When your fathers tempted me; in the time and place forementioned, the fathers from whom you derive your being and corruption, yet glory in them and their traditions, whose state is aggravated from your line of successive rebellion, Acts 7:51-53. They have imbittered my Spirit by their unbelief; for upon the want of water, they questioned his power, wisdom, truth, and providence, to the denial of all, and sometimes multiplied it, Numbers 16:1-50, &c. Proved me; a discontented quarrel with, and scrutiny of, Christ the Redeemer, that if he would not serve their lust, they would deny him, and apostatize from him, and return to Egypt; notwithstanding their having sufficient proof of him, yet they would contend with him, 1 Corinthians 10:9. And saw my works forty years; all the Redeemer's miracles, which he wrought for them in Egypt and the wilderness, they saw them plainly and presently on their tempting him; miracles of mercy and of punishments, by fire, by the earth opening, by fiery serpents, by the sword, by consuming six hundred thousand of them: all which were evidences sufficient to convince any of the wickedness of mistrusting him, Deuteronomy 29:2-4. This hardening of their hearts yet continued forty years, till all but two of them, Joshua and Caleb, were consumed; God by their sin was so grieved with them after such experience of his power for so long a time: see Exodus 32:10 Numbers 14:22.
Related Commentaries of Hebrews 3:9
Hebrews 3:9
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.