Hebrews 3:17 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

By these questions the Spirit makes a more lively representation of these unbelieving provokers of God, that his reason may have the more force with them. Do ye observe with whom God was grieved? The form puts them on more exact notice for their caution: God suffers not by passion, but these redeemed out of Egypt carried it contrary to him, and crossed his will, that which usually grieveth us. Concerning the word, see Hebrews 3:10. It is used by the Septuagint, Deuteronomy 7:26, to express that detestation and abhorrence which Israel was to show against idols, that they should be a grief to their soul not to be endured: idols are called grievances. He was displeased and grieved with their covenant breaking with him forty years together. These sinners, by their unbelief, murmuring, idolatry, rebellion against his officers and ordinances, and their other lusts, so imbittered his Spirit, that he by various judgments destroyed them, and turned them into the grave and hell together, 1 Corinthians 10:5-11. Moses and others of God's own cannot be numbered among these sinners, for their sins were pardoned and persons accepted; and though they came short of the literal, had a much more abundant entrance administered to them into the heavenly Canaan.

Hebrews 3:17

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