New International Version So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” New Living Translation So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” English Standard Version As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” Berean Standard Bible So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” Berean Literal Bible as I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter into My rest.’” King James Bible So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) New King James Version So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ” New American Standard Bible AS I SWORE IN MY ANGER, ‘THEY CERTAINLY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’” NASB 1995 AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’” NASB 1977 AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’” Legacy Standard Bible AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’” Amplified Bible SO I SWORE [an oath] IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST [the promised land].’” Berean Annotated Bible So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest <Psa 95:7–11>.’” Christian Standard Bible So I swore in my anger, “They will not enter my rest.” Holman Christian Standard Bible So I swore in My anger, “They will not enter My rest.” American Standard Version As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. Contemporary English Version God became angry and told the people, 'You will never enter my place of rest!'" English Revised Version As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. GOD'S WORD® Translation So I angrily took a solemn oath that they would never enter my place of rest." Good News Translation I was angry and made a solemn promise: 'They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest!'" International Standard Version So in my anger I swore a solemn oath that they would never enter my rest." NET Bible "As I swore in my anger, 'They will never enter my rest!'" New Heart English Bible as I swore in my wrath, 'They will not enter into my rest.'" Webster's Bible Translation So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Weymouth New Testament As I swore in My anger, they shall not be admitted to My rest" -- Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSo I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” World English Bible As I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionso I swore in My anger, They will [not] enter into My rest.” Berean Literal Bible as I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter into My rest.’” Young's Literal Translation so I sware in My anger, If they shall enter into My rest -- !') Smith's Literal Translation As I aware in my wrath, If they shall come into my rest.) Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAs I have sworn in my wrath: If they shall enter into my rest. Catholic Public Domain Version So it is as I swore in my wrath: They shall not enter into my rest!” New American Bible As I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter into my rest.” ’ ” New Revised Standard Version As in my anger I swore, ‘They will not enter my rest.’” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSo I swore in my anger, They shall not enter into my rest. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And I swore in my anger, 'They shall not enter my rest.'” NT Translations Anderson New Testamentso that I swore in my anger, They shall not enter into my rest. Godbey New Testament as I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. Haweis New Testament so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest. Mace New Testament so I swear in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest." Weymouth New Testament As I swore in My anger, they shall not be admitted to My rest" -- Worrell New Testament as I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter into My rest.'" Worsley New Testament so I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest." Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Do Not Harden Your Hearts…10Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known My ways.’ 11So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘ They shall never enter My rest.’” 12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.… Cross References So I swore on oath in My anger, Psalm 95:11 So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.” Deuteronomy 1:34-35 When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying, / “Not one of the men of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your fathers, Numbers 14:21-23 “Yet as surely as I live and as surely as the whole earth is filled with the glory of the LORD, / not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— / not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it. ‘They shall never enter My rest.’ Hebrews 4:5 And again, as He says in the passage above: “They shall never enter My rest.” Hebrews 4:3 Now we who have believed enter that rest. As for the others, it is just as God has said: “So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world. Deuteronomy 12:9-10 For you have not yet come to the resting place and the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you. / When you cross the Jordan and live in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and He gives you rest from all the enemies around you and you dwell securely, Numbers 14:22-23 not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— / not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it. Numbers 14:28-30 So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say. / Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me. / Surely none of you will enter the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. Psalm 78:40-41 How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! / Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel. Psalm 106:24-26 They despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise. / They grumbled in their tents and did not listen to the voice of the LORD. / So He raised His hand and swore to cast them down in the wilderness, 1 Corinthians 10:5-11 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. / These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. / Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” … Hebrews 4:6-7 Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience, / God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 4:9-11 There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. / For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. / Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. Hebrews 3:18-19 And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? / So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter. Hebrews 10:26-31 If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, / but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries. / Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. … Hebrews 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven? Treasury of Scripture So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) I sware. Hebrews 3:18,19 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? … Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Numbers 14:20-23,25,27-30,35 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: … They shall not enter. Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Jump to Previous Admitted Anger Angry Declared Enter Oath Rest Sware Swore They WrathJump to Next Admitted Anger Angry Declared Enter Oath Rest Sware Swore They WrathHebrews 3 1. Christ is more worthy than Moses;7. therefore if we believe not in him, we shall be more worthy punishment than hardhearted Israel. So I swore on oath in My anger, God’s oath recalls His judgment at Kadesh-barnea, when Israel refused to trust His promise and enter Canaan after the report of the spies (Numbers 14:1–35). Though they had witnessed the exodus, the Red Sea crossing, and God’s daily provision, the people hardened their hearts in unbelief. God’s anger was righteous judgment against persistent rebellion, not an impulsive response. The generation that departed from Egypt was held accountable for rejecting the Lord’s clear word and faithfulness. Psa 95:11 So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter… ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” The immediate rest was possession of the Promised Land, where Israel would dwell under God’s covenant blessing after their wilderness journey. With the exception of Joshua and Caleb, the unbelieving generation died in the wilderness and did not enter Canaan. Hebrews shows that the promise also reaches beyond the land itself. God’s rest includes the salvation, peace, and completed work made available through Christ, and it anticipates the final rest of God’s people in His presence. Israel’s failure stands as a sober warning that unbelief can turn the heart away from the living God. Heb 4:5 And again, as He says in the passage above: …… Persons / Places / Events 1. God- The speaker in this verse, expressing His judgment and decision regarding the disobedient Israelites. 2. The Israelites - The people who wandered in the wilderness and whose disobedience and lack of faith led to God's declaration. 3. The Wilderness - The place where the Israelites wandered for 40 years due to their unbelief and rebellion. 4. Canaan - The Promised Land, symbolizing God's rest, which the disobedient generation was barred from entering. 5. Moses - The leader of the Israelites during the Exodus, who also did not enter the Promised Land due to disobedience. Teaching Points The Seriousness of DisobedienceGod's oath in His anger highlights the gravity of disobedience and unbelief. It serves as a warning to take God's commands seriously and to live in obedience. The Nature of God's Rest The "rest" mentioned is not merely physical but spiritual, symbolizing peace and fulfillment in God's presence. Believers are called to strive to enter this rest through faith and obedience. The Importance of Faith The Israelites' failure was rooted in unbelief. Faith is essential for entering God's rest, and believers must guard against a hardened heart. Learning from the Past The history of Israel serves as a lesson for Christians today. We are encouraged to learn from their mistakes and to remain faithful and obedient to God. Encouragement to Persevere The warning in Hebrews 3:11 is coupled with encouragement to persevere in faith. Believers are urged to hold firmly to their confidence in Christ. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Hebrews 3:11?2. What does "they shall never enter My rest" mean for believers today? 3. How can we avoid the disobedience mentioned in Hebrews 3:11? 4. What Old Testament events relate to Hebrews 3:11's warning? 5. How does Hebrews 3:11 encourage perseverance in faith? 6. How can we encourage others to heed the warning in Hebrews 3:11? 7. What does "They shall never enter My rest" mean in Hebrews 3:11? 8. How does Hebrews 3:11 relate to the Israelites' journey in the wilderness? 9. What is the significance of God's oath in Hebrews 3:11? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Hebrews 3? What Does Hebrews 3:11 Mean SoThe tiny word links God’s verdict to Israel’s persistent unbelief. Verses 8–10 recount how the wilderness generation “hardened their hearts” and “went astray in their hearts.” Because Scripture is a single, unified testimony (2 Timothy 3:16), the connecting “so” shows consequence—just as Numbers 14:22-23 records judgment after repeated rebellion. The writer warns believers that ongoing disbelief still provokes divine response (Hebrews 3:12-13). I swore God Himself is speaking; the quotation comes from Psalm 95:11. When the Lord swears, He seals His own words with His unchanging character (Genesis 22:16; Hebrews 6:13-14). This emphasizes that the declaration is irrevocable. It is not an idle threat; it is the settled decree of the sovereign Creator who “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2). On oath An oath is the highest form of pledge (Hebrews 6:17-18). In Scripture, God uses oaths sparingly, underscoring moments of great significance. Here He binds the sentence against unbelief with absolute certainty—mirroring how He later binds the new-covenant promise to Christ’s priesthood with an oath (Hebrews 7:20-22). Both warnings and comforts come with equal firmness. In My anger God’s anger is righteous, measured, and holy (Nahum 1:2-3). It is provoked by persistent sin, not by caprice. Numbers 32:13 says, “The LORD’s anger was kindled against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years.” Hebrews carries the same lesson forward: divine wrath is real and should move us to reverent obedience (Hebrews 10:26-27). At the cross, wrath and mercy meet, proving both God’s justice and love (Romans 3:25-26). They shall never enter My rest. Historically, the generation that left Egypt died outside Canaan (Deuteronomy 1:34-35). Yet Hebrews broadens “rest” beyond the land: • Immediate rest: Israel’s forfeited entry into Canaan (Joshua 5:6). • Ongoing rest: a present experience of trusting obedience (Matthew 11:28-29, “I will give you rest”). • Ultimate rest: eternal fellowship with God (Revelation 14:13, “they will rest from their labors”). The adverb “never” (literally “not ever”) is absolute. Persistent unbelief shuts the door to every dimension of God’s rest. Conversely, faith opens that door, for “we who have believed enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:3). Today’s reader is urged to heed the warning, mix hearing with faith (Hebrews 4:2), and persevere in confidence until full Sabbath rest dawns (Hebrews 4:9-11). summary Hebrews 3:11 is God’s solemn, oath-bound verdict against continual unbelief. The connective “so” ties judgment to rebellion; the phrase “I swore on oath” underscores the finality of His word; “in My anger” reveals holy wrath against sin; and “they shall never enter My rest” declares the forfeiture of both temporal and eternal blessings for the unbelieving. The passage calls every believer to a responsive, enduring faith that enters and enjoys God’s promised rest in Christ. (11) So.—Rather, as (Hebrews 4:3). It is with these as it was with their fathers, the generations that came out of Egypt, unto whom God sware, “They shall not enter into My rest” (Numbers 14:21-24). The form in which these words appear below (Hebrews 4:3; Hebrews 4:5) in the Authorised version, “If they shall enter into my rest,” is an imitation of the original construction. See Numbers 14:23, where “they shall not see” is. as the margin shows, expressed in Hebrew by “if they (shall) see” the land.Into my rest.—Into the land where Jehovah shall give rest to His people and shall dwell with them. (See ... Greek Soὡς (hōs) Adverb Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner. I swore on oath ὤμοσα (ōmosa) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular Strong's 3660: A prolonged form of a primary, but obsolete omo, for which another prolonged form omoo is used in certain tenses; to swear, i.e. Take oath. in ἐν (en) Preposition Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc. My μου (mou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I. anger, ὀργῇ (orgē) Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Strong's 3709: From oregomai; properly, desire, i.e., violent passion (justifiable) abhorrence); by implication punishment. ‘They shall never enter εἰσελεύσονται (eiseleusontai) Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter. My μου (mou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I. rest.’” κατάπαυσίν (katapausin) Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 2663: From katapauo; reposing down, i.e. abode. Additonal Resources Hebrews 3:11 Blue Letter BibleHebrews 3:11 Bible Gateway Hebrews 3:11 Bible.com Hebrews 3:11 NIV |
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