Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrases "many portions" and "many ways" aren't just about different times or methods; they highlight that God's communication was intentionally fragmented and varied. This wasn't due to God's inability to speak all at once, but rather to reveal His truth progressively, piece by piece, preparing His people for a fuller revelation to come.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing that God's final and most complete revelation came through His Son, directly contrasting it with His earlier communication. This initial verse sets the stage by reminding readers that God spoke in fragmented ways and through various means in the past, primarily to the patriarchs and through the prophets. The argument will build by showing how the revelation in the Son surpasses all previous divine encounters.
Ever feel like God’s message was clearer in the past than it is today? Or maybe you wonder if you’re getting the 'full picture'?
The very first verse of Hebrews sets the stage by describing how God communicated in the past. Notice the words 'at sundry times' and 'in many ways'.
Piecemeal and Varied Delivery
This doesn't mean the Old Testament revelation was flawed, but rather progressive. God, in His wisdom, chose to reveal Himself and His plan step-by-step.
Who were these 'prophets' God spoke through? Were they just human messengers, or something more?
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Hebrews 1:1 states that God spoke 'by the prophets'. This phrasing is crucial.
Indwelling Presence
Understand the original words
nāḇîʾ · Hebrew Noun
An inspired spokesperson for God who conveys divine messages to humanity, often concerning current events or future divine interventions. Prophets were the primary vehicles of revelation under the Old Covenant.
This verse highlights the historical progression of God's communication, moving from fragmented messages through prophets in the Old Testament to the ultimate, complete revelation found in Jesus Christ, as understood within the context of early Christianity's development.
c. 1400 BC - c. 400 BC
The Age of the Prophets
This period spans the Old Testament era, during which God progressively revealed His will through various prophets like Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Malachi.
c. 400 BC - c. AD 1
The Silent Centuries
A period of roughly 400 years with no divinely appointed prophets in Israel, increasing anticipation for a new and final divine message.
c. AD 1 - AD 30
The Ministry of John the Baptist
John the Baptist emerges as a pivotal prophetic voice, preparing the way for the Messiah, fulfilling prophecies.
c. AD 27 - AD 30
The Earthly Ministry of Jesus
Jesus Christ, the ultimate prophetic voice and fulfillment of all previous revelations, actively teaches, heals, and performs miracles.
c. AD 30 - AD 33
The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
The central event of Christian faith, marking the completion of God's salvific plan and the inauguration of a new covenant.
c. AD 40s - c. AD 60s— this verse
The Apostolic Ministry and Epistles
The apostles, empowered by the Holy Spirit, spread the Gospel and write letters (epistles) to various early Christian communities, further explaining God's revelation in Christ.
This passage shows God speaking to Abraham in a personal, direct way, highlighting the 'many ways' God communicates His will, even through visions and promises to individuals.
Numbers 12:6-8This verse directly contrasts God speaking to prophets 'in visions' and 'in dreams' with how He spoke 'mouth to mouth' to Moses, illustrating the 'divers manners' of communication mentioned in Hebrews.
Deuteronomy 18:18-19God declares He will raise up a prophet like Moses, emphasizing the ongoing prophetic role God uses to speak His word to His people throughout different periods.
Isaiah 40:1-2This passage shows a prophetic voice crying out in the wilderness, calling for preparation for God's coming word, reflecting the piecemeal revelation that built anticipation for future communication.
Matthew 17:1-5The Transfiguration event, where God speaks from a cloud about Jesus, represents a pivotal and dramatic way God revealed His Son, showcasing a 'divers manner' of divine speech that transcends prophetic communication.
ellicottHebrews 1:1: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,"
(1) God, who at sundry times. . . . —The fine arrangement of the words in the Authorised version fails, it must be confessed, to convey the emphasis which is designed in the original. The writer’s object is to place the former revelation over against that which has now been given; and the remarkable words with which the chapter opens (and which might not inaptly serve as the motto…
pooleHebrews 1:1: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,"
Heb 1:1-3 The essential dignity of the Son, by whom God hath revealed himself in these last days. Heb 1:4-14 His pre-eminence above the angels in office. God: the apostle designing the conviction of these Hebrews by this discourse, enters on it solemnly, that if a God can awe them, the consideration of Him should gain credit to his doctrine. The God he speaks of is to be apprehende…
The phrases "many portions" and "many ways" aren't just about different times or methods; they highlight that God's communication was intentionally fragmented and varied. This wasn't due to God's inability to speak all at once, but rather to reveal His truth progressively, piece by piece, preparing His people for a fuller revelation to come.
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing that God's final and most complete revelation came through His Son, directly contrasting it with His earlier communication. This initial verse sets the stage by reminding readers that God spoke in fragmented ways and through various means in the past, primarily to the patriarchs and through the prophets. The argument will build by showing how the revelation in the Son surpasses all previous divine encounters.
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing that God's final and most complete revelation came through His Son, directly contrasting it with His earlier communication. This initial verse sets the stage by reminding readers that God spoke in fragmented ways and through various means in the past, primarily to the patriarchs and through the prophets. The argument will build by showing how the revelation in the Son surpasses all previous divine encounters.
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets," — The phrases "many portions" and "many ways" aren't just about different times or methods; they highlight that God's communication was intentionally fragmented and varied. This wasn't due to God's ina…
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Last reviewed October 2026