1 Corinthians 10:5 kjv
But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
1 Corinthians 10:5 nkjv
But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
1 Corinthians 10:5 niv
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
1 Corinthians 10:5 esv
Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
1 Corinthians 10:5 nlt
Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
1 Corinthians 10 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Corinthians 10:5 | But with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. | Caution against disobedience |
| Numbers 14:29 | ...your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number... | Divine judgment for rebellion |
| Numbers 26:63-65 | ...there was not among them any who were left of the number of those whom Moses and Aaron the priest had numbered... | Exclusion of the disobedient |
| Psalm 78:31 | ...the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest among them, and brought down the overthrown of Israel. | God’s anger in the wilderness |
| Psalm 78:56 | Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies... | Testing God’s faithfulness |
| Psalm 106:14 | But they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. | Lust and tempting God |
| Psalm 106:26 | Therefore He lifted His hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness... | Divine judgment of raising hand |
| Isaiah 1:28 | But the destruction of sinners and the rebels shall be together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed. | Fate of sinners and rebels |
| Hebrews 3:16-17 | For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? | Failure to enter rest due to disbelief |
| Hebrews 4:1-2 | Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise having been left us of entering His rest, any of you should seem to have come short. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. | Hearing the word without faith |
| Jude 5 | But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. | Destruction of unbelievers |
| Deuteronomy 8:3 | So He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you did not eat, nor did your fathers eat, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. | Reliance on God’s word |
| Deuteronomy 9:23 | And when the LORD sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, saying, "Go up and possess the land which I have given you," then you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God, and you did not believe Him, nor obeyed His voice. | Disobedience at Kadesh Barnea |
| Numbers 1:1 | Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: | Census of Israel in the wilderness |
| Joshua 1:8 | This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. | Meditating on the Law for success |
| Romans 15:4 | For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. | Scriptures as a source of learning and hope |
| 1 Corinthians 10:11 | Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. | Examples written for admonition |
| Galatians 6:1 | Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. | Restoring those overtaken in trespass |
1 Corinthians 10 verses
1 Corinthians 10 5 Meaning
God often did not approve of the Israelites in the wilderness, even though they were His chosen people. Many were struck down due to disobedience and idolatry. This serves as a cautionary example for Christians.
1 Corinthians 10 5 Context
In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul is addressing the Corinthian church, which was struggling with issues of idolatry and immorality, likely stemming from their participation in pagan festivals. He uses the example of ancient Israel's journey through the wilderness as a warning. He reminds them that the Israelites, despite their spiritual privileges – being baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea, and partaking of the spiritual rock which followed them (Christ) – were not all preserved. Many were struck down by God due to their sin and disobedience. Paul emphasizes that having outward religious experiences does not guarantee spiritual security if not accompanied by genuine faith and obedience. This section serves as a direct caution against the Corinthians' potential complacency and a call to self-examination regarding their spiritual standing.
1 Corinthians 10 5 Word Analysis
- With (sun - G4862): Denotes accompaniment or participation.
- most (hoi pleious - G4119): Indicates a majority or the greater part, implying that a remnant was indeed spared or favored.
- of them (ex auton - G1537, G846): Refers specifically to the Israelites mentioned in the preceding verses who underwent the exodus experience.
- God (Theos - G2316): The supreme Being, the Creator and Governor of the universe.
- was (egeneto - G1096): Aorist tense of "ginomai," signifying "became" or "was made," implying a state or condition resulting from their actions.
- not (ouchi - G3756): A strong negation.
- pleased (eudokeo - G2106): To be well-pleased, to approve, to consent. In the passive voice (as implied by the context of God's judgment), it means "did not find favor" or "was not satisfied with."
- for (alla - G235): This conjunction signals a reason or explanation.
- they (autoi - G846): Referring back to the Israelites.
- were overthrown (katestratopedan - G2605): From "katastopedomai," meaning to be encamped, to make a military camp. However, in this context, the passive means they were discomfited, routed, or struck down in the wilderness, leading to their destruction and deposition from God's favor. It points to a decisive end brought by God's judgment.
- in (en - G1722): A preposition indicating location or sphere.
- the wilderness (eremoi - G2048): A desert, a desolate or uninhabited place. This refers to the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula where Israel wandered for 40 years after the exodus from Egypt.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "with most of them God was not pleased": This highlights that God's favor was not universal among the Israelites in the wilderness. Their spiritual status and the miraculous provisions did not equate to His pleasure or approval in the end for the majority.
- "for they were overthrown in the wilderness": This group of words connects the lack of God's pleasure directly to a consequence – their destruction in the wilderness, emphasizing a severe judgment for their sin and rebellion.
1 Corinthians 10 5 Bonus Section
The imagery of Israel in the wilderness, especially their judgment, is consistently echoed throughout the New Testament as a serious warning. The "rock which followed them" is traditionally interpreted by many scholars and biblical commentaries as Christ Himself, prefiguring His ongoing presence and provision. This makes the Israelites' rejection of God's provision, despite His intimate presence, even more tragic and illustrative of the spiritual danger of faithless hearts. Paul's application in 1 Corinthians 10 aims to foster a healthy fear of God and a thorough examination of oneself, preventing them from falling into the same patterns of disobedience that led to destruction for Israel. The repeated emphasis on the failure to enter the promised land for the wilderness generation underscores that salvation, though initiated by God's grace, requires faith and perseverance to reach its full fruition.
1 Corinthians 10 5 Commentary
Paul uses the historical event of Israel's forty-year wandering in the wilderness as a potent illustration for the Corinthian believers. Despite their initial salvation from Egypt, their spiritual provision (manna, water from the rock), and their "baptism" through the Red Sea, the majority of that generation faced God's displeasure and met their end through divine judgment in the wilderness. This was a direct consequence of their disobedience, idolatry, and testing of God. The spiritual realities the Israelites experienced were types or prefigurations of Christ and the Christian walk. Therefore, Paul warns the Corinthians that outward participation in Christian sacraments or privileges, without faith and obedience, does not guarantee salvation. They, too, could experience God's judgment if they persisted in sin.
- Practical Usage: When engaging in corporate worship or church activities, remember that outward participation must be accompanied by an inward, faithful heart to please God. Beware of a critical or rebellious spirit, even amidst blessings, as it can lead to divine displeasure.