Hebrews 11:12

KJV1611 – Modern English

Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Διὸ καὶ ἀφʼ ἑνὸς ἐγεννήθησαν, καὶ ταῦτα νενεκρωμένου, καθὼς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ πλήθει, καὶ ὡσ ἡ ἄμμος ἡ παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ ἀναρίθμητος.

Transliteration

Dio also from henos egennēthēsan, and this one having been nenekrōmenou, as the astra of the ouranou in the plēthei, and as the ammos para the cheilos of the thalassēs the anarithmētos.

Grammar Details

• *Dio*: conjunction - therefore/for this reason
• *henos*: cardinal numeral, genitive, masculine, singular - one
• *egennēthēsan*: aorist passive indicative, 3rd plural - were born/begotten
• *nenekrōmenou*: perfect passive participle, genitive, masculine, singular - having been dead/deadened
• *astra*: nominative, neuter, plural - stars
• *ouranou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of heaven/sky
• *plēthei*: dative, neuter, singular - in multitude
• *ammos*: nominative, feminine, singular - sand
• *para*: preposition + accusative - beside/by/near
• *cheilos*: accusative, neuter, singular - shore/lip/rim
• *thalassēs*: genitive, feminine, singular - of sea
• *anarithmētos*: nominative, feminine, singular - innumerable/countless

Word Meanings

• *Dio*: therefore/for this reason/wherefore
• *egennēthēsan*: were born/begotten/brought forth
• *nenekrōmenou*: having been dead/deadened/impotent
• *astra*: stars/constellations
• *ouranou*: heaven/sky/firmament
• *plēthei*: multitude/number/fullness
• *ammos*: sand/seashore
• *cheilos*: shore/lip/rim/edge
• *thalassēs*: sea/ocean
• *anarithmētos*: innumerable/countless/numberless

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  And so from 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.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  wherefore{G1352} also there sprang{G1080} of{G575} one,{G1520} and{G2532} him{G5023} as{G2531} good as dead,{G3499} [so many] as{G2531} the stars{G798} of heaven in multitude,{G4128} and{G2532} as{G5616} the{G5491} sand,{G285} which is{G3588} by{G3844} the {G2281} sea-shore,{G5491} innumerable.{G382}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Therefore{G1352} sprang there{G1080}{(G5681)} even{G2532} of{G575} one{G1520}, and{G2532} him{G5023} as good as dead{G3499}{(G5772)}, so many as{G2531} the stars{G798} of the sky{G3772} in multitude{G4128}, and{G2532} as{G5616} the sand{G285} which{G3588} is by{G3844} the sea{G2281} shore{G5491} innumerable{G382}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And therfore spronge therof one (and of one which was as good as deed) so many in multitude as the starres of ye skye and as the sond of the see shore which is innumerable.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And therfore spronge there of one (yee euen off one which was as good as deed concernynge the body) so many in multitude as the starres off the skye, and as the sonde off the See shore, which is innumerable.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And therefore sprang there of one, euen of one which was dead, so many as the starres of the skie in multitude, and as the land of the sea shore which is innumerable.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And therfore sprang there of one, euen of one whiche was as good as dead so many in multitude, as are the starres in the skye, and as the sande the whiche is by the sea shore innumerable.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  wherefore, also from one were begotten -- and that of one who had become dead -- as the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as sand that `is' by the sea-shore -- the innumerable.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, `so many' as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  So that from one man, who was near to death, came children in number as the stars in heaven, or as the sand by the seaside, which may not be numbered.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  So in fact children were fathered by one man– and this one as good as dead– like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand on the seashore.

Referenced Verses

• Gen 22:17 : 17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies;
• Gen 32:12 : 12 And you said, I will surely do you good, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
• Hos 1:10 : 10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, there it shall be said to them, You are the sons of the living God.
• Gen 15:5 : 5 And he brought him outside, and said, Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if you are able to number them: and he said to him, So shall your offspring be.
• Isa 10:22 : 22 For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: a destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness.
• Isa 48:19 : 19 Your descendants also would have been like the sand, and the offspring of your body like its gravel; his name would not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
• Jer 33:22 : 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the descendants of David my servant, and the Levites that minister to me.
• Gen 26:4 : 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give to your descendants all these countries; and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
• Rom 9:27 : 27 Isaiah also cries concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
• Rev 20:8 : 8 And will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for battle; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
• Exod 32:13 : 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
• Deut 1:10 : 10 The LORD your God has multiplied you, and, behold, you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude.
• Deut 28:62 : 62 And you shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.
• Josh 11:4 : 4 And they went out, they and all their armies with them, numerous people, as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.
• Judg 7:12 : 12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay in the valley as numerous as locusts, and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore for multitude.
• 1 Sam 12:5 : 5 And he said to them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
• 2 Sam 17:11 : 11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.
• 1 Kgs 4:20 : 20 Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in numbers, eating and drinking and rejoicing.
• 1 Chr 27:23 : 23 But David did not count those twenty years old and under, because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the heavens.
• Neh 9:23 : 23 You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and brought them into the land which You had promised to their forefathers they would enter and possess.
• Rom 4:17-19 : 17 As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead, and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, So shall your descendants be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead, being about a hundred years old, nor the deadness of Sarah's womb.