Hebrews 11:10
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For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
looked for--Greek, "he was expecting"; waiting for with eager expectation (Rom 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 (Heb 11:16; Heb 12:22; Heb 13:14). foundations--Greek, "the foundations" which the tents had not, nor even men's present cities have. whose builder and maker--Greek, "designer [Eph 1:4, Eph 1:11] and master-builder," or executor of the design. The city is worthy of its Framer and Builder (compare Heb 11:16; Heb 8:2). Compare Note, see on Heb 9:12, on "found."
Open source ↗The apostle having, in the close of the foregoing chapter, recommended the grace of faith and a life of faith as the best preservative against apostasy, he how enlarges upon the nature and fruits of this excellent grace. I. The nature of it, and the honour it reflects upon all who live in the exercise of it (Heb 11:1-3). II. The great examples we have in the Old Testament of those who lived by faith, and died and suffered extraordinary things by the strength of his grace (v. 4-38). And, III. The advantages that we have in the gospel for the exercise of this grace above what those had who lived in the times of the Old Testament (Heb 11:39, Heb 11:40).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
For here we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
And every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
What answer will be given to the envoys of that nation? “The LORD has founded Zion, where His afflicted people will find refuge.”