Hebrews, Chapter 11, verses 20-40
1 The Triumphs of Faith20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones. | |
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach ofqChrist greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith herkept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, weresdrowned. | |
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spiestin peace. | |
32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting theirurelease, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and othersvexperienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two,wthey were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holesxin the ground. | 34 37 |
Read more:Hebrews, Chapter 12
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11:20 Blessed - Gen 27:27, Gen 27:39; prophetically foretold the particularblessings they should partake of. Jacob and Esau - Preferring the elder before the younger.
11:21 Jacob when dying - That is, when near death.Bowing down on the top of his staff - As he sat on the side of his bed. Gen 48:16; Gen 47:31
11:22 Concerning his bones - To be carried into the land of promise.
11:23 They saw - Doubtless with a divine presage of things to come.
11:24 Refused to be called - Any longer.
11:26 The reproach of Christ - That which he bore for believing in the Messiah to come, and acting accordingly.For he looked off - From all those perishing treasures, and beyond all those temporal hardships Unto the recompence of reward - Not to an inheritance in Canaan; he had no warrant from God to look for this, nor did he ever attain it; but what his believing ancestors looked for, - a future state of happiness in heaven.
11:27 By faith he left Egypt - Taking all the Israelites with him. Not then fearing the wrath of the king - As he did many years before, Exo 2:14. Exo 14:15, etc
11:28 The pouring out of the blood - Of the paschal lamb, which was sprinkled on the door - posts, lest the destroying angel should touch the Israelites. Exo 12:12-18.
11:29 They - Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites.Passed the Red Sea - It washed the borders of Edom, which signifies red. Thus far the examples are cited from Genesis and Exodus; those that follow are from the former and the latter Prophets.
11:30 By the faith of Joshua.
11:31 Rahab - Though formerly one not of the fairest character.
11:32 After Samuel, the prophets are properly mentioned. David also was a prophet; but he was a king too. The prophets - Elijah, Elisha, etc , including likewise the believers who lived with them.
11:33 David, in particular, subdued kingdoms.Samuel (not excluding the rest) wrought righteousness.The prophets, in general, obtained promises, both for themselves, and to deliver to others. Prophets also stopped the mouths of lions, as Daniel; and quenched the violence of fire, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. To these examples, whence the nature of faith clearly appears, those more ancient ones are subjoined, (by a transposition, and in an inverted order,) which receivelight from these. Jephthah escaped the edge of the sword; Samson out of weakness was made strong; Barak became valiant in fight; Gideon put to flight armies of the aliens.Faith animates to the most heroic enterprises, both civil and military. Faith overcomes all impediments effects the greatest things; attains to the very best; and inverts, by its miraculous power the very course of nature. Sa2 8:1, etc; Sa1 8:9, etc; Sa1 13:3, etc; Dan 6:22; Dan 3:27; Jdg 12:3; Jdg 15:19, etc; Jdg 16:28, etc; Jdg 4:14, etc; Jdg 7:21.
11:34 See note at Heb 11:33
11:35 Women - Naturally weak. Received their dead - Children.Others were tortured - From those who acted great things the apostle rises higher, to those who showed the power of faith by suffering. Not accepting deliverance - On sinful terms.That they might obtain a better resurrection - An higher reward, seeing the greater their sufferings the greater would be their glory. Ki1 17:22; Ki2 4:35
11:36 And others - The apostle seems here to pass on to recent examples.
11:37 They were sawn asunder - As, according to the tradition of the Jews, Isaiah was by Manasseh. Were tempted - Torments and death are mentioned alternately.Every way; by threatenings, reproaches, tortures, the variety of which cannot be expressed; and again by promises and allurements.
11:38 Of whom the world was not worthy - It did not deserve so great a blessing. They wandered - Being driven out from men.
11:39 And all these - Though they obtained a good testimony, Heb 11:2, yet did not receive the great promise, theheavenly inheritance.
11:40 God having provided some better thing for us - Namely, everlasting glory. That they might not be perfected without us - That is, that we might all be perfected together in heaven.