and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse points out that just being a physical descendant of Abraham doesn't automatically make you part of God's true family; it was specifically through Isaac that Abraham's lineage would be recognized as the offspring in whom God's promises would unfold. This highlights that God's promises aren't simply inherited by bloodline but are based on His specific selection and purpose.
and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is explaining that God's promises don't automatically extend to all physical descendants of Abraham, as the Jews often assumed. He counters this by pointing out that even God himself limited the lineage through which Abraham's true "seed" would be named, specifically through Isaac and not through other sons like Ishmael. This sets up the argument that God’s choosing is based on His purpose, not mere biological connection.
Just because you're related to someone doesn't automatically mean you share their promises or spiritual heritage. Paul hits hard on this point using Abraham's own family tree.
Paul is addressing the common Jewish pride in being direct descendants of Abraham. He makes it clear that physical lineage alone doesn't qualify you as a true 'child' in God's eyes.
The Fleshly Argument
Many Jews believed that their physical descent from Abraham was enough to guarantee them a place in God's covenant and promises. They saw themselves as automatically included because of their bloodline.
The Promise's Limit
But, Paul points out, even God Himself established a distinction from the very beginning. The promise that Abraham's 'seed' would be named wasn't for all his descendants. It was specifically designated through Isaac. This shows that God's choosing isn't based on who's related by blood, but on His sovereign promise.
God's promises aren't bound by human expectation or lineage. He chooses, and His choice is final, even when it surprises us.
The inclusion of the specific line, 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named,' isn't just a historical detail; it's a foundational example of God's sovereign election.
A Specific Lineage
Abraham had other sons besides Isaac, like Ishmael. Ishmael was Abraham's natural-born son, and Abraham even wished for the promise to be fulfilled through him. However, God explicitly stated that the lineage through which the covenant would continue and the 'seed' would be named was Isaac's.
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The Principle of Election
This choice of Isaac over Ishmael, even though both were Abraham's offspring, demonstrates a crucial theological principle: God's selection is not based on merit, human desire, or even the 'better' natural option. It's based on His divine will and purpose. Paul uses this to argue that God's choices, both then and now, are sovereign.
Understand the original words
Abraham · Hebrew Noun
The patriarch of the Jewish people, regarded as the father of all who believe. God made a unilateral covenant with him that all nations would be blessed through his descendants.
sperma · Greek Noun
The biological descendants or lineage of a person. In theological contexts, it refers to the physical or spiritual heirs of a promise or covenant.
Yitshak · Hebrew Noun
The son of Abraham and Sarah through whom the covenant promise was established. His birth was miraculous, signifying that the covenant depends on God's initiative, not human effort.
This verse highlights a crucial distinction within Abraham's family: physical descent alone doesn't guarantee inclusion in God's covenant promises. The choice of Isaac over Ishmael, and later Jacob over Esau, demonstrates that God sovereignly selects individuals and lines to fulfill His purposes, a pattern established early in the biblical narrative.
c. 2000 BC
God's Covenant with Abraham
God establishes a foundational covenant with Abraham, promising to make him a great nation and to bless the world through his offspring. This promise sets the stage for future generations.
c. 1990 BC
Birth of Ishmael
Abraham's first son, Ishmael, is born to Hagar, his servant. Though Abraham desired for the promise to be fulfilled through Ishmael, God makes it clear the promise is not tied to him.
c. 1988 BC— this verse
God Reaffirms Covenant to Abraham
God reaffirms His covenant with Abraham, establishing circumcision as a sign. Crucially, God specifies that the covenant line will continue through Isaac, not Ishmael, stating 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.' This sets a divine distinction within Abraham's lineage.
c. 1987 BC
Birth of Isaac
Isaac, the son of promise, is born to Abraham and Sarah, fulfilling God's specific covenantal word and confirming the lineage through which the promised seed would come.
c. 1967 BC
Birth of Jacob and Esau
Isaac's twin sons, Jacob and Esau, are born. God later chooses Jacob over Esau to continue the covenant line, further illustrating that not all physical descendants are part of God's specific redemptive plan.
This is the foundational Old Testament passage quoted by Paul, explicitly stating that Abraham's 'offspring' would be named through Isaac, establishing the principle of selection within Abraham's lineage.
Galatians 4:28-30Paul directly parallels this concept in Galatians, contrasting the children born according to the flesh (Ishmael) with the children born by promise (Isaac), illustrating the same principle of God's sovereign choice over natural descent.
John 8:39Jesus confronts the religious leaders who claim Abraham as their father, highlighting that merely being Abraham's physical descendants does not make them true 'children' of Abraham, echoing Paul's argument in Romans 9.
Romans 9:6-8These preceding verses directly set up the argument by stating that not all who are 'Israel' are truly Israel, and that 'children of the flesh' are not automatically 'children of God,' making Romans 9:7 the clarifying example.
cambridgeRomans 9:7: "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called."
7 . neither because , &c.] An illustration from manifest fact, to shew that an apparently inclusive promise may be limited. We may paraphrase: “Abraham’s descendants, again, are not all his ‘children’ in the sense contemplated , just because they are his descendants; on the contrary, there is a distinct limitation: ‘in Isaac and his line are they who shall bear the title o…
clarkeRomans 9:7: "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called."
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…
The verse points out that just being a physical descendant of Abraham doesn't automatically make you part of God's true family; it was specifically through Isaac that Abraham's lineage would be recognized as the offspring in whom God's promises would unfold. This highlights that God's promises aren't simply inherited by bloodline but are based on His specific selection and purpose.
Paul is explaining that God's promises don't automatically extend to all physical descendants of Abraham, as the Jews often assumed. He counters this by pointing out that even God himself limited the lineage through which Abraham's true "seed" would be named, specifically through Isaac and not through other sons like Ishmael. This sets up the argument that God’s choosing is based on His purpose, not mere biological connection.
Paul is explaining that God's promises don't automatically extend to all physical descendants of Abraham, as the Jews often assumed. He counters this by pointing out that even God himself limited the lineage through which Abraham's true "seed" would be named, specifically through Isaac and not through other sons like Ishmael. This sets up the argument that God’s choosing is based on His purpose, not mere biological connection.
"and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”" — The verse points out that just being a physical descendant of Abraham doesn't automatically make you part of God's true family; it was specifically through Isaac that Abraham's lineage would be recog…
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Last reviewed October 2026