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Heb_11:33. Οἳ διὰ πίστεως κατηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας ] who by virtue of faith subdued kingdoms. The διὰ πίστεως with emphasis placed at the head dominates the whole description following, so that it continues equally to sound forth in connection with all the finite verbs as far as περιῆλθον , Heb_11:37.
οἵ , however, connects in a lax manner that which follows with that which precedes, in so far as, Heb_11:33-34, respect is had, in part at least, to yet other persons besides those mentioned Heb_11:32. As regards the subject-matter, therefore, there would have been more accurately written in place of the mere οἵ : “who with others like-minded.”
καταγωνίζεσθαι further, in the N. T. a ἅπαξ λεγόμενον , signifies to get the better of or overpower. With Böhme to attach to the same the signification: “to acquire by fighting” (“certamine sibi paraverunt regna; quod nostra lingua succinctius ita dixeris: sie haben sich Herrscherwürden erkämpft”), is opposed to the usus loquendi.
The statement itself for the rest is true, as of David, who vanquished the Philistines (2Sa_5:17-25; 2Sa_8:1; 2Sa_21:15 ff.), Moabites, Syrians, Edomites (2Sa_8:2 ff.), and Ammonites (2 Samuel 10; 2Sa_12:26 ff.), so also of the four judges, mentioned Heb_11:32, inasmuch as Gideon smote the Midianites (Judges 7), Barak the Canaanites (Judges 4), Samson the Philistines (Judges 14 ff.), Jephthah the Ammonites (Judges 9).
εἰργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην ] wrought righteousness and justice, namely, for their subjects, in virtue of their quality as judges or kings. Comp. ποιεῖν κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην , 2Sa_8:15; 1Ch_18:14; 2Ch_9:8, al. Too generally Erasmus, Schlichting, Grotius, Schulz, Stein, and others (comp. already Theodoret: τοῦτο κοινὸν τῶν ἁγίων ἁπάντων ): they did that which was morally good or pious.
ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν ] obtained promises, i.e. either: came into the possession of blessings which God had promised them (Piscator, Owen, Huët, Böhme, Stuart, de Wette, Delitzsch, Alford, Maier, Moll, Hofmann, Woerner, and the majority), or: received words of promise on the part of God (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Primasius, Schlichting [Whitby?], Bleek, Ebrard, Kurtz, al.). Either interpretation is admissible. Yet in the first case, that no contradiction with Heb_11:39 (comp. also Heb_11:13) may arise, only, what the absence of the article before ἐπαγγελιῶν also permits, blessings and successes of earthly nature could be meant. In the first case, one may think of Jdg_7:7 and the like, while in the second case the words are specially to be referred to the Messianic promises given to David and the prophets.
ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων ] closed the jaws of lions. Comp. with regard to Daniel, Dan_6:22 (1Ma_2:60); with regard to Samson, Jdg_14:6; with regard to David, 1Sa_17:34 ff.