God’s Word Translation
Hebrews 11:9
9Faith led Abraham to live as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God.
Hebrews 11:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
- New International Version (NIV)By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
- English Standard Version (ESV)By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
- New King James Version (NKJV)By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
Context of Hebrews 11:9
7Faith led Noah to listen when God warned him about the things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a ship to save his family. Through faith Noah condemned the world and received God’s approval that comes through faith. 8Faith led Abraham to obey when God called him to go to a place that he would receive as an inheritance. Abraham left his own country without knowing where he was going. Faith led Abraham to live as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God. 10Abraham was waiting for the city that God had designed and built, the city with permanent foundations. 11Faith enabled Abraham to become a father, even though he was old and Sarah had never been able to have children. Abraham trusted that God would keep his promise.
Read all of Hebrews 11Hebrews 11:9 word by word
Πίστει παρῴκησεν εἰς γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- By faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- he sojournedπαροικέωparoikeō · be a strangerG3939
- inεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the landὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the landγῆgē · earth: countryG1093
- of promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- a strange countryἀλλότριοςallotrios · another’sG245
- dwellingκατοικέωkatoikeō · to dwellG2730
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- tabernaclesσκηνήskēnē · tentG4633
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- IsaacἸσαάκIsaak · IsaacG2464
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- JacobἸακώβIakōb · JacobG2384
- the heirs with himσυγκληρονόμοςsugklēronomos · co-heirG4789
- sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for Hebrews 11:9
- Genesis 17:8I am also giving this land where you are living—all of Canaan—to you and your descendants as your permanent possession. And I will be your God.”
- Genesis 23:4“I’m a stranger with no permanent home. Let me have some of your property for a tomb so that I can bury my dead wife.”
- Genesis 26:3Live here in this land for a while, and I will be with you and bless you. I will give all these lands to you and your descendants. I will keep the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.
- Genesis 35:27Jacob came home to his father Isaac to Mamre’s city, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron). Abraham and Isaac had lived there for a while.
- Acts 7:5“Yet, God didn’t give Abraham anything in this land to call his own, not even a place to rest his feet. But God promised to give this land to him and to his descendants, even though Abraham didn’t have a child.
- Genesis 12:8He moved on to the hills east of Bethel, and he put up his tent—with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He also built an altar to the Lord there and worshiped the Lord.
- Genesis 13:3He traveled from place to place. He went from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the area between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been originally,
- Genesis 18:1The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oak trees belonging to Mamre as he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the hottest part of the day.
- Genesis 25:27They grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob remained a quiet man, staying around the tents.
- Hebrews 6:17God wouldn’t change his plan. He wanted to make this perfectly clear to those who would receive his promise, so he took an oath.
- Genesis 28:4May he give to you and your descendants the blessing of Abraham so that you may take possession of the land where you are now living, the land that God gave to Abraham.”
- Genesis 48:3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in Canaan and blessed me.
Commentaries on Hebrews 11:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise - It is remarkable that Abraham did not acquire any right in Canaan, except that of a burying place; nor did he build any house in it; his faith showed him that it was only a type and pledge of a better country, and he kept that better country continually in view: he, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs of the same promise, were contented to dwell in tents, without any fixed habitation.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country - The land of Canaan that had been promised to him and his posterity. He resided there as if he were a stranger and sojourner. He had no possessions there which he did not procure by honest purchase; he owned no land in fee-simple except the small piece which he bought for a burial-place; see Genesis 23:7-20. In all respects he lived there as if he had no special right in the soil; as…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-19Verses 8-19 We are often called to leave worldly connexions, interests, and comforts. If heirs of Abraham's faith, we shall obey and go forth, though not knowing what may befall us; and we shall be found in the way of duty, looking for the performance of God's promises. The trial of Abraham's faith was, that he simply and fully obeyed the call of God. Sarah received the promise as the promise of God; being convinced of that, she truly judged that he both…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10By faith he dwelt in the promised land: Abraham did not receive the promised land. Instead, he lived like a foreigner in tents (see Genesis 12:10–13:18). as did Isaac and Jacob: This faith continued with the next two generations. They received the same promise and trusted God but did not see it fulfilled. the city with foundations: Abraham did not settle in Canaanite cities. He followed God's will, looking forward to a heavenly city.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. sojourned--as a "stranger and pilgrim." in--Greek, "into," that is, he went into it and sojourned there. as in a strange country--a country not belonging to him, but to others (so the Greek), Ac 7:5, 6. dwelling in tabernacles--tents: as strangers and sojourners do: moving from place to place, as having no fixed possession of their own. In contrast to the abiding "city" (He 11:10). with--Their kind of dwelling being the same is a proof that their faith…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 11:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hebrews 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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