Section 3:7–19
Warning: Do not reject God’s offer of rest
In the earlier sections of Hebrews the author showed that Jesus was greater than both the angels and Moses. In 2:1–4 he gave a first warning not to refuse the message which Jesus brought. Here in 3:7–19 he gave a second warning not to refuse Jesus’ message, especially the “rest” that God offers through Jesus. The author quoted from Psalm 95, which says that God wanted to give the people of Israel a land where they could have rest from their enemies. When they were slaves in Egypt, he sent Moses to lead them to that land, but they rebelled against God in the wilderness. Then God did not allow them to enter the land of rest.
It is often difficult to decide how to translate “rest” in this section and in chapter 4. Psalm 95 and Hebrews do refer to the time when Moses was alive and God promised to give the people of Israel land. However, King David was already in that land when he wrote the psalm, so the “rest” could not refer to the land. It refers to a different type of “rest.” That rest is a way of trusting God and depending on him for everything. We especially trust him to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. Because of the rest that God gives, we can have peace even when we suffer.
Be careful not to imply that the rest that God promises his people today is a certain place or land. Some scholars believe that the rest refers to heaven. It is true that we will have perfect rest in heaven, but Hebrews indicates that the rest that God provides for us begins on earth when we trust in Jesus.
Some other headings for this section are:
Rest for God’s People
-or-
Warning Against Unbelief (New International Version)
-or-
We Must Continue to Follow/Obey God
Scholars differ about where to end this warning section. Some scholars end the warning at 3:19. Others make the warning section continue to 4:13. In these notes, 3:19 is the end of this second warning section, and the following section is 4:1–13.
Paragraph 3:7–11
This paragraph contains a long quotation. You should use the format which you usually use for such quotations. This quotation from Psalm 95:7b–11 refers to the years when the people of Israel were traveling through the desert to the land of Canaan. God did many miracles for them, but they often complained against him.
In 3:8a–9a the quotation from Psalm 95 probably refers to a specific time when the people of Israel complained. It may refer to Exodus 17:1–7, when they did not find water to drink where they camped. However, it is more likely that it refers to Numbers 14, where they refused to enter the land that the Lord wanted to give them. That interpretation fits well with the theme of “rest” in Hebrews 4.
In 3:9b–11 the author referred to what the people of Israel did during the whole forty year period when they wandered through the desert. In 3:7–8a he indicates that followers of Jesus must not stubbornly reject what God tells them to do, as the people of Israel did in the desert.
3:7–8
The Greek text of 3:7 refers to God’s voice as “his voice,” and in 3:8 the author does not need to refer to him explicitly. However, in 3:9–11, the author uses pronouns like “I,” “me” and “my” to refer to God. English versions differ in the way they refer to God in 3:7–8. Refer to him in those verses in a way that is clear in your language.
Some ways to translate 3:7–8 are:
As the Holy Spirit says, “If you hear God speak today, don’t be stubborn. Don’t be stubborn like those who rebelled and tested me in the desert. (God’s Word)
-or-
So then, as the Holy Spirit says, “If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God, as they were that day in the desert when they put him to the test. (Good News Translation)
3:7a
Therefore: The conjunction Therefore introduces a conclusion from 3:1–6. We are God’s house (family), so we must listen to him and do what he says. Some ways to translate the conjunction are:
Because of that
-or-
Now, therefore
-or-
So
as the Holy Spirit says: This phrase introduces a quotation from Scripture. It implies that the Holy Spirit is the one who spoke those words and inspired a person to write them. The phrase is another way to refer to what Scripture says. This is the first time that the author introduced a quotation from the Old Testament in this way.
Here the author quoted what King David wrote in Psalm 95:7b–11. In some languages it may be helpful to refer to King David by name here, as the author does in 4:7, when he quotes from Psalm 95 again. Be sure to indicate or imply that the author referred to Scripture. It is often helpful to use the normal way that you refer to Scripture in your language. For example:
As the Holy Spirit said ⌊and King David wrote in God’s book⌋
-or-
The Holy Spirit spoke ⌊through King David⌋ ⌊and it was written⌋ saying
It is also helpful in some languages to include part of the meaning of the quotation in the introduction, so that it sounds more natural. Notice the implied words in the following example:
Therefore ⌊you must do⌋ as the Holy Spirit said,
Holy Spirit: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Holy Spirit refers to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is God, together with God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is “spirit” in the sense that he is a living being who does not have a physical body. He is “holy” in the sense that he is God and unique from every other being. He is perfect in every way and is completely pure and sinless.
Some ways to translate Holy Spirit are:
Spirit/Breath of God
-or-
Holy/Sacred Spirit
Do not imply that the Holy Spirit is like the ghost of a dead person or that God has died. The term Holy Spirit also occurred in 2:4c. See how you translated it there.
3:7b
Here the author began to quote from Psalm 95.
Today: In this context the word Today refers to the present moment or time. Some ways to translate Today in the context are:
right now
-or-
now at this time
-or-
on this very day
Here the word Today comes first in the sentence to emphasize it. It implies that when a person hears God voice, he should respond immediately. He should not delay.
if you hear His voice: There are several ways to interpret the if clause here:
(1) It means that you should listen to what God says. (It is a command or exhortation.) For example:
you must listen to his voice (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
Oh, that today you would listen…! (NET Bible)
(NET Bible, New Living Translation (1996), New Century Version)
(2) It means when you hear what God says. For example:
when you hear his voice (NLT04)
(NLT04, Revised Standard Version)
(3) It means if you hear what God says. (It is a condition.) For example:
If you hear God speak (God’s Word)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with many Bible scholars. Although more English versions have if, it may imply a wrong meaning here. In this context, the if clause does not imply that the listeners may not hear God’s voice. The author is about to tell them what God says.
you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to all the people who hear (or read) what God said.
hear His voice: The phrase hear His voice refers here to listening to what God says. It implies listening in order to obey. For example:
listen to him!
-or-
hear what he says ⌊and obey it⌋
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