TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hebrews 3:7–19. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here the apostle proceeds in pressing upon them serious counsels and cautions to the close of the chapter; and he recites a passage out of Psa 95:7, etc., where observe,
I.What he counsels them to do - to give a speedy and present attention to the call of Christ.
"Hear his voice, assent to, approve of, and consider, what God in Christ speaks unto you; apply it to yourselves with suitable affections and endeavours, and set about it this very day, for tomorrow it may be too late."
II.What he cautions them against - hardening their hearts, turning the deaf ear to the calls and counsels of Christ:
"When he tells you of the evil of sin, the excellency of holiness, the necessity of receiving him by faith as your Saviour, do not shut your ear and heart against such a voice as this." Observe, The hardening of our hearts is the spring of all our other sins.
III.Whose example he warns them by - that of the Israelites their fathers in the wilderness:
As in the provocation and day of temptation; this refers to that remarkable passage at Massah Meribah, Exo 17:2-7. Observe,
1.Days of temptation are often days of provocation.
2.To provoke God, when he is trying us, and letting us see that we entirely depend and live immediately upon him, is a provocation with a witness.
3.The sins of others, especially our relations, should be a warning to us. Our fathers' sins and punishments should be remembered by us, to deter us from following their evil examples. Now as to the sin of the fathers of the Jews, here reflected upon, observe,
(1.)The state in which these fathers were, when they thus sinned: they were in the wilderness, brought out of Egypt, but not got into Canaan, the thoughts whereof should have restrained them from sin.
(2.)The sin they were guilty of: they tempted and provoked God; they distrusted God, murmured against Moses, and would not attend to the voice of God.
(3.)The aggravations of their sin: they sinned in the wilderness, where they had a more immediate dependence upon God: they sinned when God was trying them; they sinned when they saw his works - works of wonder wrought for their deliverance out of Egypt, and their support and supply in the wilderness from day to day. They continued thus to sin against God for forty years. These were heinous aggravations.
(4.)The source and spring of such aggravated sins, which were,
[1.]They erred in their hearts; and these heart-errors produced many other errors in their lips and lives.
[2.]They did not know God's ways, though he had walked before them. They did not know his ways; neither those ways of his providence in which he had walked towards them, nor those ways of his precept in which they ought to have walked towards God; they did not observe either his providences or his ordinances in a right manner.
(5.)The just and great resentment God had at their sins, and yet the great patience he exercised towards them (Heb 3:10): Wherefore I was grieved with that generation. Note,
[1.]All sin, especially sin committed by God's professing privileged people, does not only anger and affront God, but it grieves him.
[2.]God is loth to destroy his people in or for their sin, he waits long to be gracious to them.
[3.]God keeps an exact account of the time that people go on in sinning against him, and in grieving him by their sins; but at length, if they by their sins continue to grieve the Spirit of God, their sins shall be made grievous to their own spirits, either in a way of judgment or mercy.
(6.)The irreversible doom passed upon them at last for their sins. God swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest, the rest either of an earthly or of a heavenly Canaan. Observe,
[1.]Sin, long continued in, will kindle the divine wrath, and make it flame out against sinners.
[2.]God's wrath will discover itself in its righteous resolution to destroy the impenitent; he will swear in his wrath, not rashly, but righteously, and his wrath will make their condition a restless condition; there is no resting under the wrath of God.
IV.What use the apostle makes of their awful example, Heb 3:12, Heb 3:13, etc.
He gives the Hebrews a proper caution, and enforces it with an affectionate compellation.
1.He gives the Hebrews a proper caution; the word is, Take heed, blepete - look to it. "Look about you; be upon your guard against enemies both within and without; be circumspect. You see what kept many of your forefathers out of Canaan, and made their carcasses fall in the wilderness; take heed lest you fall into the same sin and snare and dreadful sentence. For you see Christ is head of the church, a much greater person than Moses, and your contempt of him must be a greater sin than their contempt of Moses; and so you are in danger of falling under a severer sentence than they." Observe, The ruin of others should be a warning to us to take heed of the rock they split upon. Israel's fall should for ever be a warning to all who come after them; for all these things happened to them for ensamples (Co1 10:11), and should be remembered by us. Take heed; all who would get safely to heaven must look about them.
2.He enforces the admonition with an affectionate compellation: "Brethren, not only in the flesh, but in the Lord; brethren whom I love, and for whose welfare I labour and long." And here he enlarges upon the matter of the admonition: Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Here observe,
(1.)A heart of unbelief is an evil heart. Unbelief is a great sin, it vitiates the heart of man.
(2.)An evil heart of unbelief is at the bottom of all our sinful departures from God; it is a leading step to apostasy; if once we allow ourselves to distrust God, we may soon desert him.
(3.)Christian brethren have need to be cautioned against apostasy. Let those that think they stand take heed lest they fall.
3.He subjoins good counsel to the caution, and advises them to that which would be a remedy against this evil heart of unbelief - that they should exhort one another daily, while it is called today, Heb 3:13. Observe,
(1.)We should be doing all the good we can to one another while we are together, which will be but a short and uncertain time.
(2.)Since tomorrow is none of ours, we must make the best improvement of today.
(3.)If Christians do not exhort one another daily, they will be in danger of being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Note,
[1.]There is a great deal of deceitfulness in sin; it appears fair, but is filthy; it appears pleasant, but is pernicious; it promises much, but performs nothing.
[2.]The deceitfulness of sin is of a hardening nature to the soul; one sin allowed prepares for another; every act of sin confirms the habit; sinning against conscience is the way to sear the conscience; and therefore it should be the great concern of every one to exhort himself and others to beware of sin.
4.He comforts those who not only set out well, but hold on well, and hold out to the end (Heb 3:14): We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast to the end. Here observe,
(1.)The saints' privilege: they are made partakers of Christ, that is, of the Spirit, nature, graces, righteousness, and life of Christ; they are interested in all that is Christ's, in all that he is, in all that he has done, or can do.
(2.)The condition on which they hold that privilege, namely, their perseverance in the bold and open profession and practice of Christ and Christianity unto the end. Not but they shall persevere, being kept by the mighty power of God through faith to salvation, but to be pressed thus to it is one means by which Christ helps his people to persevere. This tends to make them watchful and diligent, and so keeps them from apostasy. Here observe,
[1.]The same spirit with which Christians set out in the ways of God they should maintain and evidence to the end. Those who begin seriously, and with lively affections and holy resolutions and humble reliance, should go on in the same spirit. But,
[2.]There are a great many who in the beginning of their profession show a great deal of courage and confidence, but do not hold them fast to the end.
[3.]Perseverance in faith is the best evidence of the sincerity of our faith.
5.The apostle resumes what he had quoted before from Psa 95:7, etc., and he applies it closely to those of that generation, Heb 3:15, Heb 3:16, etc. While it is said, Today if you will hear, etc.; as if he should say, "What was recited before from that scripture belonged not only to former ages, but to you now, and to all who shall come after you; that you take heed you fall not into the same sins, lest you fall under the same condemnation." The apostle tells them that though some who had heard the voice of God did provoke him, yet all did not so. Observe,
(1.)Though the majority of hearers provoked God by unbelief, yet some there were who believed the report.
(2.)Though the hearing of the word be the ordinary means of salvation, yet, if it be not hearkened to, it will expose men more to the anger of God.
(3.)God will have a remnant that shall be obedient to his voice, and he will take care of such and make mention of them with honour.
(4.)If these should fall in a common calamity, yet they shall partake of eternal salvation, while disobedient hearers perish for ever.
6.The apostle puts some queries upon what had been before mentioned, and gives proper answers to them (Heb 3:17-19): But with whom was he grieved forty years? With those that sinned. And to whom did he swear? etc. Whence observe,
(1.)God is grieved only with those of his people who sin against him, and continue in sin.
(2.)God is grieved and provoked most by sins publicly committed by the generality of a nation; when sin becomes epidemic, it is most provoking.
(3.)Though God grieves long, and bears long, when pressed with the weight of general and prevailing wickedness, yet he will at length ease himself of public offenders by public judgments.
(4.)Unbelief (with rebellion which is the consequent of it) is the great damning sin of the world, especially of those who have a revelation of the mind and will of God. This sin shuts up the heart of God, and shuts up the gate of heaven, against them; it lays them under the wrath and curse of God, and leaves them there; so that in truth and justice to himself he is obliged to cast them off for ever.
Historical interpretation
Six Centuries of Reception
7 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“To whom did he swear that they should never enter his rest?” To those who did not want to obey Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb … “So we see that they were unable to enter” the land promised to them, not because of their evil actions, even though they were wicked, but “because of unbelief” in the Word of God.
"For some when they had heard did provoke, howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses: And with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see, that they could not enter in because of unbelief." After again repeating the testimony, he adds also the question, which makes the argument clear. For he said (he repeats), "To-day if ye hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." Of whom does he speak (he says) as having been hardened? Of whom as not believing? Is it not of the Jews?
Now what he says is to this effect. They also heard, as we hear: but no profit came to them. Do not suppose then that by "hearing" what is proclaimed ye will be profited; seeing that they also heard, but derived no benefit because they did not believe.
Caleb then and Joshua, because they agreed not with those who did not believe, escaped the vengeance that was sent forth against them. And see how admirably he said, not, They did not agree, but, "they were not mixed" - that is, they stood apart, but not factiously when all the others had one and the same mind. Here it seems to me that a faction too is hinted at.
But here he means not unbelief only, but also murmurings: "whose carcasses," he says, "fell in the wilderness."
"They proved Me," He says, "and saw My works forty years." Seest thou that it is not right to call God to account, but whether He defend our cause or not, to trust Him? For against those of old he now brings this charge, that "they tempted God." For he that will have proof either of His power, or of His providence, or of His tender care, does not yet believe, either that He is powerful or kind to man. This he hints also in writing to these Hebrews who probably already wished, in their trials, to obtain experience and positive evidence of His power and His providential care for them. Thou seest that in all cases the provocation and the angering arises from unbelief.
They died, for they could not enter the promised land. They merely looked over toward the land of promise, but they could not enter it. The Jews beheld the promised land but could not enter it. They died in the desert.… We, their children, under the leadership of Jesus, have come to the Jordan and entered the promised land.
He wishes to show that all who went out through Moses perished because of their unbelief, so that these might fear all the more since they were in a similar situation to those against whom he was making the argument.
God urged them to leave for the promised land, but some spoke in opposition, citing fear and the multitude of the enemy. Hence God consumed them all individually in the desert and brought in their children in place of them.
For some, having heard the promises of God, just as we hear them, provoked God to anger through unbelief. For He desires to save them just as He saves those who have heard, and they are of no benefit from merely hearing the promise. Thus, he says, you also will not be fulfilled if you have only heard the preaching, unless you also believe. And that there is a need for faith, from those who heard long ago, but because they did not believe, they perished, is confirmed by the word. For just as it was not sufficient for those to be deemed worthy of the voice of God, but having not believed they perished, so it will not be sufficient for you either to become hearers of faith, unless you also believe sincerely. Moreover, these thought that it was enough to have self-sufficiency from merely having heard the preaching. For this also indicates, in saying, "For we are also evangelized," just as they were.
"For some, having heard, provoked, but not all who came out of Egypt." If indeed Caleb and Joshua were not unbelievers, they also entered the land of promise.
"To whom was he angry?" This is according to the question for clarity and to avoid contradiction; for things posed as questions are based on what is agreed upon. Against whom, he says, did he bear resentment? He also adds the punishment. For, he says, their limbs fell in the desert, those large and thigh-like parts; and by parts, he showed the whole bodies.
"To whom did he swear?" This is to be read as a question. Against whom, He says, did He have a hostile spirit?
"And we see that they were not able to enter." Behold, he says, before our eyes lies the punishment of unbelief. For they, having been unbelief, did not enter the promised land.
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Summary
Hebrews 3:17 poses a rhetorical question, immediately providing the answer, to underscore God's prolonged and profound grief with the generation of Israelites who departed Egypt. Their persistent sin and unbelief during forty years of wilderness wandering led to their physical demise outside the Promised Land, serving as a solemn and enduring warning to all who hear God's voice.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is a pivotal moment within a larger hortatory section of the Epistle to the Hebrews, specifically Hebrews 3:7-19 and Hebrews 4:1-13. The author is drawing a direct, urgent parallel between the Old Testament experience of the Israelites in the wilderness and the spiritual journey of New Testament believers. Preceding verses (Hebrews 3:7-11) quote and expound upon Psalm 95:7-11, warning against hardening one's heart and provoking God. Hebrews 3:17, by explicitly identifying who grieved God, brings the historical example to a sharp, personal focus for the readers, setting the stage for the crucial exhortation to strive to enter God's rest in Hebrews 4:1-11.
Historical & Cultural Context
The historical backdrop for this verse is the forty-year wilderness wandering of the Israelites following their exodus from Egypt, particularly the events described in Numbers 13-14. After receiving God's law and witnessing His miraculous provision, the generation that left Egypt rebelled at Kadesh Barnea, refusing to enter the Promised Land due to fear and unbelief in God's power and promise. This act of corporate disobedience resulted in God's decree that all those twenty years and older would die in the wilderness, never entering the land of Canaan. The wilderness itself was a place of testing, purification, and divine judgment for their persistent murmuring, idolatry, and lack of faith.
Key Themes
Hebrews 3:17 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the epistle. Firstly, it highlights the severe consequences of unbelief and disobedience, demonstrating that a lack of faith is not merely an intellectual error but a profound moral failure that incurs divine judgment. The phrase "whose carcases fell in the wilderness" serves as a stark, tangible warning of the ultimate physical and spiritual failure to enter God's promised "rest." Secondly, the verse underscores God's righteous judgment and holiness; while God is patient and merciful, His patience has limits, and unrepentant sin, especially the sin of unbelief, ultimately provokes His indignation. Thirdly, the author uses the wilderness generation as a cautionary tale, emphasizing that their historical failure to enter the earthly promised land due to unbelief serves as a powerful admonition for New Covenant believers not to repeat the same spiritual mistake and miss out on God's greater, spiritual rest (as explored in Hebrews 4).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (G4360) is derived from a root suggesting "to be vexed with something irksome." It signifies a deep displeasure, indignation, or aversion. It's not merely sadness but a profound, sustained anger or strong emotional reaction to something offensive or irritating. When applied to God, it conveys His righteous indignation and strong disapproval of the Israelites' persistent rebellion and unbelief, which was a constant source of vexation over four decades.
This term (G264) fundamentally means "to miss the mark." In a moral and theological context, it refers to erring, failing to fulfill one's duty, or transgressing divine law. Here, it encompasses the Israelites' repeated acts of disobedience, murmuring, idolatry, and, most critically, their unbelief in God's promises and power, which was the root of their rebellion at Kadesh Barnea.
This word (G2966) literally means "a limb of the body" (as if lopped off). By extension, it refers to a dead body or corpse. Its use here is stark and visceral, emphasizing the physical remains of those who perished in the wilderness. It highlights the finality and totality of God's judgment upon the disobedient generation, underscoring that their failure was not a temporary setback but a complete and irreversible loss of the promised inheritance.
Verse Breakdown
"But with whom was he grieved forty years?"
This is a powerful rhetorical question designed to engage the reader and immediately draw their attention to the subject of God's prolonged displeasure. The "forty years" explicitly links back to the wilderness wandering, a period of sustained divine testing and human rebellion. The question implies an obvious answer, setting the stage for the direct identification of the culprits.
"[was it] not with them that had sinned,"
This clause provides the direct and unequivocal answer to the rhetorical question. God's grief was not arbitrary or without cause; it was a direct response to the Israelites' sin. The sin here is comprehensive, encompassing their rebellion, idolatry, and, most fundamentally, their unbelief in God's promises and power, which led to their refusal to enter the Promised Land.
"whose carcases fell in the wilderness?"
This final clause vividly describes the ultimate consequence of their sin and unbelief. The phrase "whose carcases fell" is a grim and undeniable testament to the divine judgment executed upon that generation. Their physical death in the wilderness, preventing them from entering the land of promise, serves as a stark, tangible illustration of the spiritual death and exclusion from God's rest that awaits those who persist in unbelief.
Literary Devices
The author of Hebrews masterfully employs several literary devices in this verse. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, which serves to engage the audience directly and emphasize the self-evident nature of the answer. By posing "But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned," the author compels the readers to acknowledge the historical fact and its theological implications, making the subsequent warning more impactful. There is also a strong element of Allusion to the Old Testament narrative, particularly the events of the Exodus and the wilderness wandering described in the books of Exodus and Numbers. This allusion relies on the audience's familiarity with these foundational stories, leveraging their historical memory to convey a contemporary spiritual truth. Furthermore, the phrase "whose carcases fell in the wilderness" uses Synecdoche or Metonymy, where "carcases" stands for the people themselves, emphasizing their ultimate fate and the physical, tangible consequence of their spiritual failure. This vivid imagery serves as a powerful Warning or Admonition, underscoring the severity of God's judgment against unbelief and disobedience.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hebrews 3:17 profoundly connects to the unchanging nature of God's holiness and justice. It reveals that while God is infinitely patient and merciful, His character demands a response to sin, particularly the sin of unbelief that rejects His promises and authority. The Israelites' failure was not merely a lapse in behavior but a fundamental distrust of God's ability and faithfulness to deliver on His word. This historical account serves as a timeless theological principle: God takes sin seriously, and persistent unbelief has severe, even eternal, consequences. It underscores the vital importance of active faith and obedience for all who claim to follow God, reminding us that true faith is demonstrated through perseverance and trust, not just initial assent.
Reflection and Application
Hebrews 3:17 serves as a vital and sobering reminder for believers today that faith is not merely intellectual assent to a set of doctrines, but an active, living trust that manifests in obedience and perseverance. The historical example of the Israelites is not just a distant tale but a spiritual mirror reflecting the dangers of a hardened heart. Just as their physical journey had a promised destination, our spiritual journey aims for God's eternal rest and communion. Therefore, we are called to vigilant self-examination, ensuring that our hearts remain soft and responsive to God's voice, rather than becoming hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. This verse challenges us to consider whether our daily lives truly reflect a deep trust in God's promises and a willingness to obey His commands, even when circumstances are difficult or require sacrifice. It urges us to learn from the past failures of others and to press on in faith, knowing that God's patience, while vast, is not infinite, and His call to enter His rest is urgent.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God grieve for forty years?
God's grief for forty years reflects His sustained and profound displeasure with the Israelites' persistent unbelief, rebellion, and murmuring throughout their wilderness journey. This period was meant to be one of testing and purification, but instead, it became a prolonged demonstration of their lack of faith in His power, provision, and promises. Their continuous sin grieved God's holy character, leading to the divine judgment that prevented that generation from entering the Promised Land, as detailed in Numbers 14.
What does "whose carcases fell in the wilderness" signify?
This phrase is a stark and literal description of the ultimate consequence of the Israelites' sin and unbelief: physical death and failure to inherit the Promised Land. It signifies the complete and irreversible judgment of God upon that rebellious generation. Symbolically, it serves as a powerful warning that spiritual failure, rooted in unbelief, leads to exclusion from God's promised "rest" and blessing, both in the physical sense for the Israelites and in a spiritual sense for New Covenant believers, as explored in Hebrews 4.
Is God still grieved by unbelief today?
Yes, God's character is unchanging, and He remains grieved by unbelief. Unbelief is a rejection of His truth, His grace, and His Son, Jesus Christ. While the specific judgment of "carcases falling in the wilderness" was unique to that historical context, the principle remains: persistent unbelief separates individuals from God's blessings and ultimately from His eternal rest. The author of Hebrews uses this historical example precisely to warn New Testament believers against a similar spiritual hardening of heart, urging them to respond to the Gospel with faith and obedience to avoid missing God's ultimate rest (see Hebrews 3:12-13).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hebrews 3:17, by highlighting the tragic failure of the wilderness generation due to unbelief, powerfully sets the stage for the revelation of Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises and the true source of rest. The Israelites failed to enter God's earthly rest in Canaan because of their hardened hearts and disobedience, but Jesus, unlike Moses and the Old Covenant, is the faithful Son over God's house (Hebrews 3:6). He perfectly obeyed God, even to the point of death on a cross, thereby providing the ultimate solution to the sin that grieved God. Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus has opened a new and living way into God's presence and His eternal rest (Hebrews 10:19-22). The "rest" that the Israelites could not attain through their own efforts or adherence to the Law is now freely offered in Christ. Believers who put their faith in Him enter into a spiritual rest, ceasing from their own works to earn salvation, and instead, resting in His finished work (Hebrews 4:9-10). Thus, the warning of Hebrews 3:17 serves not to condemn, but to point us to the one who provides true and lasting rest for our souls, inviting us to come to Him and find rest for our weary hearts (Matthew 11:28-30).