Hebrews 11:33

Hebrews 11:33. Who through faith. The ‘who' refers both to those named and to others like them; the introduction of the previous enumeration (‘time will fail,' etc.) being practically a rhetorical equivalent for ‘etc.' in English; and the ‘through faith' applying to all that is said to the end of Hebrews 11:34.

Through faith (not ‘in' or ‘according to'), the expression for the last time in this chapter, and specially appropriate as describing the instrument by which those great works were accomplished. How it sustained also in suffering is recorded in the later verses, Hebrews 11:35-38.

Subdued kingdoms true of all the judges named, as it is of Samuel and David.

Wrought righteousness is specially true of David, the righteous king (2 Samuel 8:15, etc.), and of Samuel, the righteous judge (1 Samuel 12:4).

Obtained promises, i.e obtained the fulfilment of them, not indeed of the great promise of all (see Hebrews 11:40), but of the lesser promises which God fulfilled to the prophets themselves. Joel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, all saw the partial fulfilment of things they foretold.

Stopped the mouths of lions true in part of Samuel and David, and specially of Daniel, of whom it is said that an angel shut the mouths of the lions, because he believed in his God (Daniel 6:22-23).