Hebrews 11:32 (DRB)

Passage

And what shall I yet say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephthe, David, Samuel, and the prophets:

Nearby Context

Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them seven days.

Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace.

Hebrews 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:

Hebrews 11:33 Who by faith conquered kingdoms, wrought justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Hebrews 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shall", "time", "fail", "tell", "gedeon", "barac", "samson", and "jephthe". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shall" and "time", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 31's "By faith Rahab the harlot perished not..." into verse 33's "Who by faith conquered kingdoms wrought justice...", so "shall" and "time" belong inside that flow. In Hebrews context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "shall" and "time" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.