complete verse (Hebrews 3:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 3:16:

  • Uma: “For as for the Yahudi people that the prophet Musa led out of Mesir long ago, they did hear the voice of God, but in the end they rejected [it/him].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Who were the people who heard God’s voice, but did not want to follow/obey God, if not the people who were brought out by Musa from the land of Misil.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now who are these people who even though they heard the word of God, they resisted Him just the same? They are those people, the descendants of Israel, that Moses brought out of the land of Egypt.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Who are those who heard what God said but they still opposed him? They indeed are the ones whom Moses led in their leaving Egipto.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For just who are these people who it says opposed God even though they heard what he said? Are they not all of those same people who were able to leave Egipto under the leadership of Moises?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “You know who the people are who rejected the word God spoke. They are the people whom Moses took out of Egypt.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Hebrews 3:16

King James Version, Knox, and Jerusalem Bible (but not Bible de Jérusalem) are in a minority in taking verse 16a to be a statement; Knox has “those who provoked him.” It is much more likely to be the first of three questions, continuing into verses 17-18, to which the writer immediately gives the answers. Rebelled (see discussion on verse 12) here refers back to rebelled in verse 8a.

King James Version‘s “For” to begin this verse is rightly omitted except by Phillips; it is the weakest kind of transition.

Who heard God’s voice and rebelled against him is literally “who having heard, they rebelled.” Good News Bible says they heard God and then revolted (so also Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Segond, Synodale [Le Nouveau Testament. Version Synodale]). “But” would bring the meaning out even more clearly than and; compare Revised Standard Version‘s “and yet.” Some contrasting conjunction is important in the first part of verse 16, so that and rebelled against him may be rendered as “and nevertheless they refused to follow him” or “and despite all of that they turned against him.”

All those who were led out of Egypt by Moses: Revised Standard Versionis more literal with “Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses?” As Revised Standard Version shows, the writer responds to the first question with another, as Jesus often does; for example, see in Luke 17.7-8. Good News Translation simplifies this by turning the second question into a statement, since interrogative-negative questions (such as “Was it not…?”), especially rhetorical ones, have little place in common language; they are in fact the equivalent of strong statements.

In providing the answer to the rhetorical question, it may be important to make the response somewhat more specific; for example, “The people were all those who were led out of Egypt by Moses.” The relative clause in this instance may be made active by translating “whom Moses led out of Egypt.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .