Hebrews 12:26
in Hebrews 12At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven.
KJV
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
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This verse in Hebrews 12
Commentary
18 notes on this verseA commentator
Gregory of NazianzusON THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 5(31).25 · Written before 390.
There have been two remarkable transformations of the human way of life in the course of the world's history. These two are called two "covenants" and, so famous was the business involved, two "shakings of the earth." The first was the transition from idols to the law; the second, from law to gospel. The gospel also tells of the third "shaking," the change from this present state of things to what lies unmoved, unshaken, beyond. An identical feature occurs in both covenants. The feature? There was nothing sudden involved in the first movement to take their transformations in hand.
This site's exposition
do not refuse Him who speaks
on Hebrews 12:25-27
The warning runs from lesser to greater, since the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth. Haggai 2:6 is quoted for the shaking to come. The shaking means the removal of what can be shaken, so that the unshakable may remain.
This site's exposition
His voice shook the earth
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown find Haggai 2:6 and 2:21 condensed into one line here. John Wesley sees a lower fulfilment in the end of the Jewish state and the full sense at the end of all things. He dates its start to the first coming of Christ.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
A commentator
Theodore of MopsuestiaFRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 12.26 · Written before 428.
proposed
Based on the voice of the prophet he proves both the change from the things that now exist and the establishment of the things that follow. For the promise "to shake" makes clear that they will change altogether in the future. By the addition of …
For on earth, it is said that Moses speaks. He says, This is the case: If the Jews, having rejected the message of Moses, did not escape destruction, how shall we escape if we reject the one who speaks from heaven, that is, Christ? Is …
"Yet once more I shake," that is, "once more," clearly, that which comes after the second, is added another once. For previously the world was shaken at the lawgiving in Sinai. "Indeed, the earth shook," says David (Ps. 68:8). Again, during the presence in the …
A third saying let them add, "Let us eat, and drink, and marry, for to-morrow we shall die; " not reflecting that the "woe" (denounced) "on such as are with child, and are giving suck," will fall far more heavily and bitterly in the "universal shaking" of the entire world than it did in the devastation of one fraction of Judaea.
For yet once more I shall shake not the earth alone but also heaven. But the word, yet once more, signifies, as the Apostle shows, the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are …
10 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers3 voices
For, saith He, yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also the heaven. And this word "once more" signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that have been made, that those things that are not shaken may …
"But now hath He promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things which are shaken, as of things that are made." All things therefore will be taken away, and will be compacted anew for the better. For this is what he suggests here. Why then dost thou grieve when thou sufferest in a world that abideth not; when thou art afflicted in a world which will very shortly have passed away? If our rest were to be in the latter period of the world, then one ought to be afflicted in looking to the end. "That" (he says) "those which cannot be shaken may remain." But of what sort are "those things which cannot be shaken"? The things to come.
Quite rightly on the basis of the prophetic verse does he establish the instability of the present order and the steadfastness of the things which shall be later. For the "shaking" shows that he is proclaiming the alteration of the present order exactly as it …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Do you not see that the One who spoke then was the very Same One who now prophesies to us from heaven? For His voice then, at the time of the giving of the Law, shook the earth. "And Who has now given such a …
718. – Then he compares the two testaments in regard to the efficacy of the speaking. As to the efficacy of the Old Testament's speaking he says, His voice then shook the earth, i.e., wrought many changes on earth, namely, by the signs in Egypt, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Whose voice then shook the earth - When he spoke from Mount Sinai. But now - With regard to his next speaking. He hath promised - It is a joyful promise to the saints, though dreadful to the wicked.
Whose voice then shook the earth,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Whose voice then shook the earth - Namely, at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai; and from this it seems that it was the voice of Jesus that then shook the earth, and that it was he who came down on the mount. But others refer this simply to God the Father giving the law.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The shaking began at the first coming of Messiah; it will be completed at His second coming, prodigies in the world of nature accompanying the overthrow of all kingdoms that oppose Messiah. The Hebrew is literally, "it is yet one little," that is, a single brief space till the series of movements begins ending in the advent of Messiah.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Whose voice then shook the earth - When he spake at Mount Sinai. The meaning is, that the mountain and the region around quaked; Exo 19:18. The “voice” here referred to is that of God speaking from the holy mount. But now hath he promised, saying - The words here quoted are taken from Hag 2:6, where they refer to the changes which would take place under the Messiah. The meaning is, that there would be great revolutions in his coming, “as if” the universe were shaken to its center. The apostle evidently applies this passage as it is done in Haggai, to the first advent of the Redeemer. I shake not the earth only - This is not quoted literally from the Hebrew, but the sense is retained. In Haggai it is, “Yet once it is a little while, and I wilt shake the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come.” The apostle lays emphasis on the fact that not only the earth was to be shaken but also heaven. […]
The words behind it
23 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὗ | hou | whose | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἡ | he | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φωνὴ | phone | voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆν | gen | earth | G1093 → | 248 times |
| ἐσάλευσεν | esaleusen | shook | G4531 → | 15 times |
| τότε, | tote | at that time, | G5119 → | 160 times |
| νῦν | nun | now | G3568 → | 145 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐπήγγελται | epengeltai | He has promised | G1861 → | 15 times |
| λέγων· | legon | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἔτι | eti | Yet | G2089 → | 140 times |
| ἅπαξ | hapax | once [more] | G530 → | 14 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| σείσω | seiso | will shake | G4579 → | |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| μόνον | monon | only | G3441 → | 110 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆν | gen | earth | G1093 → | 248 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανόν. | ouranon | heaven. | G3772 → | 272 times |
οὗwhose
houG3739 →1405 times
ἡ<the>
heG3588 →19766 times
φωνὴvoice
phoneG5456 →139 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
γῆνearth
genG1093 →248 times
ἐσάλευσενshook
esaleusenG4531 →15 times
τότε,at that time,
toteG5119 →160 times
νῦνnow
nunG3568 →145 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐπήγγελταιHe has promised
epengeltaiG1861 →15 times
λέγων·saying;
legonG3004 →1325 times
ἔτιYet
etiG2089 →140 times
ἅπαξonce [more]
hapaxG530 →14 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
σείσωwill shake
seisoG4579 →
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
μόνονonly
mononG3441 →110 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
γῆνearth
genG1093 →248 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανόν.heaven.
ouranonG3772 →272 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joel 3:16The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
it leads to
- Joel 2:10–11
Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
- Amos 1:2
He said: “The LORD roars from Zion and raises His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the summit of Carmel withers.”
- Jeremiah 25:30–31
So you are to prophesy all these words against them and say to them: ‘The LORD will roar from on high; He will raise His voice from His holy habitation. He will roar loudly…
- Proverbs 18:10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
- Jeremiah 16:19
O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of distress, the nations will come to You from the ends of the earth, and they will say, “Our fathers inherited nothing…
- Joel 2:10–11
Through
Isaiah 13:13Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:26–27
At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”
- Joel 3:16
The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
- Hebrews 12:26–27
Through
Exodus 19:18Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
it leads to
- Judges 5:5
The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
- Judges 5:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies41
On this chapter
- The General Epistles
- Cain and Abel
- Edom, the nation of Esau
- Esau
- Eternal Security, and the Five Warnings of Hebrews
- Faith
Show the next 6 titles
- The Hall of Faith
- Fire
- Forgiveness and Health
- The Fruit of the Spirit
- You Are Good, and You Do What Is Good
- Entertaining Angels Unaware
Show the next 6 titles
- Jerusalem
- The Joy Set Before Him
- Nadab and Abihu: the unauthorized fire
- Once for All: the Finished Sacrifice
- Patience
- Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
About Hebrews
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 5; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 7; Gregory of Nazianzus, ON THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 5(31).25; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 32; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Tertullian, On Monogamy; Theodore of Mopsuestia, FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 12.26; Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS 12.26; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.