Descendants of Abraham

Excerpt

This verse quotes Genesis 22.17, a passage referred to in various parts of the Old Testament and also in Romans 4.19.

Though is an idiomatic equivalent for RSV’s “ and him.” Most of the rest of the verse, except as many, comes directly from Genesis 22.17. For languages which do not possess a concessive clause introduced by a conjunction meaning “though” or “even though,” one may express the meaning as “Abraham was practically dead but nevertheless he….” It may, however, be important to indicate that the expression was practically dead is figurative; for example, “was, as it were, almost dead.” More

Ellingworth, Paul, and Eugene Albert Nida. A Handbook on the Letter to the Hebrews. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994. Print. UBS Handbook Series.