Hebrews 11 38

Hebrews 11:38 kjv

(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Hebrews 11:38 nkjv

of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

Hebrews 11:38 niv

the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

Hebrews 11:38 esv

of whom the world was not worthy ? wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Hebrews 11:38 nlt

They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

Hebrews 11 verses

Hebrews 11 38 Meaning

Hebrews 11:38 powerfully declares that a significant number of faithful individuals, though experiencing extreme physical hardship and persecution—being driven from society to wander in desolate places, mountains, dens, and caves—possessed such profound spiritual worth and unwavering devotion that the fallen world, in its essence, was not good enough for them. Their intrinsic value and alignment with God's will far surpassed anything the earthly realm could offer or comprehend.

Hebrews 11 38 Context

Hebrews chapter 11, often called the "Faith Hall of Fame," enumerates numerous Old Testament figures who exemplified faith, defining it as the "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." The chapter systematically progresses from a general definition of faith to specific historical examples, highlighting how faith enabled these individuals to obey God, achieve miraculous feats, and, notably for the latter part of the chapter, endure immense suffering.

Verse 38 serves as a culminating summary following a detailed list of tortures and severe hardships faced by faithful saints (v. 35b-37): those tortured and refusing release, experiencing mockings and scourging, chains and imprisonment, stoning, sawing asunder, various trials, and being killed by the sword. This particular verse expands on the conditions of those who were driven from society due to their commitment to God. Historically, this could refer to prophets like Elijah and Jeremiah who were persecuted and lived in harsh conditions, or figures from the intertestamental period, such as the Maccabean martyrs and faithful Jews who resisted Hellenistic pressures and Roman rule, often forced into nomadic and hidden existences. The immediate historical context for the original recipients of the letter was one of potential persecution and the temptation to abandon their faith for worldly ease, making the endurance of these past saints a powerful example.

Hebrews 11 38 Word analysis

• "Of whom" (ὧν, hōn): A relative pronoun, referring collectively to all the preceding faithful individuals from verse 35b through 37. This highlights that the sufferings described apply to a wide range of dedicated believers, both named and unnamed, illustrating the general condition of persecuted faithfulness.
• "the world" (ὁ κόσμος, ho kosmos): Here signifies the created order organized under human systems and values, estranged from God. It refers to human society in its ungodly, self-sufficient state, which is hostile to divine truth and righteousness.
• "was not worthy" (οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος, ouk ēn axios):
  • ἄξιος (axios): Literally meaning "weighty," hence "deserving," "equivalent in value," "matching."
  • This is a profound statement of divine inversion. The world, with all its material possessions, power structures, and self-proclaimed superiority, did not "measure up" to the moral, spiritual, and eternal worth of these suffering saints. It posits that their true value exceeded anything the world could contain or appreciate. It’s God's counter-assessment to the world’s disdain.
• "they wandered" (ἐπλανήθησαν, eplanēthēsan):
  • From πλανάω (planaō): To roam, wander, go astray. It denotes an unsettled, displaced existence, not by choice, but out of necessity—to escape persecution or find refuge. It implies a nomadic, often desperate, lifestyle imposed by hostile forces.
• "in deserts" (ἐν ἐρημίαις, en erēmiais):
  • From ἔρημος (erēmos): Desolate, uninhabited places, wilderness. These are often places of hardship, scarcity, and isolation, yet historically they also served as places of refuge and spiritual solitude.
• "and in mountains" (καὶ ὄρεσιν, kai oresin):
  • From ὄρος (oros): Mountains. These provide natural hiding places and challenging terrain, offering escape but also exposure to harsh elements.
• "and in dens" (καὶ σπηλαίοις, kai spēlais):
  • From σπήλαιον (spēlaion): Caves, grottoes. These served as crude, often dark and damp, temporary shelters. The inclusion of "dens" emphasizes places more akin to animal lairs.
• "and caves of the earth" (καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς, kai tais opais tēs gēs):
  • ὀπή (opē): A small hole, opening, or crevice. This specifically highlights extremely confined, primitive, and often degrading hiding spots within the earth itself. It completes the picture of total displacement and reliance on the most basic, inhospitable refuges.

Words-group analysis:

• "Of whom the world was not worthy": This declaration stands as the interpretive key to the preceding accounts of intense suffering. It's a statement of cosmic irony. The values of God are radically different from those of humanity separated from Him. What the world dismisses as weak or foolish, God holds in highest esteem. These individuals, outwardly poor and dispossessed, possessed an inner character and faithfulness that transcended all earthly measures of worth. Their existence challenged the world's definition of prosperity and success.
• "they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth": This phrase paints a stark, vivid picture of the extreme consequences of this worth. Because they were deemed unworthy by the world, or rather, because the world itself was unworthy of them, they were driven from settled society. This imagery highlights profound physical deprivation, vulnerability, and a constant state of flux, embodying homelessness and exile. It underscores their unwavering commitment to God, choosing a life of hardship over compromise with worldly values.

Hebrews 11 38 Bonus section

• The enduring imagery of "wandering in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth" serves as a profound archetype of the spiritual journey, emphasizing that following God often means a life apart from mainstream worldly comfort and approval. It suggests a necessary alienation from a hostile culture for the sake of heavenly citizenship.
• The sufferings of these Old Testament saints prefigure the ultimate suffering of Christ, who also had "no place to lay his head" (Matt 8:20), embodying a life of poverty and persecution at the hands of a world that was certainly "not worthy" of Him.
• This verse provides a powerful theological lesson: true value is determined by God's estimation, not by human recognition or worldly success. Persecution for righteousness is thus reframed not as a loss, but as an indicator of supreme spiritual merit in God's eyes.

Hebrews 11 38 Commentary

Hebrews 11:38 brings the dramatic survey of faithful endurance to a striking crescendo. Following the harrowing accounts of tortures, chains, and death by various means, the author concludes with the paradoxical statement that the world was "not worthy" of these suffering saints. This is not to say that the saints saw themselves as too good for the world, but rather that the moral and spiritual fabric of the fallen world was so debased that it could not appreciate, much less contain, the genuine righteousness, integrity, and faith demonstrated by these individuals. They embodied a different kingdom, one whose values inherently clashed with the temporal, godless systems of the age.

Their subsequent exile—"they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth"—was a direct consequence of this fundamental incompatibility. Unable to find peace or acceptance within a hostile society, they were driven to the harshest, most desolate corners of creation. This lifestyle, far from being a sign of failure or divine abandonment, served as powerful evidence of their deep commitment. They chose faithful allegiance to God, with its accompanying hardships, over comfort and security gained by compromising their beliefs.

The verse profoundly contrasts earthly judgment with divine estimation. What appeared as degradation and misfortune in the world's eyes—a life of homelessness, destitution, and isolation—was, from God's perspective, the crucible in which genuine faith was refined and true spiritual worth revealed. Their external wretchedness underscored their internal richness and steadfastness, confirming that their citizenship was truly in heaven. This served as immense encouragement to the early Christian audience, who also faced increasing persecution, reminding them that their trials, while severe, aligned them with a noble heritage of faith and testified to their true, incomparable worth in Christ.