Expositor's Bible Commentary 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)

The author presses home his point by three questions that emphasize that the psalmist of Ps 95 is thinking about the people who were in a position of spiritual privilege and yet sinned grievously. The first question asks, “Who were they who heard and rebelled?” The verb “rebelled” (GK 4176) means “embitter” or “make angry,” and is a strong expression for the rebellious attitude that characterized the Exodus generation. The writer answers his question with another, this one phrased so as to expect a yes answer. “All those Moses led out of Egypt” is comprehensive, but that Joshua and Caleb are not mentioned does not invalidate the argument. The nation was characterized by unbelief, and the faithfulness of two men does not alter this. NIV says that Moses “led” the people out of Egypt; but, more literally, the author said that they “came out through Moses”—implying that they acted of their own volition and made a good start.