Hebrews 4 8

Hebrews 4:8 kjv

For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

Hebrews 4:8 nkjv

For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.

Hebrews 4:8 niv

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.

Hebrews 4:8 esv

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.

Hebrews 4:8 nlt

Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come.

Hebrews 4 verses

Hebrews 4 8 Meaning

Hebrews 4:8 elucidates that if Joshua, who led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, had provided them with the ultimate or complete rest God intended, then there would have been no need for God to speak through King David much later (in Psalm 95) about another, distinct "day" for entering rest. This verse highlights that the rest granted by Joshua was merely a temporal and physical shadow, not the final, spiritual rest that God continuously offers. It serves to show the provisional nature of the old covenant and earthly blessings compared to the superior, lasting rest offered through faith in Christ.

Hebrews 4 8 Context

Hebrews chapter 4 is an extension of the warning against unbelief introduced in chapter 3. The author uses the historical example of Israel's failure to enter the Promised Land due to their disobedience and unbelief during the Exodus wilderness wanderings. The "rest" in question is deeply connected to God's Sabbath rest at creation (Gen 2:2) and the rest in Canaan promised to Israel (Josh 21:44). Hebrews 4 argues that neither the creation rest nor the Canaanite rest were the ultimate rest God intended for His people. The phrase "today" from Psalm 95 is key, implying an ongoing invitation to enter this superior, spiritual rest that remained open centuries after Joshua. This chapter challenges the Jewish Christian audience to pursue Christ in faith to enter this true, available rest, warning them against the same kind of unbelief that caused their forefathers to fall in the wilderness.

Hebrews 4 8 Word analysis

• For if (εἰ γὰρ, ei gar): A connective phrase, establishing a logical condition. It introduces an argument based on a hypothetical premise, leading to a conclusive inference that reinforces the preceding statement about the remaining rest.
• Joshua (Ἰησοῦς, Iēsous): In this context, it refers to Joshua, son of Nun, who led Israel into the physical land of Canaan. Importantly, Iēsous is the Greek name for both Joshua and Jesus. This identity of names subtly prefigures the argument in Hebrews, suggesting that just as Joshua led God's people into a temporary earthly rest, Jesus (Christ) leads them into the ultimate spiritual rest. The author uses this deliberate linguistic link to enhance the theological point.
• had given them rest (κατέπαυσεν αὐτοὺς, katepausen autous): The verb καταπαύω (katapauō) means "to make to cease, to bring to a stop, to give rest to." Here it specifically refers to leading the Israelites into the physical rest of the Promised Land, ending their wanderings and giving them a place free from enemies. The implication is that this was a partial, not a complete, fulfillment of God's intended rest.
• then He (οὐκ ἂν, ouk an)... would not (οὐκ ἂν) spoken (ἐλάλει, elalei): The Greek particle an with the past imperfect tense indicates a counterfactual condition, "He would not have been speaking." "He" implicitly refers to God, who spoke through David.
• afterward (μετὰ ταῦτα, meta tauta): Literally "after these things," indicating a later point in time, specifically many centuries after Joshua's leadership, when David wrote Psalm 95. This temporal gap is crucial evidence that the rest Joshua provided was not final.
• of another (ἄλλην τινὰ, allēn tina): Literally "some other" or "another of a different kind." It emphasizes that the rest referred to by David in Psalm 95 was not the same rest provided by Joshua, but a different or additional kind of rest. This signifies a distinct, higher, and unfulfilled form of rest.
• day (ἡμέραν, hēmeran): This directly points to the "Today" (σήμερον, sēmeron) of Psalm 95:7-8, a recurrent theme in Hebrews chapters 3 and 4. The "day" represents an ongoing, open invitation to enter God's rest, indicating that the opportunity for true rest extends beyond any historical period and is available at any moment God calls.

Words-Group analysis:

• If Joshua had given them rest: This phrase sets up the foundational premise for the entire argument of Hebrews 3 and 4. It acknowledges the historical event of Israel entering Canaan under Joshua but immediately posits that this rest was incomplete, forming the basis for the subsequent theological reasoning.
• then He would not afterward have spoken of another day: This is the logical conclusion derived from the premise. It implies that God's consistent message throughout history, particularly through David in Psalm 95, points to a continued availability and necessity of entering a deeper, enduring rest, one not fully attained through the earthly conquest. The existence of a future "day" of opportunity testifies to the inadequacy of the prior "rest."

Hebrews 4 8 Bonus section

The subtle play on the name "Joshua" (Ἰησοῦς, Iēsous) in Greek, being identical to "Jesus," is highly significant throughout Hebrews 3-4. It allows the author to draw an implicit parallel: the historical Joshua failed to provide ultimate rest, thus paving the way for the greater "Jesus" (Christ) who indeed provides the definitive and everlasting rest for God's people. This connection isn't explicitly stated as "Jesus" in this particular verse but is part of the overarching Christocentric argument of the entire epistle, elevating Christ as superior to all figures and institutions of the Old Covenant. The "rest" in view has layers of meaning, from the physical rest from wandering to the spiritual rest from works of law and the ultimate rest in eternity in God's presence, encompassing God's creation rest and Christ's finished work of redemption.

Hebrews 4 8 Commentary

Hebrews 4:8 is a pivotal verse in the author's extended argument about "rest." It logically debunks the notion that the rest under Joshua, which was the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land, was the ultimate and final rest promised by God. The author’s point is this: If God's people had received the fullness of God's promised rest under Joshua, then God, speaking centuries later through David in Psalm 95, would not have exhorted them to enter "another day" of rest. The very fact that "Today" (from Psalm 95) is still being offered, centuries after Joshua, proves that the land of Canaan was merely a type or shadow of a greater, enduring rest. This "another day" points to an accessible spiritual reality, the full inheritance of salvation and peace found only in Christ. It's a continuous call for believers to actively trust God and obey, thus entering into His finished work, avoiding the same unbelief that prevented the Israelites from entering His initial, temporary rest. It highlights that the true rest is not geographic or temporary, but spiritual and eternal, found in living a life of faith under God's saving power.