Hebrews 4 4

Hebrews 4:4 kjv

For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

Hebrews 4:4 nkjv

For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works";

Hebrews 4:4 niv

For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "On the seventh day God rested from all his works."

Hebrews 4:4 esv

For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works."

Hebrews 4:4 nlt

We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: "On the seventh day God rested from all his work."

Hebrews 4 verses

Hebrews 4 4 Meaning

Hebrews 4:4 anchors the discourse on God's divine rest, specifically citing the Creator's cessation from all His works on the seventh day. It grounds the concept of a spiritual "rest" available to believers in the ancient pattern established by God Himself at creation, as recorded in Genesis. This verse serves as foundational evidence for the author's argument that a true, abiding rest – deeper than the Sabbath observance or the promised land – still awaits the people of God, mirroring God's own completion and contentment.

Hebrews 4 4 Context

Hebrews chapter 4 continues the theological argument from chapter 3 regarding the importance of "rest" for God's people. The author urges his Jewish-Christian audience not to harden their hearts, as their ancestors did in the wilderness, thereby failing to enter God's promised rest. Chapters 3 and 4 meticulously connect the promised land rest under Joshua to a deeper, more profound spiritual rest available in Christ. Hebrews 4:4 specifically provides the biblical precedent for this concept of divine rest, harkening back to creation. By citing Genesis 2:2, the author establishes that God's own rest on the seventh day was not due to weariness but to the completion and perfection of His work. This ancient pattern introduces the theological framework for understanding that a rest remains open to believers—a rest that surpasses physical lands or ceremonial observances, and finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ's completed work and future eternal state. The audience, familiar with Genesis, would recognize the weight of this foundational scripture.

Hebrews 4 4 Word analysis

• For: This conjunction (Greek: gar) serves to introduce the reason or explanation for the preceding statement, specifically for the claim that "His works were finished from the foundation of the world" (Heb 4:3). It connects the argument about God's eternal readiness to provide rest with His historical actions at creation.
• somewhere: (Greek: pou) This word signifies that the author is citing Scripture without giving a precise reference (e.g., "in Genesis" or "chapter 2"). This practice was common in ancient Jewish biblical exposition, especially in the Midrashic tradition, assuming the audience's familiarity with the Torah. It highlights the pervasive authority of the Scripture rather than its specific location.
• it speaks: The subject "it" refers to the Holy Scripture itself. This phrasing attributes the words directly to the divine voice speaking through the written Word, emphasizing the Scripture's inherent authority and divine origin. It is God's own utterance.
• about the seventh day: The focus is on the significance of the "seventh day" (Greek: hemera te hebdome). In biblical tradition, this day holds unique importance as the day of God's cessation from creative activity and blessing, establishing the Sabbath pattern. It signifies completion and cessation from toil.
• in this way: (Greek: houtōs) This phrase indicates that a direct quotation follows, affirming that the subsequent words are the exact statement from the referred Scripture.
• 'And God rested': (Greek: kai katepausen ho theos) "Rested" translates the Greek verb katepausen (from katapauō), which means "to cause to cease, to stop, to give rest." This is the same root word (κατάπαυσις - katapausis) translated as "rest" throughout Hebrews 3-4. The original Hebrew verb in Genesis 2:2 is shabat (שָׁבַת), meaning "to cease" or "to desist from labor." This resting does not imply weariness or exhaustion on God's part, but rather the purposeful cessation from activity because His work was perfectly accomplished and complete. It is a rest of divine satisfaction and completion.
• on the seventh day: Reiteration of the specific day, confirming the point in time when this divine cessation occurred.
• from all his works': This phrase (Greek: apo pantōn tōn ergōn autou) signifies the totality and perfection of God's creative activity. God had completed everything He intended to create; there was nothing left unfinished or imperfect. This absolute completion allowed for a perfect "rest." It underscores God's sovereignty and His ability to bring His plans to their intended fulfillment.

• "For somewhere it speaks about the seventh day in this way": This phrase functions as the scriptural warrant for the concept of divine rest. It underscores the divine origin and timeless nature of God's rest pattern, drawing the audience back to the foundational event of creation as proof that a "rest" exists. The deliberate non-specific citation highlights the ubiquity and recognition of this foundational truth within their shared scripture.
• "'And God rested on the seventh day from all his works'": This direct quote from Genesis 2:2 (largely reflecting the Septuagint) is the crux of the verse. It establishes God's precedent of resting after perfect completion, not because of fatigue. This completion from "all His works" signifies the divine contentment and the bringing of all creation to a purposeful conclusion. It's the archetype of true rest: cessation from perfected labor, not exhausted stoppage.

Hebrews 4 4 Bonus section

The reference "somewhere it speaks" (pou legei) is a Hellenistic Jewish literary convention often employed by the author of Hebrews. It reflects a style found in the Qumran texts and rabbinic writings where scriptural allusions are made without precise chapter and verse citations, assuming the audience's deep familiarity with the texts. This practice served to convey scriptural authority and allow for a more flowing rhetorical argument, drawing on widely known passages. This verse's use of Genesis 2:2 underscores a crucial connection in early Christian thought: the creative act of God in establishing a cosmic "rest" foreshadows the redemptive rest offered through Christ. This suggests a grand, unfolding divine plan where creation and salvation are inextricably linked under God's sovereign design. The enduring pattern of the Sabbath, born from this creative rest, serves not only as a remembrance of God's work but also as a forward-looking sign of the eternal rest promised to humanity in Him.

Hebrews 4 4 Commentary

Hebrews 4:4 provides the theological bedrock for the epistle's extensive discussion of "rest." By quoting Genesis 2:2, the author establishes that the concept of a "rest for God's people" is not merely an innovation but rooted in the very act of creation. God's resting on the seventh day, a pivotal moment in salvation history, signified His complete satisfaction with His perfect works. It was a cessation due to fulfillment, not fatigue. This foundational rest becomes the prototype for the "rest" offered to believers through faith in Christ – a rest from striving, a cessation from incomplete works, and an entry into the spiritual peace and completion found in God's finished work of salvation. The author reminds us that God has already demonstrated that a state of divine rest follows complete work, setting the stage for believers to enter their own eschatological rest.