Genesis 11:30 kjv
But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
Genesis 11:30 nkjv
But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
Genesis 11:30 niv
Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.
Genesis 11:30 esv
Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.
Genesis 11:30 nlt
But Sarai was unable to become pregnant and had no children.
Genesis 11 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:1-3 | Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country... I will make you into a great nation..." | God's promise of numerous descendants, overcoming human impossibility. |
| Gen 15:1-6 | But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will you give me, since I remain childless... your reward is very great." | Abram's initial despair over childlessness, followed by his belief. |
| Gen 16:1-2 | Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children... she said to Abram, "Go in to my servant..." | Sarai's human attempt to overcome her barrenness (Hagar). |
| Gen 17:15-16 | God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah... I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her." | God explicitly promises a son through Sarah, despite her age and barrenness. |
| Gen 18:10-14 | Then one of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." ... Is anything too hard for the LORD? | Divine power to perform the impossible is affirmed. |
| Gen 21:1-3 | Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age... | Fulfillment of God's promise; the miraculous birth of Isaac. |
| Gen 25:21 | Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren... Rebekah became pregnant. | Rebekah's barrenness highlights a continuing pattern of divine intervention. |
| Gen 29:31 | When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. | Rachel's barrenness causes distress and competition. |
| Gen 30:22-24 | Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, "God has taken away my disgrace." | God acts to overcome Rachel's barrenness, granting Joseph. |
| Deut 7:13-14 | He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will also bless the fruit of your womb... There will be no barren man or woman among you... | A promise of fertility as part of covenant blessings for obedience. |
| Judg 13:2-3 | A certain man of Zorah... whose wife was barren, having had no children. The angel of the LORD appeared to her... "You are barren and have had no children, but you are going to conceive..." | Barrenness of Samson's mother precedes his miraculous birth. |
| 1 Sam 1:1-2, 5 | There was a certain man... who had two wives; one was named Hannah and the other Peninnah... Hannah had no children. | Hannah's barrenness is a central narrative point, preceding Samuel's birth. |
| 1 Sam 1:19-20 | The LORD remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son and named him Samuel... | God intervenes to open Hannah's womb. |
| Ps 113:9 | He settles the childless woman in her home as a joyful mother of children. | God's power to reverse barrenness and bring joy. |
| Isa 54:1 | "Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD. | Spiritual application of barrenness to restoration and abundance for Israel. |
| Jer 32:27 | "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" | God's omnipotence to accomplish what seems impossible to humans. |
| Luke 1:5-7 | In the time of Herod... there was a priest named Zechariah... His wife's name was Elizabeth... they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both advanced in years. | Elizabeth's barrenness, leading to the miraculous birth of John the Baptist. |
| Luke 1:37 | For no word from God will ever fail. | Affirmation of God's perfect and unfailing ability to fulfill His promises. |
| Rom 4:18-21 | Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed... without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead... and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. | Abraham's faith is credited despite human impossibility, trusting God to give life. |
| Heb 11:11-12 | And by faith even Sarah herself, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. | Sarah's faith in God to overcome her barrenness and age. |
| 1 Pet 3:6 | Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. | Sarah as an example of faithful and courageous conduct. |
| Gal 4:27 | For it is written: "Rejoice, you barren woman, who has no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband." | Spiritual allegorical application of the barren woman (Sarah) to new covenant freedom and fruitfulness in Christ. |
Genesis 11 verses
Genesis 11 30 Meaning
Genesis 11:30 directly states that Sarai, the wife of Abram, was barren and had no children. This verse, though seemingly a simple biological fact, serves as a crucial theological and narrative statement. It immediately introduces a major obstacle to the fulfillment of the divine promises regarding descendants, which will be central to God's covenant with Abram, establishing a theme of miraculous divine intervention required for the continuation of God’s redemptive plan through the promised lineage.
Genesis 11 30 Context
Genesis chapter 11 concludes the narrative segment dealing with universal humanity after the flood, focusing on the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9) and then transitioning into a genealogy from Shem to Terah's family, introducing Abram (Gen 11:10-26). This verse (Gen 11:30) immediately follows the mention of Abram marrying Sarai and marks a crucial pivot point. Historically and culturally, having children was paramount in ancient Near Eastern societies, especially for tribal leaders, as it ensured continuation of the family line, inheritance, and social status. Barrenness was often considered a curse, a great disgrace, and a dire situation that threatened a family's existence. The immediate mention of Sarai's barrenness here, just before the narrative shifts entirely to Abram's calling in Genesis 12, establishes the fundamental problem that God must address directly through miraculous intervention for His covenantal promises to be fulfilled. This prefaces the magnitude of God's later actions by highlighting the human impossibility of the situation. It subtly contrasts human inability with divine power.
Genesis 11 30 Word analysis
But: The Hebrew waw conjunction (ו) here functions adversatively, indicating a strong contrast or a pivotal shift in the narrative. It immediately highlights an impending challenge or problem to what might otherwise be expected, setting up tension.
Sarai: (שָׂרָי - Sārāy). Means "My Princess" or "Princely." Her name suggests a significant, noble, or ruling status. The mention of her specific personal name highlights her individual predicament and makes the ensuing miracle intensely personal and significant for the future of the nation.
was barren: (עֲקָרָה - ʿaqārāh). This is the definitive term for a woman who is unable to conceive or bear children. The Hebrew root ʿāqar (עָקַר) can also mean "to uproot" or "to incapacitate," implying a deep-seated, possibly permanent, physiological inability. It unequivocally describes a condition that renders natural procreation impossible.
she had no child: (אֵין־לָהּ וָלָד - ʾên-lāh wālāḏ). This is a direct, clear statement confirming the practical consequence of Sarai's barrenness. ʾên means "there is not" or "no," emphasizing a complete absence. wālāḏ refers to an offspring or child. This phrase provides explicit detail, underscoring that despite their marriage, no heir existed, creating a critical dilemma for a family lineage.
Sarai was barren; she had no child: This entire statement is purposefully redundant, creating powerful emphasis. First declaring her biological state as "barren" (ʿaqārāh), then specifically detailing the effect as "no child" (ʾên-lāh wālāḏ), eliminates any ambiguity about her condition. This narrative technique ensures that the reader fully grasps the human impossibility before God's momentous call to Abram in chapter 12, thereby preparing the audience to recognize that any future offspring for this couple will undeniably be a direct, supernatural act of God's power and faithfulness, not human capability.
Genesis 11 30 Bonus section
The detailed emphasis on Sarai's barrenness directly challenges and undermines the ancient Near Eastern pagan emphasis on fertility cults and the supposed necessity of divine intermediaries (idols, fertility goddesses) to ensure offspring. By demonstrating that the true God, Yahweh, alone opens and closes the womb and fulfills promises in seemingly impossible natural circumstances, the biblical narrative implicitly critiques the false gods of the surrounding cultures who were worshipped for procreative powers. This verse also establishes a literary pattern seen with other significant biblical figures (Rebekah, Rachel, Samson’s mother, Hannah, Elizabeth), where a period of barrenness precedes the miraculous birth of a child destined for a crucial role in redemptive history, thereby highlighting God’s direct, unmediated involvement in bringing forth His purposes. This serves to build trust in God's faithfulness even in the face of profound human limitations, revealing His power not just in creation but also in His chosen line.
Genesis 11 30 Commentary
Genesis 11:30 is not merely a medical diagnosis; it's a foundational narrative pronouncement. It immediately establishes an insurmountable human barrier to the unfolding of God’s plan of redemption. Without offspring, Abraham could not become "a great nation" (Gen 12:2), nor could the promise of a descendant through whom "all peoples on earth will be blessed" (Gen 12:3) materialize. The chronicling of Sarai’s barrenness here signals that the continuation of the messianic line and indeed, the very purpose of God’s chosen family, hinges entirely on divine, rather than human, capability. It introduces the profound theological truth that God often chooses the weakest, the most unlikely, and the naturally infertile, to demonstrate His supernatural power and faithfulness, ensuring that the glory belongs solely to Him. It creates a narrative tension that permeates the entire Abrahamic narrative, compelling the reader to recognize that God acts sovereignly over all circumstances, fulfilling His word even when all human hope is lost. This pre-story announcement heightens the eventual miracle of Isaac’s birth, underscoring it as a pure act of grace and divine potency.