

one manἑνὸςhenos

one

The quantity one, or a single one within a group.

Where else “henos” appears

a man as good as deadνενεκρωμένουnenekrōmenou

nearly dead

Without strength to beget, because of age.

Where else “nenekrōmenou” appears

there were bornἐγεννήθησανegennēthēsan

be born

To give birth, or come into the world.

Where else “egennēthēsan” appears

the starsἄστραastra

star

Star.

Where else “astra” appears

of heavenοὐρανοῦouranou

sky

The vault we see above the earth, where birds fly and the stars are.

Where else “ouranou” appears

in numberπλήθειplēthei

great number

So many things together that they cannot easily be counted.

Where else “plēthei” appears

the countlessἀναρίθμητοςanarithmētos

countless

Countless: too many to be counted.

Where else “anarithmētos” appears

sandἄμμοςammos

sand

Sand.

Where else “ammos” appears

the shoreχεῖλοςcheilos

shore

The edge of the sea, where the sand lies.

Where else “cheilos” appears

of the seaθαλάσσηςthalassēs

sea

Sea; also a large lake, such as the Sea of Galilee.

Where else “thalassēs” appears

Translation note

This recalls Genesis 22:17.

The context

11By faith he also received power to beget, together with Sarah herself, even beyond the time of their age, since he considered faithful the one who had promised.

12 · This verse (above)

13In faith all these died, not having received the promises, but having seen them from a distance and greeted them, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Read all of Hebrews 11

How to use it