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Heb_11:12. The wondrous result of the faith displayed by Sarah.
ἐγενήθησαν ] sc. through Sarah as mother and ancestress, γίνεσθαι , of being born, usual also elsewhere in classic (Xen. Cyr. 1:2. 1, al.) and Hellenistic Greek (Rom_1:3; Gal_4:4, al.).
ἀφʼ ἑνός ] from one, namely Abraham. Wrongly does Carpzov apprehend ἑνός as a neuter, in that he will have it supplemented by σπέρματος or αἵματος . Just as wrongly Zeger: “vel ab uno Abrahae et Sarae corpore (juxta illud: Erunt duo in carne una).” Comp. already Theodoret: Ἀφʼ ἑνὸς τοῦ Ἀβραάμ · εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀμφοτέρους ἕνα νοήσαιμεν , οὐχ ἁμαρτησόμεθα · ἔσονται γάρ , φησίν , οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν .
καὶ ταῦτα ] and that too, and more than that. According to Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 153, equivalent to καὶ τοῦτο . But the plural is, no doubt, placed because the author has in his mind, besides the νενεκρωμένον εἶναι of Abraham, also that remarked in Heb_11:11 with regard to Sarah (her former unbelief and her advanced age).
νενεκρωμένου ] has reference to the dead power of generation, as Rom_4:19.
Of one were born even as the stars of heaven in regard to number, i.e. of one were descendants born innumerable in multitude as the stars of heaven. A supplementing of ἔκγονοι or ἄνθρωποι (so still Bleek) is, moreover, unnecessary. The comparison of the multitude of descendants to the stars of heaven, and the countless sand upon the sea-shore, is based upon the use of the same figures in the words of the promise given to Abraham; comp. Gen_13:16; Gen_15:5; Gen_22:17; Gen_26:4; Gen_32:12; Exo_32:13; Deu_1:10.
χεῖλος ] for shore occurs also with the classics, and that in prose equally (Herod. 2:94; Polyb. 3:14. 6, and frequently) as with the poets (Hom. Il. xii. 52). Comp. also Plin. xxxi. 2 : Herba in labris fontis virens; Caes. de hello Gall. vii. 72: ut ejus (fossae) solum tantundem pateret, quantum summa labra distabant.