They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
What does Hebrews 11:37 mean?
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Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Hebrews 11:35-39 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Hebrews 11:37
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; They were stoned - A common method of punishment among the Jews; see the notes on Matthew 21:35 , Matthew 21:44 . Thus, Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, was stoned; see 2 Chronicles 24:21 ; compare 1 Kings 21:1-14 . It is not improbable that this was often resorted to in times of popular tumult, as in the case of Stephen; Acts 7:59 ; compare John 10:31 ; Acts 14:5 . In the time of the terrible persecutions under Antiochus Epiphanes, and under Manasseh, such instances also probably occurred.
Key words
- were burned
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were burned.
- were burned
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were burned.
Context in Hebrews 11
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Hebrews 11 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as faith, endurance, and final exhortation. Hebrews presents Jesus as the final revelation of God, the great high priest, the once-for-all sacrifice, and the mediator of the better covenant. Read this chapter with the wider themes of Christology, priesthood, and sacrifice in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Passages on trusting God, receiving Christ, persevering without sight, and the relation between faith and lived obedience.
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