Hebrews 11:9-23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hebrews 11:4-31

The apostle, having given us a more general account of the grace of faith, now proceeds to set before us some illustrious examples of it in the Old-Testament times, and these may be divided into two classes:?1. Those whose names are mentioned, and the particular exercise and actings of whose faith are specified. 2. Those whose names are barely mentioned, and an account given in general of the exploits of their faith, which it is left to the reader to accommodate, and apply to the particular... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 11:8-10

11:8-10 It was by faith that Abraham, when he was caned, showed his obedience by going out to a place which he was going to receive as an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was to go. It was by faith that he sojourned in the land that had been promised to him, as though it had been a foreign land, living in tents, in the same way as did Isaac and Jacob, who were his coheirs in the promise of it. For he was waiting for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 11:11-12

11:11-12 It was by faith that Sarah, too, received power to conceive and to bear a son, although she was beyond the age for it, for she believed that he who gave the promise could be absolutely relied upon. So from one man, and he a man whose body had lost its vitality, there were born descendants, as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, as countless as the sand upon the seashore. The story of the promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah is told in Genesis 17:15-22 ; Genesis 18:9-15 ... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 11:13-16

11:13-16 All these died without obtaining possession of the promises. They only saw them from far away and greeted them from afar, and they admitted that they were strangers and sojourners upon the earth. Now people who speak like that make it quite clear that they are searching for a fatherland. If they were thinking of the land from which they had come out, they would have had time to return. In point of fact they were reaching out after something better, I mean, the heavenly country. It... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 11:17-19

11:17-19 It was by faith that Abraham offered up Isaac when he was put to the test. He was willing to offer up even his only son, although it had been said to him: "It is in Isaac that your descendants will be named." He was willing to do this for he reckoned that God was able to raise him even from the dead. Hence he did receive him back which is a parable of the resurrection. The Isaac story, told in Genesis 22:1-18 , is that most dramatic account of how Abraham met the supreme test of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 11:20-22

11:20-22 It was by faith that Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in the things concerning the future. It was by faith that Jacob, when he was dying. blessed each of the sons of Joseph and prayed leaning, on the head of his staff. It was by faith that Joseph, as he came to the end, had his mind the days when the children of Israel would leave Egypt, and gave instructions concerning his bones. One thing links these three examples of faith together. In each case it was the faith of a man to whom... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 11:23-29

11:23-29 It was by faith that Moses, when he was born, was kept hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful: and they did not fear the edict of the king. It was by faith that Moses, when he grew to manhood, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and chose rather to suffer evil with the people of God than to enjoy the transient pleasures of sin, for he considered that a life of reproach for the sake of the Messiah was greater wealth than... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 11:9

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise ,.... The land of Canaan, so called, because it was promised to Abraham and his seed; and is typical of heaven, which is not by the works of the law, but by the free promise and grace of God: here Abraham sojourned for a while, as in a strange country ; which was not his native place, and not his own, but another's; see Acts 7:5 and an idolatrous one; here he sojourned by faith, believing that as it was promised, it would be given to him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 11:10

For he looked for a city which hath foundations ,.... Not the city of Jerusalem, nor the Gospel church state; but either the city of the new Jerusalem, said to have twelve foundations, Revelation 21:14 and in which glorious state, Abraham, with the rest of the saints, being raised from the dead, will in person possess the promised land; or else the ultimate glory of the saints in heaven, where God dwells, and keeps his palace; and which will be the dwelling place of the saints, and will... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 11:11

Through faith also Sarah herself ,.... Some copies add "being barren"; and so read the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions; which is a circumstance which makes her faith appear the greater: but it is a question whether the apostle speaks of the faith of Sarah, or of Abraham; some think he speaks of Abraham's faith; and that it was through his faith that Sarah conceived; and observe, that the last clause may be rendered, "because he judged him faithful", &c.; and the rather,... read more

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