Hebrews 4:8
in Hebrews 4For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day.
KJV
For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
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This verse in Hebrews 4
Commentary
15 notes on this verseHe wants to make clear three rests mentioned in the divine Scripture: first, the seventh day, on which God finished creating; second, the land of promise; and third, the kingdom of heaven. He provides proof of this from the inspired testimony: If there is no …
This site's exposition
if Joshua had given them rest
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. The Greek name Iesous is both Joshua and Jesus. Canaan was a real rest and a picture of the fuller rest that Jesus gives.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"I shall give you another testimony, my friends," said I, "from the Scriptures, that God begat before all creatures a Beginning, [who was] a certain rational power [proceeding] from Himself, who is called by the Holy Spirit, now the Glory of the Lord, now the Son, again Wisdom, again an Angel, then God, and then Lord and Logos; and on another occasion He calls Himself Captain, when He appeared in human form to Joshua the son of Nave (Nun).
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4 · Written before 373.
proposed
In fact, if Joshua, the son of Nun, who allowed them to inherit the land, had settled them and given them rest, they still would not speak at all about the "other day of rest." Indeed, Joshua made them rest, because he gave them the …
A commentator
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus LactantiusThe Divine Institutes Book 4, Chapter XIV · Written before 325.
proposed
But who this was about to be, to whom God promised an everlasting priesthood, Zechariah most plainly teaches, even mentioning His name: "And the Lord God showed me Jesus the great Priest standing before the face of the angel of the Lord, and the adversary was standing at His right hand to resist Him. And the Lord said unto the adversary, The Lord who hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee; and lo, a brand plucked out of the fire. And Jesus was clothed with filthy garments, and He was standing before the face of the angel. And He answered and spake unto those that stood around before His face, saying, Take away the filthy garments from Him, and clothe Him with a flowing garment, and place a fair mitre upon His head; and they clothed Him with a garment, and placed a fair mitre upon His head. And the angel of the Lord stood, and protested, saying to Jesus: Thus saith the Lord of hosts, If Thou wilt walk in my ways, and keep my precepts, Thou shalt judge my house, and I will give Thee those that may walk with Thee in the midst of these that stand by. Hear, therefore, O Jesus, Thou great Priest."
"For if Joshua had given them rest he would not afterward have spoken of another day." It is evident, that he says these things, as of persons who are to attain some recompense.
"For if Joshua had given them rest." For if that were the only rest, namely the promised land into which they entered under the leadership of Joshua, he would not have spoken of another day of rest through David. But therefore, he mentions it, saying: …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, For if Joshua had given them rest, God would never have afterwards spoken of another day, he proves that it remains for others to enter, because if Jesus Nave, i.e., Joshua, had given the children of Israel final rest, God would …
By all this he endeavors to show that Joshua could not have led them into that rest of which both David speaks and we now speak. Since Joshua did not lead them in, and David "after so long a time" again says: "do not harden …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
For if Jesus had given them rest,.... That is, Joshua; for Hosheah, Joshua, and Jesus, are one and the same name; or Jesus himself, as two of Stephens's copies read; and so Joshua is called Jesus by the Septuagint interpreters on Exo 17:10 and other places where he is mentioned; and also, by Josephus (h), and Philo (i) the Jew.
This is the rest wherewith the Lord Jesus, our Joshua, causes weary souls and awakened consciences to rest, and this is the refreshing. [2.] A rest in glory, the everlasting sabbatism of heaven, which is the repose and perfection of nature and grace too, where the people of God shall enjoy the end of their faith and the object of all their desires.
He specifies this, that we have a promise left us of entering into his rest; that is, of entering into a covenant-relation to Christ, and a state of communion with God through Christ, and of growing up therein, till we are made perfect in glory.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Answer to the objection which might be made to his reasoning, namely, that those brought into Canaan by Joshua (so "Jesus" here means, as in Ac 7:45) did enter the rest of God.
For if Jesus had given them rest - It is truly surprising that our translators should have rendered the Ιησους of the text Jesus, and not Joshua, who is most clearly intended. They must have known that the יהושע Yehoshua of the Hebrew, which we write Joshua, is everywhere rendered Ιησους, Jesus, by the Septuagint; and it is their reading which the apostle follows.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For if Jesus - Margin, “That is, Joshua.” The Syriac renders it, “Joshua the son of Nun.” “Jesus” is the Greek mode of writing “Joshua,” and there can be no doubt that Joshua is here intended. The object is to prove that Joshua did” not” give the people of God such a rest as to make it improper to speak of a “rest” after that time. “If Joshua had given them a complete and final rest; if by his conducting them to the promised land all had been done which had been contemplated by the promise, then it would not have been alluded to again, as it was in the time of David.” Joshua “did” give them a rest in the promised land; but it was not all which was intended, and it did not exclude the promise of another and more important rest. Then would he not - Then “God” would not have spoken of another time when that rest could be obtained. The “other day” here referred to is that which is mentioned before by the phrase “today,” and refers to the time in which it is spoken of long after Joshua, to wit, in the time of David.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | to them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| Ἰησοῦς | iesous | Joshua | G2424 → | 908 times |
| κατέπαυσεν, | katepausen | gave rest, | G2664 → | 4 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἂν | an | then would | G302 → | 165 times |
| περὶ | peri | about | G4012 → | 332 times |
| ἄλλης | alles | another | G243 → | |
| ἐλάλει | elalei | was he speaking | G2980 → | 294 times |
| μετὰ | meta | after | G3326 → | 461 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἡμέρας· | hemeras | day; | G2250 → | 389 times |
ΕἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
αὐτοὺςto them
autousG846 →5565 times
ἸησοῦςJoshua
iesousG2424 →908 times
κατέπαυσεν,gave rest,
katepausenG2664 →4 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἂνthen would
anG302 →165 times
περὶabout
periG4012 →332 times
ἄλληςanother
allesG243 →
ἐλάλειwas he speaking
elaleiG2980 →294 times
μετὰafter
metaG3326 →461 times
ταῦταthis
tautaG3778 →1381 times
ἡμέρας·day;
hemerasG2250 →389 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
Joshua 23:1A long time after the LORD had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them, when Joshua was old and well along in years,
it leads to
- Joshua 13:1
Now Joshua was old and well along in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and well along in years, but very much of the land remains to be possessed.
- Joshua 21:44
And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD delivered all their enemies into their…
- Joshua 13:1
Through
Deuteronomy 12:9For you have not yet come to the resting place and the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 8:56
“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses.
- Deuteronomy 25:19
When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land that He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you are to blot out the memory of…
- Psalms 95:11
So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”
- 1 Kings 8:56
Through
Joshua 1:15until the LORD gives them rest as He has done for you, and your brothers also possess the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you may return to the land…
it leads to
- Philippians 2:4
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
- Philippians 2:4
Through
Joshua 22:4And now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as He promised them, you may return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you…
it leads to
- Joshua 13:8
The other half of Manasseh, along with the Reubenites and Gadites, had received the inheritance Moses had given them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had…
- Numbers 32:18
We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has taken possession of his inheritance.
- Joshua 13:8
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This page draws on 14 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); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter LXI; Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Book 4, Chapter XIV; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 4; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.