Devine Scripture

Hebrews 11:10

What does Hebrews 11:10 mean?

A plain-English look at Hebrews 11:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Hebrews 11:10 means

Abraham’s hope was ultimately fixed on a city with true, lasting foundations, designed and built by God. Though God promised land, Abraham looked beyond mere geography to a permanent, God-made dwelling—the ultimate community and stability that only God can provide. This forward-looking faith sees earthly tents as temporary and longs for God’s enduring kingdom. The verse shows that even Old Testament believers anticipated a heavenly reality. Their deepest expectation was not satisfied by earthly Canaan alone but by God’s final, unshakable city, which later Scripture identifies with the consummated dwelling of God with his people.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For he was looking for the strong town, whose builder and maker is God.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for he was looking for the city having the foundations, whose artificer and constructor <FI>is<Fi> God.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For he looked for a city that hath foundations: whose builder and maker is God.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

for he waited for the city which has foundations, of whichGod is [the] artificer and constructor.

Context

Having described Abraham’s sojourning, the author now explains its inner orientation: he looked to God’s city rather than earthly permanence. This heavenly horizon provides the rationale for living in tents and waiting through generations. With that orientation established, the narrative turns to the miraculous conception promised to Sarah, showing that faith not only waits but also receives life from God’s power when natural means are exhausted.

v.9By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

v.10This passage

v.11By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Revelation 21:10

    And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

  • John 14:2

    In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:1

    For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.

  • Isaiah 14:32

    What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge.

  • Revelation 21:2

    And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

  • Philippians 3:20

    For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

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