11:19. Accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead.
Whereupon also he received him for a parable.
For a parable. . .That is, as a figure of Christ, slain and coming to
life again.
11:20. By faith also of things to come Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
11:21. By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and
adored the top of his rod.
Adored the top of his rod. . .The apostle here follows the ancient Greek
Bible of the seventy interpreters, (which translates in this manner,
Gen. 47. 31.,) and alleges this fact of Jacob, in paying a relative
honour and veneration to the top of the rod or sceptre of Joseph, as to
a figure of Christ's sceptre and kingdom, as an instance and argument
of his faith. But some translators, who are no friends to this relative
honour, have corrupted the text, by translating it, he worshipped,
leaning upon the top of his staff; as if this circumstance of leaning
upon his staff were any argument of Jacob's faith, or worthy the being
thus particularly taken notice of by the Holy Ghost.
11:22. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the going
out of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his
bones.
11:23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his
parents: because they saw he was a comely babe, and they feared not the
king's edict.
11:24. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, denied himself to be the
son of Pharao's daughter:
11:25. Rather choosing to be afflicted with the people of God than to
have the pleasure of sin for a time:
11:26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the
treasure of the Egyptians. For he looked unto the reward.
11:27. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the fierceness of the king:
for he endured, as seeing him that is invisible.
11:28. By faith he celebrated the pasch and the shedding of the blood:
that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.
11:29. By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land: which
the Egyptians attempting, were swallowed up.
11:30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them
seven days.
11:31. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers,
receiving the spies with peace.
11:32. And what shall I yet say? For the time would fail me to tell of
Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephthe, David, Samuel, and the prophets:
11:33. Who by faith conquered kingdoms, wrought justice, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
11:34. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
recovered strength from weakness, became valiant in battle, put to
flight the armies of foreigners.
11:35. Women received their dead raised to life again. But others were
racked, not accepting deliverance, that they might find a better
resurrection.
11:36. And others had trial of mockeries and stripes: moreover also of
bands and prisons.
11:37. They were stoned, they were cut asunder, they were tempted, they
were put to death by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in
goatskins, being in want, distressed, afflicted:
11:38. Of whom the world was not worthy: wandering in deserts, in
mountains and in dens and in caves of the earth.
11:39. And all these, being approved by the testimony of faith,
received not the promise:
11:40. God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be
perfected without us.