Hebrews 11:35
in Hebrews 11Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
KJV
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
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This verse in Hebrews 11
Commentary
15 notes on this verseA commentator
CyprianTreatise XI Exhortation to Martyrdom Addressed to Fortunatus · Written before 258.
For since Christ is the head of the man, and God is the head of Christ, he who tore the head in the martyr was persecuting God and Christ in that head. But he, trusting in his martyrdom, and promising to himself from the retribution of God the reward of resurrection, exclaimed and said, "Thou indeed impotently destroyest us out of this present life; but the King of the world will raise us up, who die for His laws, unto the eternal resurrection of life."
This site's exposition
Women received back their dead
on Hebrews 11:35-38
The women who received back their dead recall the widow of Zarephath at 1 Kings 17 and the Shunammite at 2 Kings 4. Others refused their release to gain a better resurrection. The Ascension of Isaiah, a later tradition, ties sawed in two to Isaiah's death under Manasseh.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"Women received back their dead." The Shunammite through Elisha, and before that the woman of Zarephath through Elijah. "Some were tortured." They were cut off, like James and John, and those who were beheaded. Or they died by clubs. Others say that being tortured means …
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.
proposed
"Women received their dead by resurrection," like Silomaea and Zarephath, who had them from Elijah and his disciple. Others, however, who were given to death despised their own life, like the seven brothers together with their mother. Even though they did not do what their …
A commentator
John ChrysostomDISCOURSES AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 8.8.3 · Written before 407.
proposed
After he said, "They were put to death by the sword, and others were tortured," after he recounted many and different modes of martyrdom, he went on to say, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and run with perseverance." Do you see that he called Abel a martyr, as well as Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? For some of these died for God's sake in the same way that Paul spoke of when he said, "I die daily"; they died not by dying but only by their willingness to die.
"Women received their dead raised to life again." He here speaks of what occurred in regard to the prophets, Elisha, and Elijah; for they raised the dead. "And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." But we have not obtained a Resurrection. I am able however, he means, to show that they also were cut off, and did not accept deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. For why, tell me, when it was open to them to live, did they not choose it? Were they not evidently looking for a better life? And they who had raised up others, themselves chose to die; in order to obtain a better resurrection, not such as the children of those women. Here I think he alludes both to John and to James. For beheading is called "torturing." It was in their power still to behold the sun. It was in their power to abstain from reproving sinners, and yet they chose to die; even they who had raised others chose to die themselves, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
The Medieval Church1 voice
The widow of Zarephath through Elijah (3 Kingdoms 17:20–23) and the Shunammite woman through Elisha (4 Kingdoms 4:32–37). That is, they were beheaded, like John the Baptist (Matt. 14:3–11), like James the son of Zebedee (Acts 12:2). Some, however, interpreted the torture in the sense …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
641 (cont.). – But the third pertains to the effect of divine courage; hence, he says, Women received their dead raised to life again, i.e., by the resurrection. Some who misunderstood this, explained their dead, i.e., their husbands, and argued that death does not dissolve …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Others were tortured - From those who acted great things the apostle rises higher, to those who showed the power of faith by suffering. Not accepting deliverance - On sinful terms. That they might obtain a better resurrection - An higher reward, seeing the greater their sufferings the greater would be their glory.
Women received their dead raised to life again,.... As the widow of Zarephath, and the Shunammite, 1Ki 17:
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,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Women received their dead raised to life again - As in the case of the woman of Zarephath, whose child was restored to life by Elijah, 1Ki 17:19-24; and of the son of the Shunamite woman whose child was restored to life by Elisha; 2 Kings 4:18-37. And others were tortured - The word which is used here - τυμπανίζω tumpanizō - to “tympanize,” refers to a form of severe torture which was sometimes practiced.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The two oldest manuscripts read. "They received women of aliens by raising their dead." 1Ki 17:24 shows that the raising of the widow's son by Elijah led her to the faith, so that he thus took her into fellowship, an alien though she was. Christ, in Lu 4:26, makes especial mention of the fact that Elijah was sent to an alien from Israel, a woman of Sarepta.
Women received their dead - As did the widow of Zarephath, 1Ki 17:21, and the Shunammite, 2Ki 4:34. What other cases under all the above heads the apostle might have in view, we know not. Others were tortured - Ετυμπανισθησαν. This is a word concerning the meaning of which the critics are not agreed. Τυμπανον signifies a stick, or baton, which was used in bastinadoing criminals. And τυμπανιζω signifies to beat violently, and is thus explained by the best lexicographers. After considering what others have written on this subject, I am inclined to think that the bastinado on the soles of the feet is what is here designed. That this was a most torturing and dangerous punishment, we learn from the most authentic accounts; and it is practised among the Turks and other Mohammedans to the present day. Mr. Antes, of Fulnek, is Yorkshire, twenty years a resident in Egypt, furnishes the latest account I have met with; he himself was the unhappy subject of his own description. See at the end of this chapter, article 4 (note). Not accepting deliverance - This looks very like a reference to the case of the mother and her seven sons, mentioned 2 Maccabees 7:1, etc.
Modern Voices1 voice
God promised. They held on. God delivered. Just like it is supposed to be.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἔλαβον | elabon | Received back | G2983 → | 257 times |
| γυναῖκες | gunaikes | women | G1135 → | |
| ἐξ | ex | by | G1537 → | 911 times |
| ἀναστάσεως | anastaseos | resurrection | G386 → | 42 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νεκροὺς | nekrous | dead | G3498 → | 128 times |
| αὐτῶν· | auton | of them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἄλλοι | alloi | others | G243 → | |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐτυμπανίσθησαν | etumpanisthesan | were tortured | G5178 → | |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| προσδεξάμενοι | prosdexamenoi | having accepted | G4327 → | |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀπολύτρωσιν, | apolutrosin | release, | G629 → | |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| κρείττονος | kreittonos | a better | G2908 → | 19 times |
| ἀναστάσεως | anastaseos | resurrection | G386 → | 42 times |
| τύχωσιν· | tuchosin | they may obtain; | G5177 → |
ἔλαβονReceived back
elabonG2983 →257 times
γυναῖκεςwomen
gunaikesG1135 →
ἐξby
exG1537 →911 times
ἀναστάσεωςresurrection
anastaseosG386 →42 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
νεκροὺςdead
nekrousG3498 →128 times
αὐτῶν·of them;
autonG846 →5565 times
ἄλλοιothers
alloiG243 →
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐτυμπανίσθησανwere tortured
etumpanisthesanG5178 →
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
προσδεξάμενοιhaving accepted
prosdexamenoiG4327 →
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἀπολύτρωσιν,release,
apolutrosinG629 →
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
κρείττονοςa better
kreittonosG2908 →19 times
ἀναστάσεωςresurrection
anastaseosG386 →42 times
τύχωσιν·they may obtain;
tuchosinG5177 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 15:54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.
- Revelation 20:14
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
- Hebrews 2:14–15
Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,
- Revelation 21:4
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
- Luke 20:36
In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God.
- Isaiah 25:8
Through
Philippians 3:11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
it leads to
- Luke 20:35–36
But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
- Revelation 20:5
The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection.
- Acts 23:6
Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in…
- Luke 20:35–36
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies65
On this verse
On this chapter
- Enoch, the Man Who Walked with God
- Abraham
- Adam to Noah
- All Scripture Is God-Breathed
- The Binding of Isaac
- Cain and Abel
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- Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism
- The Covenants
- Daniel in the Lions' Den: Daniel 6
- David and Goliath
- Deborah and Jael
- Enoch Walked With God
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- Ephraim and Manasseh, the two tribes of Joseph
- Esau
- Faith
- Faith and Works
- Daniel in Babylon
- The Fall of Jericho
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Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
- Mount Moriah
- Moses in the Bulrushes
- Mourning and Burial in Israel
- Noah
- Noah's Ark as a Type
- Abraham and Sarah: The Twenty-Five Years
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By subject
Resurrection34 verses
About Hebrews
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyprian, Treatise XI Exhortation to Martyrdom Addressed to Fortunatus; Dr. Rob Reimer, Never Taking Offense (Renewal International blog); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, DISCOURSES AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 8.8.3; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 27; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Sir Robert Anderson, Types in Hebrews; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.