Hebrews 3:17
New International Version
And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?

New Living Translation
And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness?

English Standard Version
And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Berean Standard Bible
And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Berean Literal Bible
And with whom was He indignant forty years, if not with those having sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

King James Bible
But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

New King James Version
Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?

New American Standard Bible
And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?

NASB 1995
And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

NASB 1977
And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Legacy Standard Bible
And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?

Amplified Bible
And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies were scattered in the desert?

Christian Standard Bible
With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And who was He provoked with for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

American Standard Version
And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Contemporary English Version
Who were the people that made God angry for 40 years? Weren't they the ones that sinned and died in the desert?

English Revised Version
And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
With whom was God angry for 40 years? He was angry with those who sinned and died in the desert.

Good News Translation
With whom was God angry for forty years? With the people who sinned, who fell down dead in the desert.

International Standard Version
And with whom was he angry for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned and whose bodies fell dead in the wilderness?

Majority Standard Bible
And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

NET Bible
And against whom was God provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?

New Heart English Bible
With whom was he displeased forty years? Was not it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Webster's Bible Translation
But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

Weymouth New Testament
And with whom was God so greatly grieved for forty years? Was it not with those who had sinned, and whose dead bodies fell in the Desert?

World English Bible
With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
But with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

Berean Literal Bible
And with whom was He indignant forty years, if not with those having sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

Young's Literal Translation
but with whom was He grieved forty years? was it not with those who did sin, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

Smith's Literal Translation
And with whom was he offended forty years? was it not with them having sinned, whose members fell in the desert?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And with whom was he offended forty years? Was it not with them that sinned, whose carcasses were overthrown in the desert?

Catholic Public Domain Version
So against whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not those who had sinned, whose dead bodies lay prostrate in the desert?

New American Bible
With whom was he “provoked for forty years”? Was it not those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the desert?

New Revised Standard Version
But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But with whom was he displeased for forty years? Was it not especially with those who had sinned and whose bones lay in the wilderness?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And with whom was he wearied 40 years, but with them who sinned and whose bones fell in the wilderness?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

Godbey New Testament
And with whom was he provoked forty years? was it not with those that sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

Haweis New Testament
But against whom was he incensed forty years? Was it not against those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?

Mace New Testament
but with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with those that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the desert?

Weymouth New Testament
And with whom was God so greatly grieved for forty years? Was it not with those who had sinned, and whose dead bodies fell in the Desert?

Worrell New Testament
And with whom was He displeased forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

Worsley New Testament
But with whom was He provoked forty years? was it not with those that sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Peril of Unbelief
16For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed?…

Cross References
Numbers 14:29-35
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. / But I will bring your children, whom you said would become plunder, into the land you have rejected—and they will enjoy it. ...

Psalm 95:10-11
For forty years I was angry with that generation, and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known My ways.” / So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”

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.” ...

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 32:10-13
So the anger of the LORD was kindled that day, and He swore an oath, saying, / ‘Because they did not follow Me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years of age or older who came out of Egypt will see the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— / not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’ ...

Jude 1:5
Although you are fully aware of this, I want to remind you that after Jesus had delivered His people out of the land of Egypt, He destroyed those who did not believe.

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.

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.

Deuteronomy 9:7-8
Remember this, and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God in the wilderness. From the day you left the land of Egypt until you reached this place, you have been rebelling against the LORD. / At Horeb you provoked the LORD, and He was angry enough to destroy you.

Exodus 16:35
The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land where they could settle; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

Numbers 14:11
And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed among them?

Acts 7:39-43
But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. / They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ / At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands. ...

Numbers 26:64-65
Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. / For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

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,

Joshua 5:6
For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.


Treasury of Scripture

But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

with him.

Hebrews 3:10
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

was it.

Numbers 26:64,65
But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai…

1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; …

whose.

Numbers 14:22,29,32,33
Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; …

Deuteronomy 2:15,16
For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed…

Jeremiah 9:22
Speak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them.

Jump to Previous
Angry Bodies Carcases Carcasses Dead Deaths Desert Displeased Evil Fell Forty Greatly Grieved Provoked Sin Sinned Wasn't Waste Wilderness Wroth
Jump to Next
Angry Bodies Carcases Carcasses Dead Deaths Desert Displeased Evil Fell Forty Greatly Grieved Provoked Sin Sinned Wasn't Waste Wilderness Wroth
Hebrews 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.














And with whom was God angry for forty years?
This phrase refers to the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. After being delivered from slavery, they wandered in the wilderness for forty years due to their disobedience and lack of faith in God's promises (Numbers 14:33-34). This period of wandering is a significant event in Israel's history, illustrating God's patience and justice. The number forty often symbolizes a period of testing or judgment in the Bible, as seen in the forty days of rain during the flood (Genesis 7:12) and Jesus' forty days of fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2).

Was it not with those who sinned,
The sin referred to here is primarily unbelief and rebellion against God. Despite witnessing numerous miracles, including the parting of the Red Sea and the provision of manna, the Israelites repeatedly doubted God's ability to lead them into the Promised Land (Exodus 16:2-3, Numbers 14:1-4). This unbelief is highlighted in Hebrews 3:12 as a warning to believers to guard against a similar heart of unbelief.

whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
This phrase underscores the consequence of the Israelites' sin: death in the wilderness. Out of the original generation that left Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land (Numbers 14:30). This serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of disobedience and unbelief. The wilderness represents a place of testing and judgment, and the fallen bodies symbolize the ultimate penalty for sin. This event is a type of spiritual warning for believers to remain faithful and obedient to God, as emphasized in 1 Corinthians 10:5-11, which draws a parallel between the Israelites' experience and the Christian journey.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The divine being who expressed anger towards the Israelites due to their disobedience and lack of faith.

2. The Israelites
The people of God who were delivered from Egypt but wandered in the wilderness for forty years due to their rebellion and unbelief.

3. The Wilderness
The desert area where the Israelites wandered for forty years as a consequence of their disobedience.

4. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who guided them out of Egypt and through the wilderness, though he himself was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

5. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which was promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but was not entered by the disobedient generation.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Disobedience
The Israelites' failure to trust and obey God resulted in severe consequences, including missing out on the blessings of the Promised Land. This serves as a warning to us about the seriousness of sin and disobedience.

The Importance of Faith
The root of the Israelites' sin was unbelief. We are called to trust in God's promises and remain faithful, even when circumstances are challenging.

God's Patience and Justice
While God is patient, His justice requires that sin be addressed. The forty years in the wilderness demonstrate both His patience and His commitment to holiness.

Learning from the Past
The history of the Israelites is recorded for our instruction. We should learn from their mistakes and strive to live lives that are pleasing to God.

Encouragement to Persevere
Just as the Israelites were called to persevere in their journey, we are encouraged to persevere in our faith journey, keeping our eyes on the eternal promises of God.(17) But.--Better, And with whom was He angry forty years?

Whose carcases.--Literally, limbs. The word is taken from the Greek version of Numbers 14:29; and seems intended to convey the thought of bodies falling limb from limb in the wilderness.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

with whom
τίσιν (tisin)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

was [God] angry
προσώχθισεν (prosōchthisen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4360: To be displeased or offended with. From pros and a form of ochtheo; to feel indignant at.

for forty
τεσσεράκοντα (tesserakonta)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5062: Forty. The decade of tessares; forty.

years?
ἔτη (etē)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2094: A year. Apparently a primary word; a year.

[Was it] not
οὐχὶ (ouchi)
IntPrtcl
Strong's 3780: By no means, not at all. Intensive of ou; not indeed.

with those who
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

sinned,
ἁμαρτήσασιν (hamartēsasin)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 264: Perhaps from a and the base of meros; properly, to miss the mark, i.e. to err, especially to sin.

whose
ὧν (hōn)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

bodies
κῶλα (kōla)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2966: A limb, member of a body; fig: a corpse, carcass. From the base of kolazo; a limb of the body.

fell
ἔπεσεν (epesen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4098: A reduplicated and contracted form of peto; probably akin to petomai through the idea of alighting; to fall.

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.

the
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

wilderness?
ἐρήμῳ (erēmō)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2048: Lonesome, i.e. waste.


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NT Letters: Hebrews 3:17 With whom was he displeased forty years? (Heb. He. Hb)
Hebrews 3:16
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