“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.”
Therefore from one person, and one as good as dead, descendants were born as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore — the fulfillment of God's promise (Genesis 15:5-6) vindicated Abraham's faith; he and Sarah, dead to reproduction, became progenitors of multitude. The poetic imagery (stars, sand) captures the infinity of blessing.
Church Fathers on Hebrews 11:12
“Wherefore even from one they” all “sprang, as the stars of the sky, and as the sand which is by the sea-shore.” “Wherefore” (he says) “even from one they” all “sprang.” Here he not only says that she bare [a child], but that she also became mother of so many as not even fruitful wombs [are mothers of]. “As the stars,” He says. How then is it that He often numbers them, although He said, “As the stars of the heaven shall not be numbered, so neither shall your seed”? Genesis…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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