Charles Ellicott Commentary Hebrews 3:8

"Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness," — Hebrews 3:8 (ASV)

In the day of temptation.—Better, like the day of the temptation. As in the LXX., so here, two words which in the Hebrew are proper names (“as at Meribah, and as in the day of Massah”) are translated according to their intrinsic meaning. (For the former see Exodus 17:7; Numbers 20:13; and for the latter Exodus 17:7.) We may believe that these places are here chosen for reference partly on account of their significant names; but it is noteworthy that the rebellions recorded in the names belonged to the beginning and to the close of the years of wandering.