Reading Paul's use of Gen 15:5 in light of this qualitative interpretation places him within the context of already well-established deification or angelomorphic traditions in early Judaism that see the destiny of Abraham's seed as replacing the stars as the divine or angelic inheritors of the nations. Conversely, some early Jewish interpreters of Gen 15:5 (and related texts such as Gen 22:17 26:4) such as Philo, Sirach, and the author(s) of the Apocalypse of Abraham understood the promise qualitatively, as speaking not only of multiplication but of transformation into the likeness of the stars and assumption of their power. Modern scholars have traditionally understood the relationship Paul sees between these two texts quantitatively, as promising a multitude of descendants made up of Jews and Gentiles. In Rom 4:18, Paul cites the 'promise' to Abraham in LXX Gen 15:5, 'so shall your seed be' (οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου) in relation to what it means to 'become the father of many nations' from Gen 17:5.
