Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that the original recipients of the good news—the Israelites at the exodus—failed to enter God's rest, not due to a lack of opportunity, but because of their active disobedience. This isn't just a passive failure to believe; it's a willful turning away, which ultimately barred them from the promised rest.
Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author has been arguing that the "rest" God promised isn't the land of Canaan, because that rest was entered into long ago, while the rest being discussed is still future. This verse confirms that a rest still remains for some to enter, highlighting that the original recipients of the promise (the Israelites in the wilderness) ultimately failed to enter due to their disobedience and unbelief. The implication is that this promised rest is still available and has not been fully realized.
Have you ever felt like an opportunity slipped through your fingers? This verse speaks to a divine promise that, despite past failures, remains open.
The phrase 'it remains' (Greek: apoleipetai) points to something left over, something that still awaits fulfillment. Even though many Israelites failed to enter God's promised rest due to their actions, the door is not permanently shut. God's intention for a people to enter His rest is still active and valid. This isn't just about a historical event; it underscores God's persistent faithfulness to His promises, even when people fall short.
We often think of faith as passive, but this verse highlights a more active failure that kept people from God's best.
While earlier verses in Hebrews 3 and 4 mention 'unbelief' (Greek: apistia), this specific verse uses the term 'disobedience' (Greek: apeitheia). This isn't just a lack of belief; it's an active refusal to listen and obey. The Israelites heard the good news about the promised land—a type of God's rest—but their stubborn rebellion against God's commands meant they never experienced that rest. This shows that true faith isn't just intellectual assent; it's demonstrated through our willingness to follow God's leading, even when it's difficult.
Understand the original words
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apeitheia · Greek Noun
The state of willful refusal to believe, obey, or submit to God’s revealed truth. It is the antithesis of faith and the primary cause of spiritual exclusion from God's presence.
euangelizō · Greek Verb
The gospel, or the glad tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ. In this context, it refers to the promise of entering God’s rest, which was historically presented to Israel and remains valid for believers today.
The verse highlights a critical turning point in Israel's history: the generation that heard God's promises directly from Moses were denied entry into the Promised Land due to their disobedience. This historical failure sets the stage for the author's argument that a greater, spiritual rest still remains available.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, led by Moses, are freed from slavery in Egypt, marking the beginning of their journey towards the Promised Land.
~1406 BC— this verse
Wandering in the Wilderness
After receiving the Law at Mount Sinai and experiencing God's provision, the Israelites disobey and refuse to enter the Promised Land, leading to a 40-year period of wandering.
~1406 BC
Rejection of the Promised Land
Following the negative report of the spies, the majority of Israelites refuse to trust God's promise to conquer Canaan, leading to God's judgment that they would not enter the land.
~1405 BC
Death of the Disobedient Generation
The generation that refused to enter the Promised Land dies out in the wilderness as prophesied, preventing them from experiencing the rest God intended.
~1367 BC
Entry into Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the new generation of Israelites finally enters and begins to possess the land of Canaan, a type of rest.
c. 1040–970 BC
Reign of King David
During David's reign, the concept of God's rest is still a relevant theme, as evidenced by the Psalms quoted in Hebrews, suggesting the rest in Canaan was not the ultimate fulfillment.
This passage directly echoes the consequence of disobedience in Hebrews 4:6, stating that those who were counted and brought to the promised land would not enter it due to their lack of faith and trust in God.
Joshua 1:11Joshua instructs the Israelites to enter and take possession of the land, highlighting that the rest promised to Abraham and his descendants was meant to be entered into, a concept that connects to the 'entering therein' mentioned in Hebrews 4:6.
Psalm 95:11This is the very passage the author of Hebrews is referencing, speaking God's oath that those who showed contempt through their rebellious ways would not enter His rest, directly linking disobedience to exclusion from rest.
Romans 11:20Paul discusses the unfaithfulness of some Israelites who were broken off from the olive tree so that others (Gentiles) could be grafted in, illustrating a similar theme of exclusion for some and inclusion for others due to faith.
1 Corinthians 10:5Paul recounts how most of the Israelites who were with Moses in the wilderness did not find favor with God and fell, underscoring the spiritual consequences of disobedience and unbelief in their journey towards God's intended rest.
ellicottHebrews 4:6: "Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:"
(6) The substance of the preceding verses may be thus expressed: There is a rest of God, into which some are to enter with God,—a rest not yet entered at the time of the wandering in the wilderness, and therefore not that which followed the work of creation,—a rest from which some were excluded because of unbelief. These five particulars are repea…
pooleHebrews 4:6: "Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:"
The Spirit having demonstrated, that God’s rest sworn to believers in the gospel, and mentioned by David, could not be the seventh day’s rest; proceeds to prove likewise, that it could not be the rest of Israel in the land of Canaan, since that was entered into four hundred years before he wrote by the Spirit of this better rest, since those unbel…
The verse highlights that the original recipients of the good news—the Israelites at the exodus—failed to enter God's rest, not due to a lack of opportunity, but because of their active disobedience. This isn't just a passive failure to believe; it's a willful turning away, which ultimately barred them from the promised rest.
The author has been arguing that the "rest" God promised isn't the land of Canaan, because that rest was entered into long ago, while the rest being discussed is still future. This verse confirms that a rest still remains for some to enter, highlighting that the original recipients of the promise (the Israelites in the wilderness) ultimately failed to enter due to their disobedience and unbelief. The implication is that this promised rest is still available and has not been fully realized.
The author has been arguing that the "rest" God promised isn't the land of Canaan, because that rest was entered into long ago, while the rest being discussed is still future. This verse confirms that a rest still remains for some to enter, highlighting that the original recipients of the promise (the Israelites in the wilderness) ultimately failed to enter due to their disobedience and unbelief. The implication is that this promised rest is still available and has not been fully realized.
"Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience," — The verse highlights that the original recipients of the good news—the Israelites at the exodus—failed to enter God's rest, not due to a lack of opportunity, but because of their active disobedience.…
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Last reviewed October 2026