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Hebrews 11:12
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10 for he waited for athe city which has foundations, bwhose builder and maker is God.  
11 By faith aSarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and bshe bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him cfaithful who had promised.  
12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as adead, were born as many as the bstars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.  

The Heavenly Hope

13 These all died in faith, anot having received the bpromises, but chaving seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and dconfessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  
14 For those who say such things adeclare plainly that they seek a homeland.  
15 And truly if they had called to mind athat country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.  
16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed ato be called their God, for He has bprepared a city for them.  

The Faith of the Patriarchs

17 By faith Abraham, awhen he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  
18 1of whom it was said, a“In Isaac your seed shall be called,”  
Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
<< Hebrews 11:11   Hebrews 11:13 >>


Hebrews 11:12

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; Genesis 15:5; Genesis 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.




Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Hebrews 11:12:

Romans 4:19
Galatians 4:23

 

<< Hebrews 11:11   Hebrews 11:13 >>

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