Kehillah in Rome 4:18

18 Against tikvah (hope), in tikvah "he believed," in order that he might become AV HAMON GOYIM ("father of many nations" BERESHIS 17:5) in accordance with what had been said, "So shall your ZERA ("seed’) be" BERESHIS 15:5.

Kehillah in Rome 4:18 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 4:18

Who against hope believed in hope
Abraham believed the promise of God,

that he might become the father of many nations,
being assisted by a supernatural aid: "in hope"; of the fulfilment of it by the grace and power of God: "against hope": against all visible, rational grounds of hope; Sarah's womb and his own body being dead, but inasmuch as God had said it, he believed:

according to that which is spoken, so shall thy seed be;
his faith rested upon the word of God, which showed the nature of it, and that it was of the right kind.

Kehillah in Rome 4:18 In-Context

16 For this reason the havtachah (promise) is of emunah (faith), in order that it might be in accordance with unmerited Chen v’Chesed Hashem, that the havtachah might be certain to all the zera (seed), not to him who is of the Torah only, but also to bnei emunat Avraham (the sons of the faith of Avraham Avinu, to those who are of the faith of Abraham). Avraham Avinu is the father of us all,
17 as it is written, AV HAMON GOYIM N’TATICHA ("I have made you father of many nations" BERESHIS 17:5). This was in the sight of Hashem in whom "he believed," G-d who gives Chayyim to the Mesim and calls things which have no existence into existence.
18 Against tikvah (hope), in tikvah "he believed," in order that he might become AV HAMON GOYIM ("father of many nations" BERESHIS 17:5) in accordance with what had been said, "So shall your ZERA ("seed’) be" BERESHIS 15:5.
19 Without weakening in emunah (in personal faith, bitachon, trust) he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead vi-bahlt (since) he was about one hundred years old, and also the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
20 He did not, in disbelief, doubt the havtachah of Hashem (the promise of G-d), but was strengthened in emunah (faith), giving kavod (glory) to Hashem,
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.