Hebrews 11:38 (LSB)

Passage

(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in desolate places and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

Nearby Context

Hebrews 11:36 and others experienced mockings and floggings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.

Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, mistreated

Hebrews 11:38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in desolate places and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

Hebrews 11:39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

Hebrews 11:40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "world", "worthy", "wandering", "desolate", "places", "mountains", "caves", and "holes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "world" and "worthy", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 37's "They were stoned they were sawn in..." into verse 39's "And all these having gained approval through...", so "world" and "worthy" 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 "world" and "worthy" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.