Hebrews 4 7

Hebrews 4:7 kjv

Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Hebrews 4:7 nkjv

again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts."

Hebrews 4:7 niv

God again set a certain day, calling it "Today." This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

Hebrews 4:7 esv

again he appoints a certain day, "Today," saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

Hebrews 4:7 nlt

So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: "Today when you hear his voice,
don't harden your hearts."

Hebrews 4 verses

Hebrews 4 7 Meaning

Hebrews 4:7 emphasizes the timelessness and urgency of God’s call for faith and obedience. The verse reasserts that despite the passage of much time since the Exodus generation, and even after Joshua had led Israel into a form of rest in Canaan, the opportunity for God’s ultimate rest remains open, yet limited. The key message is the immediate, non-negotiable invitation to respond to God’s voice “Today” by not hardening one’s heart, contrasting this present opportunity with the failure of those in the wilderness who refused to believe and enter God's rest.

Hebrews 4 7 Context

Hebrews 4:7 is nestled within the author's extended argument about "God's rest," drawing heavily from Psalm 95. The preceding chapters (Heb 3-4) liken the present audience—Jewish Christians considering apostasy or returning to old covenant ways—to the Israelite generation in the wilderness. Just as their unbelief prevented them from entering the physical land of Canaan (a form of rest under Joshua), so too could the present generation fail to enter God's greater, spiritual rest through unbelief.

Chapter 3 contrasts Jesus with Moses, highlighting Christ's superiority as a faithful Son over Moses as a faithful servant. It then introduces the warning from Psalm 95 regarding hardening hearts. Chapter 4 deepens this by clarifying what "God's rest" truly means, arguing it is not merely the Sabbath day (which pre-existed) or the geographical rest under Joshua (which was incomplete). The emphasis shifts to a spiritual, salvific rest that is available "today" through faith in Christ. The continuous repetition of "Today" from Psalm 95 signifies that God's offer and demand for response are perpetually open but also perpetually urgent.

Hebrews 4 7 Word analysis

• again (πάλιν - palin): This adverb signifies a resumption or repetition. Here, it refers to the ongoing opportunity and warning already highlighted from Psalm 95 (first quoted in Heb 3:7) and reiterated multiple times in chapter 3 and early chapter 4. It underlines the consistent message of God's urgent call across generations.

• he limits (ὁρίζει - horizei): The verb means "to mark out by boundaries," "to define," or "to determine." It shows God's sovereign act of designating a specific, decisive period. This isn't a vague suggestion but a definite, divinely established time limit or opportunity.

• a certain day (τινὰ ἡμέραν - tina hēmeran): The indefinite pronoun "tina" emphasizes the unique nature of this "day." It’s not just any day, but a particularly set day, carrying the specific significance of God’s active call. This "day" refers to the present moment, marked by God's offer of rest.

• “Today,” (σήμερον - sēmeron): This is the pivotal word. It commands immediate attention and response. It contrasts sharply with "yesterday" or "tomorrow," stressing the present moment as the critical time for decision regarding faith and obedience. God’s grace and the opportunity for rest are always present tense.

• saying through David (λέγων ἐν Δαυίδ - legon en Dauid): This confirms divine inspiration. While David penned Psalm 95, the author of Hebrews understands God Himself as the ultimate speaker, channeling His timeless message through His chosen servant, David.

• so long after (μετὰ τοσοῦτον χρόνον - meta tosouton chronon): This phrase highlights the protracted passage of time—centuries—between the wilderness generation (when God's rest was first promised/offered) and the time of David, and then even longer until the time of the Hebrew audience. This stresses the enduring relevance of God's offer and the gravity of His patience, yet also underscores that despite the delay, the warning remains potent. God's patience is not an invitation to procrastinate.

• as it has been said before: (καθὼς προείρηκεν - kathōs proeirēken): Reinforces that the author is recalling an existing, divinely inspired message, adding weight and authority to the quotation that follows. It links back to Psalm 95 directly, indicating the permanence of God's word.

• “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (The quote from Psa 95:7-8). This is the core warning and command.

  • if you will hear His voice: Hearing implies not just physical audition, but also understanding and readiness to obey. It’s a call to attentiveness and spiritual perception.
  • do not harden your hearts: A direct command against stubbornness, rebellion, and unbelief. Hardening the heart leads to resistance against God’s truth and grace, reminiscent of Pharaoh and the wilderness generation. It’s an act of wilful disobedience.

• Word Group Analysis:

  • "again, he limits a certain day, 'Today,'": This phrase emphasizes divine determination and specification. God actively sets "Today" as the period of crucial opportunity. It suggests that there is a definite period (today) within which one must act, implying that the opportunity might pass.
  • "saying through David so long after, as it has been said before": This phrase underlines the timeless, consistent nature of God's message and patience. Despite generations passing, God's call for immediate faith and warning against unbelief persist. It counters any thought that the promise or warning applies only to an ancient past.

Hebrews 4 7 Bonus section

The specific choice of the Greek verb ὁρίζει (horizei, "he limits/defines") implies divine predetermination and setting a clear boundary. It's not a suggestion but a declaration from God that He has a particular time – sēmeron – within which a response is vital. This contrasts with a perpetual or indefinite offer, emphasizing the precious and fleeting nature of the moment. The author utilizes the rhetorical force of repetition from Psalm 95 to hammer home this point; the fact that God repeats "Today" through David indicates the profound, unchanging urgency and the consistent nature of the spiritual danger for those who refuse to hear. The ongoing availability of God’s rest does not negate the crucial timing of entering it.

Hebrews 4 7 Commentary

Hebrews 4:7 serves as a crucial bridge in the author's extended argument concerning "God's rest." By emphasizing "again, he limits a certain day, 'Today,'" the author underscores God's intentionality and the urgent, active present tense of His saving offer. This "Today" is not a fleeting moment but represents the entire period in which the gospel invitation is available. It asserts that despite the Old Covenant era and the historical "rest" under Joshua in Canaan, God's true, ultimate spiritual rest remained unfulfilled and open. It is a rest from striving for salvation by works, a rest of inner peace found in faith, and ultimately, an eternal rest.

The inclusion of "saying through David so long after" forcefully rebuts the idea that God's warning or promise ceased after the wilderness generation or Joshua. The fact that God re-issued this specific warning through David, centuries later, confirms that the opportunity to enter "His rest" and the danger of unbelief are perennial. The author's audience, Jewish Christians facing challenges, were thus being called to a response as immediate and serious as that demanded of those in the desert. They could not excuse themselves by thinking the warning was irrelevant to their time or situation. The verse insists that God’s gracious offer comes with an expectation of an immediate, believing response. Delay or indecision born of unbelief will result in exclusion, just as it did for those in the wilderness. It is a call to actively hear God’s voice – the living word of Christ – and decisively respond in faith and obedience now, avoiding the spiritual apathy and stubbornness that defined the generation that fell in the wilderness.

• Example for practical usage: If one procrastinates confessing a sin, ignoring God's conviction 'today,' their heart can slowly harden to His voice. Similarly, if one keeps delaying committing to Christ, believing there is always 'tomorrow,' they risk missing the present divine opportunity God is setting before them.