Hebrews 3:17

But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

But {G1161} with whom {G5101} was he grieved {G4360} forty {G5062} years {G2094}? was it not {G3780} with them that had sinned {G264}, whose {G3739} carcases {G2966} fell {G4098} in {G1722} the wilderness {G2048}?

And with whom was God disgusted for forty years? Those who sinned — yes, they fell dead in the Wilderness!

And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Commentary

Context

Hebrews 3:17 is part of a crucial section in the Epistle to the Hebrews (chapters 3 and 4) where the author draws a direct parallel between the Old Testament experience of the Israelites in the wilderness and the spiritual journey of New Testament believers. The preceding verses warn against hardening one's heart, echoing Psalm 95:7-11. This verse specifically asks a rhetorical question, immediately providing the answer, to highlight why God was displeased with the Exodus generation: their sin and unbelief.

Key Themes

  • Consequences of Unbelief and Disobedience: The verse starkly reminds readers of the severe consequences of rejecting God's commands and promises. The phrase "whose carcases fell in the wilderness" serves as a powerful, somber warning of physical death and spiritual failure to enter the promised land due to a lack of faith.
  • God's Righteous Judgment: It underscores God's holiness and His just response to persistent rebellion. While God is patient, His patience has limits, and unrepentant sin ultimately incurs divine wrath. This judgment is not arbitrary but a direct result of their actions.
  • The Wilderness Generation as a Warning: The author uses the historical example of the Israelites' forty years of wandering and death in the wilderness as a cautionary tale. Their failure to enter God's rest due to unbelief serves as a powerful admonition for New Covenant believers not to repeat the same mistakes.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses the strong word "grieved" to describe God's reaction. This term (from the Greek prosochthizo) implies a deep displeasure, vexation, or indignation. It’s not merely sadness but a profound anger or aversion towards their actions. The word "carcases" (Greek kolon) is equally potent, emphasizing the physical remains of those who perished, highlighting the finality and totality of God's judgment upon the disobedient generation. This wasn't just a temporary setback; it was a complete failure to achieve the ultimate goal of entering God's rest.

Practical Application

For believers today, Hebrews 3:17 serves as a vital reminder that faith is not merely intellectual assent but active trust and obedience. The warning to the Israelites is a spiritual lesson for us: just as their physical journey had a promised destination, our spiritual journey aims for God's eternal rest. Therefore, we must:

  • Guard Against Unbelief: Be vigilant against any tendency to doubt God's promises or grow complacent in our faith.
  • Respond to God's Voice: When God speaks through His Word, we are called to respond with immediate and heartfelt obedience, not with a hardened heart.
  • Persevere in Faith: The Christian life requires endurance. We are encouraged to hold fast to our confession without wavering, learning from the failures of those who went before us.

The verse emphasizes that God takes sin seriously, particularly the sin of unbelief that leads to disobedience. It calls us to examine our own hearts and ensure we are truly trusting and following Him.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Numbers 14:29

    Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

  • Numbers 26:64

    But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

  • Numbers 26:65

    For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

  • Numbers 14:32

    But [as for] you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

  • Numbers 14:33

    And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

  • Numbers 14:22

    Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

  • Deuteronomy 2:15

    For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.