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Selected Verse: Hebrews 11:38 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Heb 11:38 |
Strong Concordance |
(Of whom [3739] the world [2889] was [2258] not [3756] worthy [514]:) they wandered [4105] in [1722] deserts [2047], and [2532] in mountains [3735], and [2532] in dens [4693] and [2532] caves [3692] of the earth [1093]. |
|
King James |
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
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 (Gen 39:5), and Jacob to Laban (Gen 30:27). In condemning them, the world condemned itself.
caves--literally, "chinks." Palestine, from its hilly character, abounds in fissures and caves, affording shelter to the persecuted, as the fifty hid by Obadiah (Kg1 18:4, Kg1 18:13) and Elijah (Kg1 19:8, Kg1 19:13); and Mattathias and his sons (1 Maccabees 2:28, 29); and Judas Maccabeus (2 Maccabees 5:27). |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Of 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" or wilderness, see the notes on Mat 3:1. This is a description of persons driven away from their homes, and wandering about from place to place to procure a scanty subsistence; compare 1 Macc. 1:53; 2 Macc. 5:27; 6:7. The instances mentioned in the Books of Maccabees are so much in point, that there is no impropriety in supposing that Paul referred to some such cases, if not these very cases. As there is no doubt about their historic truth, there was no impropriety in referring to them, though they are not mentioned in the canonical books of Scripture. One of those cases may be referred to as strikingly illustrating what is here said. "But Judas Maccabeus with nine others or thereabout, withdrew himself into the wilderness, and lived in the mountains after the manner of beasts, with his company, who fed on herbs continually lest they should be partakers of the pollution;" 2 Macc. 5:27. |
The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
world
Greek, "kosmos", means "mankind".
(See Scofield) - (Mat 4:8). |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Of whom the world was not (ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος)
This clause falls into the series of participles which precedes it; the form of the relative sentence being adopted because of the lack of a proper participial phrase to express the statement. At the same time it prepares the way for the following clause in which the participial construction is resumed. Rend. "they went about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, evil-entreated, men of whom the world was not worthy, wandering in deserts," etc. By the world (κόσμος) is not meant the corrupt world, as in John and Paul (see on Heb 11:7), but the world considered as an economy which was unworthy of these, because ruled by sense and not by faith. Their plane of life was higher.
They wandered (πλανώμενοι)
Lit. wandering or straying, apart from the homes and the intercourse of men.
Caves of the earth (ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς)
Ὁπή only here and Jam 3:11. It means a hole; primarily a place through which one can see (ὄπωπα). In lxx the cleft of the rock in which God placed Moses, Exo 33:22 : a window, a latticed opening, Ecc 12:3: the eye-socket, Zac 14:12 : a hole in the wall, Eze 8:7 : a hole in a tree, 4 Macc. 14:16. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Of whom the world was not worthy - It did not deserve so great a blessing. They wandered - Being driven out from men. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Of 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 Kg1 18:4. David was often obliged thus to hide himself from Saul; Sa1 24:3, etc. |
13 And it was so, when Elijah [0452] heard [08085] it, that he wrapped [03874] his face [06440] in his mantle [0155], and went out [03318], and stood [05975] in the entering in [06607] of the cave [04631]. And, behold, there came a voice [06963] unto him, and said [0559], What doest thou here, Elijah [0452]?
8 And he arose [06965], and did eat [0398] and drink [08354], and went [03212] in the strength [03581] of that meat [0396] forty [0705] days [03117] and forty [0705] nights [03915] unto Horeb [02722] the mount [02022] of God [0430].
13 Was it not told [05046] my lord [0113] what I did [06213] when Jezebel [0348] slew [02026] the prophets [05030] of the LORD [03068], how I hid [02244] an hundred [03967] men [0376] of the LORD'S [03068] prophets [05030] by fifty [02572] in a cave [04631], and fed [03557] them with bread [03899] and water [04325]?
4 For it was so, when Jezebel [0348] cut off [03772] the prophets [05030] of the LORD [03068], that Obadiah [05662] took [03947] an hundred [03967] prophets [05030], and hid [02244] them by fifty [0376] [02572] in a cave [04631], and fed [03557] them with bread [03899] and water [04325].)
27 And Laban [03837] said [0559] unto him, I pray thee, if I have found [04672] favour [02580] in thine eyes [05869], tarry: for I have learned by experience [05172] that the LORD [03068] hath blessed [01288] me for thy sake [01558].
5 And it came to pass from the time [0227] that he had made him overseer [06485] in his house [01004], and over all that he had [03426], that the LORD [03068] blessed [01288] the Egyptian's [04713] house [01004] for Joseph's [03130] sake [01558]; and the blessing [01293] of the LORD [03068] was upon all that he had [03426] in the house [01004], and in the field [07704].
1 [1161] In [1722] those [1565] days [2250] came [3854] John [2491] the Baptist [910], preaching [2784] in [1722] the wilderness [2048] of Judaea [2449],
8 Again [3825], the devil [1228] taketh [3880] him [846] up [3880] into [1519] an exceeding [3029] high [5308] mountain [3735], and [2532] sheweth [1166] him [846] all [3956] the kingdoms [932] of the world [2889], and [2532] the glory [1391] of them [846];
7 And he brought [0935] me to the door [06607] of the court [02691]; and when I looked [07200], behold a [0259] hole [02356] in the wall [07023].
12 And this shall be the plague [04046] wherewith the LORD [03068] will smite [05062] all the people [05971] that have fought [06633] against Jerusalem [03389]; Their flesh [01320] shall consume away [04743] while they stand [05975] upon their feet [07272], and their eyes [05869] shall consume away [04743] in their holes [02356], and their tongue [03956] shall consume away [04743] in their mouth [06310].
3 In the day [03117] when the keepers [08104] of the house [01004] shall tremble [02111], and the strong [02428] men [0582] shall bow [05791] themselves, and the grinders [02912] cease [0988] because they are few [04591], and those that look out [07200] of the windows [0699] be darkened [02821],
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory [03519] passeth by [05674], that I will put [07760] thee in a clift [05366] of the rock [06697], and will cover [05526] thee with my hand [03709] while [05704] I pass by [05674]:
11 Doth [3385] a fountain [4077] send forth [1032] at [1537] the same [846] place [3692] sweet [1099] water and [2532] bitter [4089]?
7 By faith [4102] Noah [3575], being warned of God [5537] of [4012] things not [3369] seen [991] as yet [3369], moved with fear [2125], prepared [2680] an ark [2787] to [1519] the saving [4991] of his [846] house [3624]; by [1223] the which [3739] he condemned [2632] the world [2889], and [2532] became [1096] heir [2818] of the righteousness [1343] which is by [2596] faith [4102].
3 And he came [0935] to the sheepcotes [01448] [06629] by the way [01870], where was a cave [04631]; and Saul [07586] went in [0935] to cover [05526] his feet [07272]: and David [01732] and his men [0582] remained [03427] in the sides [03411] of the cave [04631].
4 For it was so, when Jezebel [0348] cut off [03772] the prophets [05030] of the LORD [03068], that Obadiah [05662] took [03947] an hundred [03967] prophets [05030], and hid [02244] them by fifty [0376] [02572] in a cave [04631], and fed [03557] them with bread [03899] and water [04325].)