אל־העברים 12:15

Delitzsche Hebrew New Testament

וְהִזָּהֲרוּ פֶּן־יֵשׁ בָּכֶם אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יֶחְדַּל מֵחֶסֶד אֱלֹהִים פֶּן־יָעִיק לָכֶם שֹׁרֶשׁ פֹּרֶה לַעֲנָה וְיִטַּמְּאוּ בוֹ רַבִּים׃

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Modern Translation
והזהרו פן יש בכם איש מתאחר מחסד אלהים פן יוגיעכם שרש פרה לענה ויטמאו בו רבים׃

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Looking: Hebrews 2:1, Hebrews 2:2, Hebrews 3:12, Hebrews 4:1, Hebrews 4:11, Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 10:23-35, Deuteronomy 4:9, Proverbs 4:23, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 1 Corinthians 10:12, 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Peter 1:10, 2 Peter 3:11, 2 Peter 3:14, 2 John 1:8, Jude 1:20, Jude 1:21

any man: Luke 22:32, 1 Corinthians 13:8, Galatians 5:4

fail of: or, fall from, Galatians 5:4

any root: Hebrews 3:12, Deuteronomy 29:18, Deuteronomy 32:32, Isaiah 5:4, Isaiah 5:7, Jeremiah 2:21, Matthew 7:16-18

trouble: Joshua 6:18, Joshua 7:25, Joshua 7:26, Joshua 22:17-20, Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:5

and thereby: Exodus 32:21, 1 Kings 14:16, Acts 20:30, Acts 20:31, 1 Corinthians 5:6, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Galatians 2:13, 2 Timothy 2:16, 2 Timothy 2:17, 2 Peter 2:1, 2 Peter 2:2, 2 Peter 2:18

Reciprocal: Exodus 23:13 - be circumspect Leviticus 13:46 - without Leviticus 14:36 - be not made Leviticus 15:31 - Thus shall Numbers 5:3 - without Deuteronomy 11:16 - Take heed Deuteronomy 13:5 - put the evil away from the midst Joshua 7:1 - the anger Joshua 22:5 - take Joshua 23:11 - Take good 2 Kings 4:39 - a wild vine 2 Kings 10:31 - took no heed Job 5:6 - spring out Psalms 139:24 - wicked way Proverbs 5:4 - her Proverbs 15:32 - refuseth Ecclesiastes 9:18 - sinner Song of Solomon 7:12 - let us see Jeremiah 17:21 - Take Hosea 10:4 - thus Malachi 3:16 - spake Matthew 13:25 - men Matthew 25:3 - foolish Mark 13:33 - General Luke 17:3 - heed Luke 21:34 - take John 15:2 - and Acts 5:11 - General Acts 8:23 - the gall Acts 13:43 - persuaded Acts 20:28 - Take Romans 6:19 - unto iniquity 1 Corinthians 6:12 - but I 2 Corinthians 7:11 - fear Galatians 6:17 - let 2 Thessalonians 3:6 - that ye 1 Timothy 3:1 - bishop 1 Timothy 4:16 - Take Titus 2:11 - the grace Hebrews 6:4 - it is James 1:25 - looketh 1 Peter 5:2 - taking 2 Peter 1:5 - giving Revelation 8:11 - Wormwood

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Looking diligently,.... Acting the part of bishops, or overseers, as the word signifies; and so this exhortation either respects officers of the church of the Hebrews, whose business it was more especially to inspect into the principles and practices of the members of it, and take care that they did not imbibe false doctrines, or live immoral lives; or rather the several members of the church, whose business it is to watch over one another, since this epistle seems to be written to the whole church.

Lest any man fail of the grace of God; not the free favour and love of God in Christ, which is everlasting, unchangeable, and from whence there is no separation; nor the grace of God implanted in the heart in regeneration, which is incorruptible, never failing, but always remains, as do faith, hope, and love; but either the whole doctrine of the Gospel, which is a declaration of the grace of God; or particularly the doctrine of free justification by the righteousness of Christ, which men may receive in vain, and fall from, 2 Corinthians 6:1 to which these Hebrews might be prone: and such "fail" of it, who either come short of it, do not come up to it, receive and embrace it; or who having professed it, drop it and deny it: now such should be looked after, and such a case should be diligently looked into; because the glory of God, the honour of Christ, the good of souls, and the well being, and even the continuance of the church state are concerned:

lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, [and] thereby many be defiled; the Alexandrian copy reads οι πολλοι, "the many", the common people, the private members of the church; though it may intend either things or persons: it may design things; and these either the corruption of nature in general, which is a root that lies hidden in a man's heart; and is a root or gall of bitterness; and is apt to spring up, and bring forth bitter fruit, and gives trouble both to a man's self and others; and is of a defiling nature, in particular sins; such as malice, strife, and contention, covetousness, lust, pride, oppression, idleness, c. which make bitter work, and occasion great trouble in churches, oftentimes: or errors and heresies, which sometimes, like roots, lie under ground, secret and undiscovered and are bitter ones in their effects, bringing ruin and swift destruction on the souls of men; and these sometimes spring up in churches, while ministers and members are asleep, or not so diligent and watchful as they should be; and occasion great trouble, and are very infectious, and defiling: moreover, persons may be designed; which agrees well with

Deuteronomy 29:18 from whence this phrase is taken; and with the instance in the following verse, such as all immoral persons, and false teachers, particularly self-justiciaries, that preach the doctrine of justification by the works of the law: this was the capital mistake, and rooted error of the Jewish nation; and a bitter one it was; it produced many bitter fruits of pride and vain glory; and this sprung up in the church, and troubled and defiled many there and elsewhere, being spread by the abettors of it; see Acts 15:24. Now, care should be taken, that no such person be in churches, holding such an error; because of the glory of God, Father, Son, and Spirit; the comfort of souls; the peace of the church, and the growth and increase of it, which must be hurt by such men and doctrines; so

ριζα αμαρτωλος, "a sinful root", is used for a "wicked man", in the Apocrypha:

"In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.'' (1 Maccabees 1:11)

and שורש המרי, "a root of bitterness", signifies, in Jewish writings u, an error, or heresy, in opposition to a root of faith, or a fundamental doctrine.

u Cosri, Orat. 1. fol. 35. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Looking diligently - This phrase implies close attention. It is implied that there are reasons why we should take special care. Those reasons are found in the propensities of our hearts to evil; in the temptations of the world; in the allurements to apostasy presented by the great adversary of our souls.

Lest any man fail - As every man is in danger, it is his personal duty to see to it that his salvation be secure.

Fail of the grace of God - Margin, “fail from.” The Greek is, “lest any one be wanting or lacking” - ὑστερῶν husterōn. There is no intimation in the words used here that they already had grace and might fall away - whatever might he true about that - but that there was danger that they might be found at last to be deficient in that religion which was necessary to save them. Whether this was to be by losing the religion which they now had, or by the fact that they never had any however near they may have come to it - the apostle does not here intimate, and this passage should not be used in the discussion of the question about failing from grace. It is a proper exhortation to be addressed to any man in the church or out of it, to inquire diligently whether there is not reason to apprehend that when he comes to appear before God he will be found to be wholly destitute of religion.

Lest any root of bitterness springing up - Any bitter root. There is doubtless an allusion here to Deuteronomy 29:18. “Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood.” The allusion there is to those who were idolaters, and who instead of bearing the fruits of righteousness, and promoting the piety and happiness of the nation, would bear the fruits of idolatry, and spread abroad irreligion and sin. The allusion, in both cases, is to a bitter plant springing up among those that were cultivated for ornament or use, or to a tree bearing bitter and poisonous fruit, among those that produced good fruit. The reference of the apostle is to some person who should produce a similar effect in the church - to one who should inculcate false doctrines; or who should apostatize; or who should lead an unholy life, and thus be the means of corrupting and destroying others. They were to be at especial pains that no such person should start up from among themselves, or be tolerated by them.

Trouble you - By his doctrines and example.

And thereby many be defiled - Led away from the faith and corrupted. One wicked man, and especially one hypocrite in the church, may be the means of destroying many others.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. Looking diligently — επισκοπουντες. Looking about, over, and upon; being constantly on your guard.

Lest any man fail of the grace of God — Μη τις ὑστερων απο της χαριτος του Θεου· Lest any person should come behind, or fall off from, this grace or GIFT of God; this state of salvation, viz. the Gospel system or Christianity; for this is most evidently the meaning of the apostle. It is not the falling from a work of grace in their own souls, but from the Gospel, to apostatize from which they had now many temptations; and to guard them against this, the whole epistle was written.

Lest any root of bitterness springing up — A root of bitterness signifies a poisonous plant. The Hebrews call every species of poison a bitter, and with considerable propriety, as most plants are poisonous in proportion to the quantum of the bitter principle they possess. The root of bitterness is here used metaphorically for a bad man, or a man holding unsound doctrines, and endeavouring to spread them in the Church.

Trouble you — This alludes to the effects of poison taken into the body: the whole animal system is disturbed, sometimes violent retchings, great disturbances through the whole alimentary canal, together with the most fatal changes in the whole sanguineous system, are the consequences of poison taken into the stomach. The blood itself (the principle, under God, of life) becomes putrescent; and probably to this the intelligent apostle alludes when he says, and thereby many be defiled, μιανθωσι, corrupted or contaminated.

Bad example and false teaching have corrupted thousands, and are still making desolation in the world and in the Church.