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Abraham offered up his only BEGOTTEN son

tonychanyt

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New King James Version, Heb 11:
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten [G3439] son.
G3439 conveys a sense of uniqueness and not necessarily begottenness.
BDAG μονογενής:
② pert. to being the only one of its kind or class, unique (in kind) of someth. that is the only example of its category.
Abraham had begotten Ishmael as well. Isaac wasn't his only begotten son.
English Standard Version did away with the word "begotten":
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son.
I think ESV translation here is better.
See also For God so loved the world, that he gave his only BEGOTTEN Son.
 

Reluctant Theologian

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New King James Version, Heb 11:

G3439 conveys a sense of uniqueness and not necessarily begottenness.
BDAG μονογενής:

Abraham had begotten Ishmael as well. Isaac wasn't his only begotten son.
English Standard Version did away with the word "begotten":

I think ESV translation here is better.
See also For God so loved the world, that he gave his only BEGOTTEN Son.
μονογενησ / monogenēs always is related to 'bringing forth'; all other instances in the NT where this word occurs relate to really 'only begotten/born' children; so I struggle to see how 'mono' could mean anything else but exclusivity. Elsewhere I read interpretations the word could signal the meaning of 'sole heir' - which may be helpful here.

Maybe an explanation lies in the fact Ishmael and Hagar had already departed from Abraham at that point; yet Ishmael remained Abraham's son; he was present at Abraham's funeral.

And beside Ishmael and Isaac Abraham got 6 more sons by Keturah, at least after the birth of Isaac, but possibly even before the passing of Sarah.
 
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