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I. HEROIC NAMES (ver. 32). The men of faith. Six names are given. Some of them are names that few would have selected to occupy such a position as is here assigned to them. Note in this list —

(1) A disregard of chronological order. Gideon is put before Barak, and Samson before Jephthah. There will be a Divine re-arrangement of the order of all names soon, and "there are first which shall be last" (Luke 13:30).

(2) The men of pious parentage. Samson's father and mother appear to have feared God (Judges 13.), Jesse, David's father, was, we may well believe, a godly man (1 Samuel 16:1-3), and the mother of Samuel was a woman of prayer (1 Samuel 2:1). Samson's strength, David's piety, and Samuel's wisdom were doubtless begotten in answer to prayers of faith presented by their revered progenitors (cf. 2 Timothy 1:5).

(3) Heroes from the ranks of the lowly. Gideon was an agricultural labourer (Judges 6:11), David a shepherd lad (1 Samuel 17:34), and Samuel a servitor in the Temple of God (1 Samuel 3:1), but all were exalted to honour. Some of the grandest revelations of God have been made to the humblest of men (cf. Luke 2:8, 9, and Matthew 11:25).

(4) The dignity of faith springing from the dust of shame. Jephthah was the son of a harlot, but he came to be a judge in Israel (Judges 11:1; Romans 5:20).

(5) Faith conspicuous in men of conspicuous failings. Gideon put an "if" against the solemn promise of God (Judges 6:36). Barak trusted too much to Deborah (Judges 4:9). Samson was bound by the wiles of Delilah (Judges 16:16, 17). Jephthah sinned in making a rash vow, and added to his folly by observing it (Judges 10:30, 31, 39). David was guilty of murder and adultery (2 Samuel 12:9), Samuel failed to correct his sons (1 Samuel 3:13). They fell, but rose again, and " all died in faith." We should be patient with the erring, and though we have erred ourselves we should not despair. For illustrations of the faith of these men see Barak in pursuit (Judges 4:16), Gideon giving glory to God (Judges 7:15), Samson acknowledging the help of God (Judges 15:18), Jephthah realising dependence upon God (Judges 11:9), David expressing confidence in God (1 Samuel 17:37), and Samuel rehearsing the goodness of God (1 Samuel 12.).

II. HEROIC DEEDS (vers. 33-35). Faith often finds utterance in words (2 Corinthians 4:13), but most frequently in acts. See here faith on the battle-field ("kingdoms" — cf. "world," 1 John 5:4; "flesh," Galatians 2:20; "devil," 1 Peter 5:9); in the workshop ("wrought" — cf. Mark 14:6); taking hold of God's word ("obtained," Greek, ἐπιτυχάνω, to happen or come upon); in the lion's den (Daniel 6:21, 22); in the furnace (Daniel 3:25) eluding violence ("escaped", Greek, φεύγω, to flee. Faith is prudent to avoid danger 1 Samuel 19:18; Genesis 39:12); recruiting strength (Samson was weak but was "made strong," Judges 16:28-30); routing foes (note the alliance of valour and victory), and raising the dead (2 Kings 4:35).

III. HEROIC ENDURANCE (vers. 35-38). See here —

1. The world's estimate of its best friends (cf. 1 John 3:13).

2. The believer's refusal of the world's help ("not accepting").

3. The world's unworthiness of the believer's mission ("not worthy").

4. The believer sustained by the hope of a future world ("better resurrection").

5. The coming union of all believers in that world (vers. 39, 40).

(H. Thorne.)

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KJV: And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

WEB: What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets;