KJV: And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
YLT: and if, indeed, they had been mindful of that from which they came forth, they might have had an opportunity to return,
Darby: And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned;
ASV: And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
| μὲν | indeed |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: μέν Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed. |
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| ἐκείνης | that |
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Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: ἐκεῖνος Sense: he, she it, etc. |
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| ἐμνημόνευον | they had been remembering |
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Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: μνημονεύω Sense: to be mindful of, to remember, to call to mind. |
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| ἧς | where |
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Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: ὅς Sense: who, which, what, that. |
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| ἐξέβησαν | they came out |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: ἔκβασις Sense: an egress, way out, exit. |
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| εἶχον | they would have had |
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Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: ἔχω Sense: to have, i.e. to hold. |
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| ἂν | - |
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Parse: Particle Root: ἄν Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV. |
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| καιρὸν | opportunity |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: καιρός Sense: due measure. |
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| ἀνακάμψαι | to return |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active Root: ἀνακάμπτω Sense: to bend back, to turn back. |
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Greek Commentary for Hebrews 11:15
Condition of second class (note αν an in conclusion) with the imperfect (not aorist) in both condition and conclusion. So it means: “If they had continued mindful, they would have kept on having” (linear action in both cases in past time). Opportunity to return Old verb ανακαμπτω anakamptō to bend back, to turn back (Matthew 2:12), here first aorist active infinitive. Continual hankering would have found a way. Cf. the Israelites in the wilderness yearning after Egypt. [source]
In N.T. habitually remember. So invariably in lxx. The meaning here is, that if, in their declaration (Hebrews 11:14) that they were seeking a country, they had called to mind the country from which they came out, they could have returned thither, so that it is evident that they did not mean that country. [source]
Rend. “to return.” Lit. bend their way back again ( ἀνα ). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 11:15
See on Hebrews 11:15. A.V. has remembered in marg. Remembered is appropriate here. Joseph on his death-bed remembered the promise of God to give the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15; Genesis 15:7), and also the prediction to Abraham that his descendants should pass four hundred years in bondage in a strange land, and should afterward be brought out thence, Genesis 15:13, Genesis 15:14. [source]
Present active imperative of μνημονευω mnēmoneuō old verb to be mindful of (from μνημων mnēmōn mindful) with genitive (John 15:20) or accusative (Matthew 16:9). “Keep in mind.” Cf. Hebrews 11:22. Them that had the rule over you Present middle participle of ηγεομαι hēgeomai with genitive of the person The preaching of these early disciples, apostles, and prophets (1 Corinthians 1:17). And considering the issue of their life No “and” in the Greek, but the relative ων hōn (whose) in the genitive case after αναστροπης anastrophēs “considering the issue of whose life.” Present active participle of ανατεωρεω anatheōreō late compound, to look up a subject, to investigate, to observe accurately, in N.T. only here and Acts 17:23. Εκβασις Ekbasis is an old word from εκβαινω ekbainō to go out (Hebrews 11:15, here only in N.T.), originally way out (1 Corinthians 10:13), but here (only other N.T. example) in sense of end or issue as in several papyri examples (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary). Imitate their faith Present middle imperative of μιμεομαι mimeomai old verb (from μιμος mimos actor, mimic), in N.T. only here, 2 Thessalonians 3:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 3 John 1:11. Keep on imitating the faith of the leaders. [source]