By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Abraham and his descendants, Isaac and Jacob, lived like strangers in the promised land not because they lacked legal standing, but because their faith fixed their hope on an even greater, eternal city built by God, making earthly promises secondary. This highlights that true faith often means living with a posture of temporary ownership, even when God has promised permanent inheritance.
By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights Abraham's faith by focusing on his nomadic life in Canaan. Instead of settling down, he lived in tents, like his son Isaac and grandson Jacob after him, as temporary residents in a land promised to them as an eternal inheritance. This transient existence demonstrated their trust that God would fulfill His promise of a permanent home, even while they lived like foreigners.
Abraham didn't just believe God's promise; he lived it, even when it looked like he was losing everything.
The verse highlights Abraham's life not as a settled owner, but as a 'sojourner.' This Greek word (paroikew) carries the sense of dwelling among or beside others, living as a foreigner without full citizenship rights. It wasn't just a temporary stop; he chose this lifestyle by faith.
This meant Abraham didn't seek permanent property in Canaan, beyond a burial plot. He lived in tents, a sign of a migratory existence, far from a settled, inherited home. His faith wasn't passive belief; it was an active, ongoing decision to live according to God's unseen future, rather than the visible present.
Abraham wasn't alone in this faith journey; his family's story was woven into the promise, pointing beyond their earthly sojourn.
The verse connects Abraham not just to Isaac but also to Jacob, identifying them as 'heirs with him of the same promise.' This shows that the promise wasn't a solo act but a family legacy, passed down through generations.
Their shared tents symbolize a common life of faith and patience, waiting for a promise that extended beyond their lifetimes. This wasn't about owning land in a typical sense, but about inheriting God's faithfulness. It hints at a deeper, eternal inheritance that the land of Canaan only foreshadowed.
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epangelia · Greek Noun
A divine declaration or pledge of future blessing and provision. A promise in Scripture is anchored in the character of God, who cannot lie, and serves as a ground for the believer's hope.
This verse paints a vivid picture of Abraham's radical faith, not just in leaving home, but in how he *lived* in the promised land. He didn't build permanent houses or claim ownership, but lived nomadically like a stranger, trusting God's promise of a future, permanent home. This sets a pattern for his descendants, Isaac and Jacob, demonstrating that faith often means embracing temporary discomfort for the sake of eternal promises.
c. 2090 BC
God calls Abram from Ur
God calls Abram to leave his homeland and go to a land God will show him, promising to make him a great nation and bless the world through him.
c. 2080 BC
Abram enters Canaan
Abram, now called Abraham, arrives in the land of Canaan, which God designates as the land of promise for his descendants.
c. 2070 BC - 1880 BC— this verse
Patriarchal Sojourning in Canaan
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob live as nomadic tent-dwellers in Canaan, often referred to as 'sojourners' or 'strangers' in the land not yet possessed by their lineage.
c. 2070 BC
Abraham purchases a burial plot
Abraham buys the cave of Machpelah, the only piece of land he permanently owned in Canaan, to bury his wife Sarah. This highlights his status as a sojourner in the land.
c. 1880 BC
Jacob and family move to Egypt
Due to famine, Jacob and his entire family relocate to Egypt, where they later become enslaved, beginning a period of sojourn outside the promised land.
This passage shows God's initial call and promise to Abraham, setting the stage for his faith-filled journey and temporary dwelling in the land.
Genesis 23:4This verse from Abraham's life directly states his own acknowledgement of being a 'stranger and sojourner,' underscoring the reality of his faith-filled dwelling.
Romans 8:17This New Testament passage speaks of believers being 'joint heirs with Christ,' echoing the concept of shared inheritance in the promise, as seen with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Hebrews 11:13-16These verses continue the narrative from Hebrews 11, explaining that Abraham and the others who lived as sojourners were looking for a 'better country,' a heavenly one, which is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise.
Acts 7:5-6Stephen recounts Abraham's story, highlighting God's promise of the land and Abraham's lack of property there, emphasizing the faith required to live as a stranger in the promised land.
vincentHebrews 11:9: "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:"
He sojourned in (παρῴκησεν εἰς)The verb lit. to dwell beside or among. Πάροικος, a foreigner dwelling in a state without rights of citizenship. In Class. only in the sense of neighbor. See on Luke 24:18. The verb of rest with the preposition of motion (only here) signifies that he went into the land and dwelt there. Usua…
calvinHebrews 11:8-12: "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."
- By faith Abraham, etc. He comes now to Abraham, who is the chief father of God's church on earth, and in whose name the Jews gloried, as though by the distinction of being the holy race of Abraham alone, they were removed from the common order of men. But he now reminds them of what they ought to possess as the…
Abraham and his descendants, Isaac and Jacob, lived like strangers in the promised land not because they lacked legal standing, but because their faith fixed their hope on an even greater, eternal city built by God, making earthly promises secondary. This highlights that true faith often means living with a posture of temporary ownership, even when God has promised permanent inheritance.
This verse highlights Abraham's faith by focusing on his nomadic life in Canaan. Instead of settling down, he lived in tents, like his son Isaac and grandson Jacob after him, as temporary residents in a land promised to them as an eternal inheritance. This transient existence demonstrated their trust that God would fulfill His promise of a permanent home, even while they lived like foreigners.
This verse highlights Abraham's faith by focusing on his nomadic life in Canaan. Instead of settling down, he lived in tents, like his son Isaac and grandson Jacob after him, as temporary residents in a land promised to them as an eternal inheritance. This transient existence demonstrated their trust that God would fulfill His promise of a permanent home, even while they lived like foreigners.
"By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise." — Abraham and his descendants, Isaac and Jacob, lived like strangers in the promised land not because they lacked legal standing, but because their faith fixed their hope on an even greater, eternal ci…
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Last reviewed October 2026