Romans 9:7
in Romans 9Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
KJV
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
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This verse in Romans 9
Commentary
13 notes on this verse"Nor are all also sons because they are the seed of Abraham." This, evidently, was already being signified then in Abraham, when, though he had many sons — whom the Apostle calls sons of the flesh — the posterity of his seed was placed in Isaac alone, who was the son of the promise.
This site's exposition
Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned
on Romans 9:7-9
Abraham had two sons, and only Isaac carried the promise, though Ishmael was also his own flesh. From this Paul draws the rule that the children of the promise are the offspring God reckons. The promise itself was a dated word, a son for Sarah at the appointed time.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
What Paul wants us to understand is that not all are worthy because they are children of Abraham, but only those who are children of the promise, that is, whom God foreknew would receive his promise, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.… Abraham believed and …
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusINTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS · Written before 458.
proposed
Although it was beyond the capacity of nature, Abraham became a father by divine generosity. Paul says this, even though Ishmael was also Abraham's son and moreover, he was the firstborn. Therefore why do you boast, O Jew, that you are the only one to …
A commentator
Diodorus of TarsusPAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH · Written before 390.
proposed
Paul wants to say that it is not those who are of Abraham's flesh who are his children, but those who are of the promise, who are godly and just, whom God promised according to his foreknowledge would be children of Abraham, just as Isaac …
"Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children." Now when you come to know of what kind the seed of Abraham is, you will see that the promise is given to his seed, and know that the word hath not fallen to the ground. Of what kind, pray, is the seed then? It is no saying of mine, he means, but the Old Testament itself explains itself by saying as follows, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." What is, "In Isaac?" Explain.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then he clarifies his statement, at but in Isaac. First, in regard to Abraham; second, in regard to Jacob, at and not only she. In regard to the first he does three things: first, he cites a text from Scripture, saying, but in Isaac will …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
God, he says, fulfilled what was promised. He said: "To you I will give it, and to your offspring" (Gen. 13:15). So then, let us see what this offspring is. Not all who descended from Abraham are simply his offspring, and not all who descended …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Neither because they are lineally the seed of Abraham, will it follow that they are all children of God - This did not hold even in Abraham's own family; and much less in his remote descendants. But God then said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called - That is, Isaac, not Ishmael, shall be called thy seed; that seed to which the promise is made.
Grace does not run in the blood; nor are saving benefits inseparably annexed to external church privileges, though it is common for people thus to stretch the meaning of God's promise, to bolster themselves up in a vain hope.
Neither because they are the seed of Abraham,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Are they all children - Adopted into the true family of God. Many of the descendants of Abraham were rejected. But in Isaac - This was the promise; Gen 21:12. Shall thy seed ... - Thy true people. This implied a selection, or choice; and therefore the doctrine of election was illustrated in the very commencement of the history of the nation; and as God had then made such a distinction, he might still do it. As he had then rejected a part of the natural descendants of Abraham, so he might still do it.
Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, etc. - Nor can they conclude, because they are the natural descendants of Abraham, that therefore they are all of them, without exception, the children in whom the promise is to be fulfilled. But, in Isaac shall thy seed be called - The promise is not confined to immediate natural descent, but may be accomplished in any part of Abraham’s posterity. For Abraham had several sons besides Isaac, Gen 25:1, Gen 25:2, particularly Ishmael, who was circumcised before Isaac was born, and in whom Abraham was desirous that the promise should be fulfilled, Gen 17:18, and in him God might have fulfilled the promise, had he so pleased; and yet he said to Abraham, Gen 21:12: Not in Ishmael, but in Isaac, shall thy seed be called.
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὐδ᾽ | oud᾽ | Nor | G3761 → | 141 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| εἰσὶν | eisin | they are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| σπέρμα | sperma | seed | G4690 → | 43 times |
| Ἀβραὰμ | abraam | of Abraham | G11 → | 73 times |
| πάντες | pantes | [are] all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τέκνα, | tekna | children, | G5043 → | 99 times |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | rather | G235 → | 635 times |
| ἐν | en | In | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Ἰσαὰκ | isaak | Isaac | G2464 → | |
| κληθήσεταί | klethesetai | will be named | G2564 → | 147 times |
| σοι | soi | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| σπέρμα. | sperma | offspring. | G4690 → | 43 times |
οὐδ᾽Nor
oud᾽G3761 →141 times
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
εἰσὶνthey are
eisinG1510 →2333 times
σπέρμαseed
spermaG4690 →43 times
Ἀβραὰμof Abraham
abraamG11 →73 times
πάντες[are] all
pantesG3956 →1235 times
τέκνα,children,
teknaG5043 →99 times
ἀλλ᾽rather
all᾽G235 →635 times
ἐνIn
enG1722 →2738 times
ἸσαὰκIsaac
isaakG2464 →
κληθήσεταίwill be named
klethesetaiG2564 →147 times
σοιto you
soiG4771 →2973 times
σπέρμα.offspring.
spermaG4690 →43 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 3:3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
it leads to
- Colossians 2:11
In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.
- Deuteronomy 30:6
The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.
- Romans 7:6
But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the…
- Galatians 6:13–15
For the circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
- Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
- Colossians 2:11
Through
Genesis 21:12But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.
it leads to
- Romans 9:7–8
Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 9:7–8
Through
Hebrews 11:18even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
it leads to
- Genesis 17:19
But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.
- Genesis 17:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
On this chapter
About Romans
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Diodorus of Tarsus, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH; Frederic Godet, Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.