Hebrews 3 11

Hebrews 3:11 kjv

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

Hebrews 3:11 nkjv

So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.' "

Hebrews 3:11 niv

So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'?"

Hebrews 3:11 esv

As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'"

Hebrews 3:11 nlt

So in my anger I took an oath:
'They will never enter my place of rest.'"

Hebrews 3 verses

Hebrews 3 11 Meaning

Hebrews 3:11 states God's definitive declaration against the disobedient generation in the wilderness: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'" This verse, a direct quotation from Psalm 95:11, encapsulates God's solemn and irreversible judgment upon those who refused to believe and obey Him during the Exodus journey. It highlights divine anger ignited by persistent unbelief and disobedience, leading to the severe consequence of being barred from God's promised "rest"—a state of peace, security, and fulfilled promise that began with the physical land of Canaan but is presented in Hebrews as a deeper spiritual and eschatological reality.

Hebrews 3 11 Context

Hebrews chapter 3 opens by commending Jesus as superior to Moses, a critical argument for the Jewish audience who highly esteemed Moses. The chapter then shifts to an extended warning against apostasy, drawing a stark parallel between the Israelites' rebellion in the wilderness and the potential for new covenant believers to similarly fall away. Verses 7-11 directly quote Psalm 95:7-11, where God recalls His people's testing, provocation, and rebellion over forty years, which ultimately led to His oath in wrath to bar them from His "rest." This sets the stage for the rest of Hebrews 3 and the pivotal chapter 4, where the author further defines this "rest" as something more profound than merely the land of Canaan, encompassing a spiritual and eschatological Sabbath rest that genuine believers enter through faith in Christ. The immediate historical context refers to the incident at Kadesh Barnea (Num 13-14) where Israel's unbelief regarding the Promised Land led to God condemning that generation to die in the wilderness. The author is reminding his audience that God's judgments against unbelief are serious and apply to them.

Hebrews 3 11 Word analysis

• So I swore (Ὥμοσα - Ōmosa):

  • Word: This is an aorist active indicative of the verb ὄμνυμι (omnümi), meaning "to swear, to take an oath."
  • Significance: A divine oath signifies absolute certainty, irrevocability, and binding authority. When God swears, His declaration is immutable; it cannot be retracted or altered. This highlights the grave and permanent nature of the judgment that followed. It reflects His absolute holiness and justice.

• in My wrath (ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου - en tē orgē mou):

  • Word: ὀργή (orgē) refers to a deep-seated indignation or settled wrath, not merely a sudden burst of anger but a consistent, righteous opposition to sin and disobedience. The possessive "My" underscores its divine origin.
  • Significance: This is not human capriciousness but divine displeasure, justified by human rebellion. It reveals God's perfect holiness which cannot tolerate sin and unbelief without consequence. It signifies that their failure was a profound offense against His character and faithfulness.

• 'They shall not enter (οὐ μὴ εἰσελεύσονται - ou mē eiseleusontai):

  • Word: εἰσελεύσονται (eiseleusontai) is the future active indicative of εἰσέρχομαι (eiserchomai), meaning "to come into, to enter." The double negative "οὐ μὴ" (ou mē) creates a strongest possible prohibition in Greek, emphasizing absolute impossibility.
  • Significance: This is an emphatic and irreversible exclusion. It conveys the certainty of their being barred, demonstrating the dire consequences of their unbelief. This is a divine sealing of their fate in relation to the promised "rest."

• My rest (τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου - tēn katapausin mou)':

  • Word: κατάπαυσις (katapausis) literally means "a cessation from labor," "a resting place," or "a state of quiet and tranquility." In the Old Testament context (Septuagint, which Hebrews quotes), it refers initially to the Promised Land of Canaan.
  • Significance: In Hebrews, this "rest" evolves beyond just physical Canaan. It encompasses:
    1. Canaan: The earthly promised land where Israel would find relief from wilderness wanderings (Deut 12:9-10).
    2. Sabbath rest: A state of completion and peace, echoing God's rest after creation (Gen 2:2, Heb 4:4).
    3. Spiritual Rest: The inner peace, salvation, and communion with God experienced through faith in Christ, a cessation from the "works" of self-righteousness or striving for salvation (Mt 11:28-30).
    4. Eschatological Rest: The ultimate, future state of eternal peace, security, and blessedness in God's presence for the redeemed in the new heavens and new earth (Rev 21-22), representing the final, perfect dwelling place of God with His people. The possessive "My" stresses that this rest is divinely provided, secured, and owned by God.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "So I swore in My wrath": This phrase underlines the gravitas and divine authority behind the declaration. It signifies not a momentary emotional outburst but a righteous judgment from a holy God against sustained rebellion. God's character necessitates such a response to such profound unfaithfulness.

• "'They shall not enter My rest.'": This is the irreversible verdict. It represents a divine cutoff, sealing the fate of the unbelieving generation. The denial of entry into "My rest" implies more than just geographical exclusion; it signifies a loss of divine blessing, inheritance, and ultimately, eternal fellowship, linking the Old Testament experience to the New Testament's broader spiritual reality of salvation.

Hebrews 3 11 Bonus section

The oath in Hebrews 3:11 (Ps 95:11) originates from the period following the spy report at Kadesh Barnea (Numbers 14), where the Israelites' fear and refusal to enter Canaan led them to grumble against God and desire to return to Egypt. This was the pinnacle of their unbelief during the wilderness wanderings, and it elicited God's solemn and definitive judgment. The inclusion of the "oath" adds a legal and unbreakable quality to the divine decree. The emphasis on "My rest" personalizes it, highlighting that this peace and blessedness are uniquely God's to give and deny, and thus precious. This particular oath from God appears twice more in Hebrews, solidifying its critical importance in the book's theological argument about the consequences of apostasy and the imperative of persevering faith (Heb 3:18 and Heb 4:3). The term katapausis (rest) is distinct from anapausis (rest from toil) often used for human rest, signifying a completed and lasting state of blessedness, divinely secured.

Hebrews 3 11 Commentary

Hebrews 3:11, drawn from Psalm 95:11, is a stern and foundational warning. It underscores the severity of unbelief and disobedience in the eyes of a holy God. The Israelites in the wilderness, despite witnessing God's miraculous deliverance and provision, repeatedly tested and provoked Him. Their lack of faith, manifested as grumbling, rebellion, and unwillingness to trust God's promises, led to a divine oath – an irrevocable decree that they would be barred from the Promised Land, which represented God's promised "rest." This historical event serves as a potent typological warning to the New Testament believer. The author of Hebrews uses this example not merely as an anecdote from the past but as a direct admonition against the very real danger of failing to hold fast to Christ. The "rest" in Hebrews transcends the earthly Canaan; it points to the true spiritual rest found in salvation through Christ, and ultimately, the eternal Sabbath rest that awaits the faithful. Just as physical disobedience cost the Israelites a physical inheritance, spiritual unbelief can cost believers their spiritual inheritance and the full experience of God's redemptive work. The verse highlights that while God is full of mercy, He is also righteous in His wrath against sin and will not allow those who persistently disbelieve and disobey to enter His ultimate provisions.