Hebrews 11:38

Hebrews 11:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
• New International Version (NIV)the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
• English Standard Version (ESV)of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

Context of Hebrews 11:38

36Others experienced the trial of mocking and scourging—yes, and even chains and prison. 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were murdered with the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, mistreated. The world was not worthy of them! They wandered around in deserts and mountains, caves and holes in the ground. 39And all these, though commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised— 40because God had provided something better for us, so that only with us would they reach perfection.

Hebrews 11:38 word by word

ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος· ἐπὶ ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσιν καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Of whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• the worldὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• worthyἄξιοςaxios · worthyG514
• they wanderedπλανάωplanaō · to lead astrayG4105
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• desertsἐρημίαerēmia · desertG2047
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• mountainsὄροςoros · mountainG3735
• densσπήλαιονspēlaion · caveG4693
• cavesὀπήopē · holeG3692
• of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:38

• 1 Kings 14:12“As for you, arise and go to your house. As soon as you set foot in the town, the boy will die.
• 2 Kings 23:25Before him there had never been a king like him, who turned to Adonai with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Torah of Moses, nor has any king like him risen since him.
• Isaiah 57:1The righteous one perishes, but no one takes it to heart. Godly men are taken away, but no one discerns that the righteous man is taken from evil.
• 1 Samuel 22:1So David walked from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard about it, they went down there to him.
• 1 Samuel 23:15By now David was aware that Saul would come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Choresh.
• 1 Samuel 24:1Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him saying, “Look, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
• 1 Samuel 26:1Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hachilah which faces Jeshimon?”
• 1 Kings 17:3“Leave this place, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.
• 1 Kings 18:4for when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Adonai, Obadiah took 100 prophets, hid them 50 to a cave, and provided them with bread and water.
• 1 Kings 19:9When he arrived there at the cave, he spent the night there. Then behold, the word of Adonai came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
• Psalms 142:1A contemplative poem of David, when he was in the cave, a prayer.

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38Of whom the world was not worthy - Yet they were obliged to wander by day in deserts and mountains, driven from the society of men, and often obliged to hide by night in dens and caves of the earth, to conceal themselves from the brutal rage of men. Perhaps he refers here principally to the case of Elijah, and the hundred prophets hidden in caves by Obadiah, and fed with bread and water. See 1 Kings 18:4. David was often obliged thus to hide himself from…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38Of whom the world was not worthy - The world was so wicked that it had no claim that such holy men should live in it. These poor, despised, and persecuted people, living as outcasts and wanderers, were of a character far elevated above the world. This is a most beautiful expression. It is at once a statement of their eminent holiness, and of the wickedness of the rest of mankind. They wandered in deserts … - On the Scripture meaning of the word “desert”…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 32-38Verses 32-38 After all our searches into the Scriptures, there is more to be learned from them. We should be pleased to think, how great the number of believers was under the Old Testament, and how strong their faith, though the objects of it were not then so fully made known as now. And we should lament that now, in gospel times, when the rule of faith is more clear and perfect, the number of believers should be so small, and their faith so weak. It is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38The world was not worthy of them: They placed their hope in God more than in the pleasures and comforts of life.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3838. Of whom the world was not worthy--So far from their being unworthy of living in the world, as their exile in deserts, &c., might seem to imply, "the world was not worthy of them." The world, in shutting them out, shut out from itself a source of blessing; such as Joseph proved to Potiphar (Ge 39:5), and Jacob to Laban (Ge 30:27). In condemning them, the world condemned itself. caves--literally, "chinks." Palestine, from its hilly character, abounds in…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:38

• Cave
• Dens
• Faith
• Persecution

In the dictionaries

• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Den
• Faith
• Impossible
• Proper
• Rewarder
• Trial

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