Hebrews 11:9
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By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
sojourned--as a "stranger and pilgrim." in--Greek, "into," that is, he went into it and sojourned there. as in a strange country--a country not belonging to him, but to others (so the Greek), Act 7:5-6. dwelling in tabernacles--tents: as strangers and sojourners do: moving from place to place, as having no fixed possession of their own. In contrast to the abiding "city" (Heb 11:10). with--Their kind of dwelling being the same is a proof that their faith was the same. They all alike were content to wait for their good things hereafter (Luk 16:25). Jacob was fifteen years old at the death of Abraham. heirs with him of the same promise--Isaac did not inherit it from Abraham, nor Jacob from Isaac, but they all inherited it from God directly as "fellow heirs." In Heb 6:12, Heb 6:15, Heb 6:17, "the promise" means the thing promised as a thing in part already attained; but in this chapter "the promise" is of something still future. However, see on Heb 6:12.
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 ↗11:9-10 he lived there by faith: Abraham himself did not experience the inheritance of the land of promise. Rather, he was like a foreigner, living in tents (see Gen 12:10–13:18). • so did Isaac and Jacob: This life of faith was continued in the next two generations: They received the same promise and hoped in God, but did not experience what God had promised. • city with eternal foundations: Abraham did not settle in the Canaanite cities but followed the will of God in faithful obedience, anticipating a heavenly city.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.
So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.
From the Negev he journeyed from place to place toward Bethel, until he came to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been pitched,
So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.
Jacob returned to his father Isaac at Mamre, near Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
And may He give the blessing of Abraham to you and your descendants, so that you may possess the land where you dwell as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.”
And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”
So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.