Hebrews 11:10

Hebrews 11:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

Context of Hebrews 11:10

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By 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. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Hebrews 11:10 word by word

ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔχουσαν πόλιν ἧς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ θεός.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• he looked forἐκδέχομαιekdechomai · to wait forG1551
• a cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• which hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• foundationsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• foundationsθεμέλιοςthemelios · foundationG2310
• whoseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• builderτεχνίτηςtechnitēs · craftsmanG5079
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• makerδημιουργόςdēmiourgos · builderG1217
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:10

• Hebrews 12:22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
• Hebrews 13:14For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
• John 14:2My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
• Philippians 3:20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
• Revelation 21:2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
• Hebrews 3:4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
• Isaiah 14:32What answer shall be given to the envoys of that nation? “The Lord has established Zion, and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10For he looked for a city which hath foundations - He knew that earth could afford no permanent residence for an immortal mind, and he looked for that heavenly building of which God is the architect and owner; in a word, he lost sight of earth, that he might keep heaven in view. And all who are partakers of his faith possess the same spirit, walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing. Whose builder and maker is God - The word signifies an architect…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10For he looked for a city which hath foundations - It has been doubted to what the apostle here refers. Grotius and some others suppose, that he refers to Jerusalem, as a permanent dwelling for his posterity, in contradistinction from the unsettled mode of life which Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob led. But there is no evidence that Abraham looked forward to the building of such a city, for no promise was made to him of this kind; and this interpretation falls…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. 1010. looked for--Greek, "he was expecting"; waiting for with eager expectation (Ro 8:19). a city--Greek, "the city," already alluded to. Worldly Enoch, son of the murderer Cain, was the first to build his city here: the godly patriarchs waited for their city hereafter (He 11:16; 12:22; 13:14). foundations--Greek, "the foundations" which the tents had not, nor even men's present cities have. whose builder and maker--Greek, "designer [Ep 1:4, 11] and…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:10

• Abraham
• Builder
• Cities
• Faith
• Heaven
• Immortality
• Obedience

In the dictionaries

• God
• Maker
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible
• Proper
• Rewarder

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