Berean Bible

Back to Reader

Hebrews

Note Journal Prayer

11

:

12

“

Therefore also were born from one man, and he having been as good as dead, as the stars of heaven in multitude, and countless as the sand by the shore of the sea.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
Therefore Wherefore, on which account, therefore. Conj H1352 διὸ dio
also And, even, also, namely. Conj H2532 καὶ kai
one man, One. Adj-GMS H1520 ἑνὸς enos
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016
having been as good as dead, To put to death, make as dead; to render weak, impotent. V-RPM/P-GMS H3499 νενεκρωμένου nenekrōmenou
stars A star. N-NNP H798 ἄστρα astra
heaven Heaven, (a) the visible heavens: the atmosphere, the sky, the starry heavens, (b) the spiritual heavens. N-GMS H3772 οὐρανοῦ ouranou
in multitude, A multitude, crowd, great number, assemblage. N-DNS H4128 πλήθει plēthei
countless Uncountable, innumerable, that cannot be numbered. Adj-NFS H382 ἀναρίθμητος anarithmētos
sand Sand, sandy ground. N-NFS H285 ἄμμος ammos
sea. (a) the sea, in contrast to the land, (b) a particular sea or lake, e.g. the Sea of Galilee (Tiberias), the Red Sea. N-GFS H2281 θαλάσσης thalassēs

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
Berean Bible Therefore also were born from one man, and he having been as good as dead, as the stars of heaven in multitude, and countless as the sand by the shore of the sea.
King James Bible Therefore also were born from one man, sprang there even of one, and he having been him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven the sky in multitude, and countless as the sand which is by the sea shore of the sea.innumerable.
Hebrew Greek English Therefore also were there was born from even of one man, and he having been him as good as dead, dead at that, as the stars of heaven in multitude, and countless as the sand by the shore of the sea.many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.
New American Standard Bible 1995 Therefore also were there was born from even of one man, and he having been him as good as dead, dead at that, as the stars of heaven in multitude, and countless as the sand by the shore of the sea.many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.