Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
The cross references for Hebrews 11:38 demonstrate the theme of faithful people in the Old Testament wandering in deserts, mountains, dens, and caves. These passages illustrate how God's people have often been on the move, seeking refuge and safety in the face of danger and persecution. They also emphasize the difficulty of such a lifestyle and the courage and faith that it requires. Finally, these passages show how God is always with his people, even in difficult times, and that he will provide protection and guidance as they seek to follow him.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| 1 Samuel 22:1: David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. | Both passages refer to caves as a place of refuge. Hebrews 11:38 speaks of people wandering deserts and mountains, and taking refuge in caves. In 1 Samuel 22:1, David escapes to the cave of Adullam, where his family joins him for safety. The cave of Adullam is an example of how caves were used as a refuge in ancient times. |
| 1 Samuel 24:1-3: When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. | Both passages refer to a similar setting of a cave in a wilderness area. Hebrews 11:38 describes the general condition of those who were considered "not worthy" of the world, and 1 Samuel 24:1–3 provides a specific example of this in the story of Saul and David. In 1 Samuel 24:1–3, Saul goes to a cave in the wilderness of Engedi to seek David, who is hiding in the innermost parts of the cave. |
| 1 Kings 18:4: and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) | Both passages discuss the concept of hiding in caves. In Hebrews 11:38, the author is referring to the Old Testament figures who were not accepted by the world, and so had to wander in deserts and caves to find refuge. In 1 Kings 18:4, Obadiah is specifically mentioned as having hidden a hundred prophets in a cave to protect them from the threat of Jezebel. These two passages demonstrate how God's people have often found refuge in caves in times of danger. |
| 1 Kings 19:9: There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” | Both passages refer to an experience in a cave. Hebrews 11:38 speaks of faith people wandering in the desert and mountains, and taking refuge in dens and caves of the earth. 1 Kings 19:9 describes Elijah's journey to a specific cave where he receives a word from the Lord. |
| Isaiah 57:1: The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; | Both passages point to the struggles of the righteous person in the face of a hostile world. Hebrews 11:38 describes the extreme conditions that many righteous men faced, such as wandering in deserts and mountains, and living in caves. Isaiah 57:1 speaks to the lack of understanding and recognition of the righteous man's plight, and how they often perish without anyone taking notice. |
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the example of Your faithful servants in the Bible who found refuge in the wilderness and in caves. We praise You for Your protection and provision in times of need, and for Your Word that guides us in our paths. We pray for guidance and wisdom to follow Your will for our lives, and for protection from the schemes of the enemy. Help us to find refuge in You and to trust in You in all circumstances. In Jesus' name, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.