Hebrews 3 18

Hebrews 3:18 kjv

And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

Hebrews 3:18 nkjv

And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?

Hebrews 3:18 niv

And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?

Hebrews 3:18 esv

And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?

Hebrews 3:18 nlt

And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn't it the people who disobeyed him?

Hebrews 3 verses

Hebrews 3 18 Meaning

This verse succinctly identifies the specific group whom God solemnly swore would not enter His promised rest: those who displayed persistent and defiant disobedience. It is a powerful summation of the consequences for the wilderness generation's rebellion, directly linking divine judgment to their refusal to obey God's commands and promises.

Hebrews 3 18 Context

Hebrews 3 focuses on the superiority of Jesus Christ over Moses and serves as a significant warning against unbelief. The chapter begins by urging believers to consider Jesus (vv. 1-6), then pivots to a strong exhortation, drawing a parallel with Israel's failure in the wilderness (vv. 7-19). Verses 7-11 directly quote Ps 95:7-11, recounting God's solemn oath to prevent the disobedient generation from entering His rest. This historical account from the Book of Numbers (ch. 13-14) illustrates the fatal consequence of rebellion and a hardened heart. Hebrews 3:18 explicitly answers the implied question from these verses: who were the ones prevented from entering? It identifies them as "those who were disobedient," laying the groundwork for the immediate follow-up in verse 19, which clarifies that this disobedience stemmed from unbelief, thus creating a potent warning for the original audience to not fall into similar spiritual apathy or apostasy. The historical context reminds the Jewish Christian audience of their ancestors' failures, warning them against forsaking their New Covenant hope for the rest God offers.

Hebrews 3 18 Word analysis

• And to whom did He swear: This clause draws a direct link to God's solemn oath mentioned repeatedly in the preceding verses (Heb 3:7, 11) from Ps 95:11. It highlights the divine speaker and the absolute, unchangeable nature of the decree.

• He: Refers unequivocally to God Himself. It emphasizes divine authority and the righteous nature of the judgment.

• swear: Greek ōmosen (ὤμοσεν), from omnyō (ὀμνύω). This signifies the act of taking an oath, confirming something with divine solemnity. It implies God's absolute commitment and the irreversible nature of the decision. God's oath is immutable (Heb 6:17).

• that they would not enter: This is the severe consequence. It signifies divine exclusion, prohibiting entry into the promised blessing due to a specific transgression.

• His rest: Greek tēn katapausin autou (τὴν κατάπαυσιν αὐτοῦ). Katapausis denotes a cessation from work, a place of rest, or refreshing. Historically for Israel, this first referred to the physical land of Canaan, symbolizing peace and security after the wilderness wanderings. In the broader theological scope of Hebrews, it expands significantly to encompass the spiritual rest found in salvation through Christ, relief from the burden of sin and legalism, and ultimately, the eternal Sabbath rest in God's presence.

• but to those who were disobedient: Greek tois apeithēsasin (τοῖς ἀπειθήσασιν), from apeitheō (ἀπειθέω). This verb signifies active, willful disobedience; it's a refusal to be persuaded or to obey. It suggests a defiant attitude towards God's commands and promises, a characteristic refusal to believe His word. It implies a deeper resistance than mere non-compliance.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest": This phrase frames the divine judgment as an established, oath-bound decree from God. The focus is on the exclusion from a divinely provided "rest," establishing the severe spiritual consequences of rebellion for "them."
  • "but to those who were disobedient": This specifies the character trait that triggered the divine judgment. It is not arbitrary, but a direct and just consequence of persistent and wilful refusal to heed God's voice and follow His lead. The causal link between disobedience and being denied God's blessings is emphatically stated, setting the stage for the clarifying definition of this disobedience as unbelief in the following verse.

Hebrews 3 18 Bonus section

• The rhetorical question "And to whom did He swear...?" (which implicitly expects the answer: "the disobedient") effectively emphasizes the specific culpability of those who were excluded, bringing focus to their moral failure.
• The sequence of thought from Ps 95:7-11 to Hebrews 3:12-19 highlights that spiritual rest is a promised inheritance that requires active faith and obedient response, rather than passive entitlement or past religious affiliation.
• The divine oath in Psalm 95 is sworn in God's "wrath," which is righteous indignation against persistent and obstinate sin, not capricious anger. This emphasizes the justice of the exclusion.
• The ultimate aim of the author in pointing to Israel's disobedience is pastoral: to warn contemporary believers not to repeat the same tragic mistake and to ensure they "hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end" (Heb 3:14).

Hebrews 3 18 Commentary

Hebrews 3:18 encapsulates the core reason for Israel's failure in the wilderness: a deep-seated, persistent disobedience that invoked God's unalterable oath of exclusion from His promised rest. The writer directly attributes the non-entry into Canaan, "His rest," to those who willfully rejected God's commands and promises. While physical Canaan was the immediate "rest," the broader context of Hebrews elevates this concept to the spiritual reality of salvation in Christ and future eternal blessedness. The term "disobedient" (apeitheō) in Greek implies a stubborn unwillingness to believe or be persuaded, which is then explicitly identified as "unbelief" (apistia) in verse 19. This demonstrates that for the author of Hebrews, disbelief is not merely an intellectual position but a practical rebellion, manifesting in actions and a hardening of the heart against God. The passage is not just a historical recap but a profound warning to New Covenant believers: just as ancient Israel forfeited their earthly inheritance due to persistent unbelieving disobedience, so too can Christians risk forfeiting their spiritual rest in Christ through spiritual apathy, negligence, or an evil heart of unbelief. It underscores that diligent faith and obedient perseverance are essential to inherit the full scope of God's New Covenant blessings. The lesson serves as a sobering reminder of the gravity of responding to God's gracious invitation with anything less than a faithful and obedient heart.