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.

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.

For which cause there sprung even from one (and him as good as dead) as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

Wherefore also there have been born of one, and that of one become dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the countless sand which is by the sea shore.

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.

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.

And thus there sprang from one man, and him practically dead, a nation like the stars of the sky in number, and like the sands on the sea shore which cannot be counted.

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.

Because of this, there were also born, from one who himself was as if dead, a multitude like the stars of heaven, who are, like the sand of the seashore, innumerable.

Propterea etiam ex uno geniti sunt, et quidem emortuo, multitudine tanquam astra coeli et quasi arena quae est juxta marginem maris innumerabilis.

Therefore sprang there even of one, etc. He now also reminds the Jews, that it was by faith that they were the descendants of Abraham; for he was as it were half dead, [1] and Sarah his wife, who had been barren in the flower of her age, was now sterile, being far advanced in years. Sooner then might oil be expected to flow from a stone, than a nation to proceed from them: and yet there sprang from them an innumerable multitude. If now the Jews are proud of their origin, let them consider what it was. Whatever they are, everything is doubtless to be ascribed to the faith of Abraham and Sarah. It hence follows, that they cannot retain and defend the position they have acquired in any other way than by faith.

Footnotes

1 - Calvin renders tauta adverbially "quidem," "and indeed dead;" Doddridge "in his repeat;" Macknight, "to these matters;" Stuart "as to these things." But the word is rendered in Luke 6:23, "in the like manner;" and this would be the best rendering here. Abraham was like Sarah, "dead" as to the power of begetting children, -- "Therefore even from one, and him in a like manner dead, there sprang so many as the stars," etc. -- Ed

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.

Him as good as dead - According to nature, long past the time of the procreation of children. The birth of Isaac, the circumstances of the father and mother considered, was entirely supernatural; and the people who proceeded from this birth were a supernatural people; and were and are most strikingly singular through every period of their history to the present day.

Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as (f) dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
(f) As unlikely to bear children, as if he had been dead.

That is, Abraham: the Arabic version has here a strange interpolation;
"this faith Isaac and Rebecca conceived in mind, and so there were born of one, Esau and Jacob.''
And him as good as dead; being an hundred years of age; See Gill on Romans 4:19. The Ethiopic version reads, "the bodies of both were like a dead carcass"; both of Abraham and Sarah:
so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable; as was promised to Abraham, Genesis 15:5 which has been fulfilled, Isaiah 10:22 and will still have a further fulfilment, Hosea 1:10.

as good as dead--literally, "deadened"; no longer having, as in youth, energetic vital powers.
stars . . . sand-- (Genesis 22:17).

As it were dead - Till his strength was supernaturally restored, which continued for many years after.