Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 3:16

"For who, when they heard, did provoke? nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt by Moses?" — Hebrews 3:16 (ASV)

For some. This refers to some of the Hebrews who came out of Egypt. The truth was that a large proportion of them rebelled against God and provoked Him to indignation. It is somewhat remarkable that though all the Hebrews seem to have joined in the provocation—except for a very small number—Paul used language that would seem to imply that the number who rebelled was comparatively small.

Therefore, another interpretation has been given to this passage by some of the most eminent critics. This interpretation consists merely in a change in punctuation, by which a different view is given of the whole sentence. According to this, it would be a question and would mean: "But who were they who, when they had heard, did provoke? Were they not all, indeed, who came out of Egypt under Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?" This interpretation was adopted by Chrysostom, Theodoret, and others of the Fathers, and is also adopted by Rosenmuller, Clarke, Stuart, Pyle, and some others. In its favor, it may be alleged:

1. That the Greek allows for it—the only change required being in the punctuation.
2. That it avoids the difficulty existing in the other interpretation, which supposes the apostle to imply that only a few of them rebelled, when the truth was that it was nearly all of them.
3. That it thus accords with the remainder of the exhortation, which consists of a series of questions.
4. That it agrees with the scope and design of the whole passage.

The object was not to state that not all who came out of Egypt rebelled, or that the number was small. Instead, the point was that the great body of them rebelled and fell in the wilderness, and that Christians should be admonished by their example. These reasons seem so strong as to make it probable that this is the true construction. The sense, then, will be: "For who were they that, having heard, did provoke? Were they not all who came out of Egypt under Moses?"

When they had heard. This means they had heard God speaking to them and giving them His commands.

Did provoke. They provoked Him to anger; or, their conduct was such as was fitted to produce indignation. (See Barnes' commentary on Hebrews 3:8).

Howbeit. This is the Greek word alla, meaning But. According to Stuart, this particle, "in a series of questions, and standing at the head of a question, means, but, further. It serves to connect and give intensity to the interrogation."

Paul means to ask with emphasis whether the great mass of those who came out of Egypt did not apostatize. At the same time, he means to intimate that there is no security that those who have witnessed remarkable manifestations of God’s greatness, and who have partaken of extraordinary mercies, will not apostatize and perish.

As the Hebrews, who heard God speak from Mount Sinai, revolted and perished, so it is possible that those who witness the mercies of God in redemption may be in danger of abusing all those mercies and perishing. By the example, therefore, of the disobedient Israelites, he would admonish professed Christians of their danger.

Not all, etc. According to the interpretation proposed above, this means: "Were they not all who came out of Egypt?" Or, "Did not all who came out of Egypt?" The word all here is not to be taken in the strict sense. It is often used to denote the great body, a large proportion, or vast multitudes.

Thus, it is used in Matthew 3:5: "Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan." So in John 3:26: "The same baptizeth, and all men come to him." Also in Philippians 2:21: "For all seek their own." And in 2 Corinthians 3:2: "Ye are our epistle, known and read of all men."

In fact, there were two exceptions—and only two—of the adults who came out of Egypt: Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 14:30). All the others murmured against the Lord and were prohibited from entering the promised land. Of the great multitudes who came out of Egypt and who murmured, the exception was so small that the apostle had no hesitation in saying, in general, that they were all rebellious.