אל־העברים 13:17

Delitzsche Hebrew New Testament

שִׁמְעוּ אֶל־מַנְהִיגֵיכֶם וְהִכָּנְעוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם כִּי־שֹׁקְדִים הֵם עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם כַּעֲתִידִים לָתֵת חֶשְׁבּוֹן לְמַעַן יַעֲשׂוּ־זֹאת בְּשִׂמְחָה וְלֹא בַאֲנָחָה כִּי לֹא־לְהוֹעִיל זֹאת לָכֶם׃

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Modern Translation
שמעו אל מנהיגיכם והכנעו מפניהם כי שקדים הם על נפשתיכם כעתידים לתת חשבון למען יעשו זאת בשמחה ולא באנחה כי זאת לא להועיל לכם׃

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Obey: Hebrews 13:7, 1 Samuel 8:19, 1 Samuel 15:19, 1 Samuel 15:20, Proverbs 5:13, Philippians 2:12, Philippians 2:29, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 1 Timothy 5:17

have the rule over: or, guide

submit: Genesis 16:9, 1 Corinthians 16:16, Ephesians 5:21, James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:5

watch: Ezekiel 3:17-21, Ezekiel 33:2, Ezekiel 33:7-9, Acts 20:24-26, Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 4:1, 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Peter 5:2, 1 Peter 5:3

give account: Luke 16:2, Romans 14:12, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:11

with joy: Philippians 1:4, Philippians 2:16, Philippians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 1 Thessalonians 2:20, 1 Thessalonians 3:9, 1 Thessalonians 3:10

with grief: Exodus 32:31, Jeremiah 13:17, Philippians 3:18

Reciprocal: Numbers 18:1 - shall bear Numbers 31:30 - keep the 1 Samuel 25:12 - came Song of Solomon 3:3 - watchmen Isaiah 52:8 - Thy Isaiah 62:6 - set watchmen Jeremiah 6:17 - I Ezekiel 3:20 - but his Ezekiel 34:10 - and I will Hosea 9:8 - watchman Matthew 18:31 - and came Luke 9:10 - the apostles Luke 12:42 - ruler Luke 14:21 - and showed Acts 15:6 - General Acts 20:31 - watch Romans 12:8 - ruleth 1 Corinthians 12:28 - God 2 Corinthians 6:5 - watchings 2 Corinthians 12:15 - you Galatians 2:6 - these who Ephesians 4:12 - perfecting 1 Thessalonians 2:8 - affectionately 2 Timothy 4:5 - watch Philemon 1:20 - let me Hebrews 13:24 - the rule James 3:1 - knowing

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Obey them that have the rule over you,.... Not the ecclesiastical rulers among the Jews, for to these they were no longer obliged, they being no longer under such tutors and governors; nor civil magistrates, though it was their duty to obey them, even Heathen ones; for as for Christian magistrates, as yet there were none; but their spiritual guides and governors, the same that are mentioned Hebrews 13:7 these the apostle exhorts them to "obey": by constantly tending upon the word preached by them, and hearkening to it; by receiving it with faith and love, as it appears agreeable to the Scriptures; for a contrary behaviour is pernicious to souls, and highly resented by God; and by being present at, and joining with them in the ordinances of Christ, as administered by them; and by regarding their admonitions, counsels, and advice:

and submit yourselves; to the laws of Christ's house, as put in execution by them; and to their censures and reproofs, as delivered by the authority of the church; for they are spiritual fathers, and children should obey their parents, and submit to them; they are the ambassadors of Christ, stand in his stead, and represent him, wherefore their authority is great; and they are pastors or shepherds of the flock, whom the sheep should follow:

for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account: they watch not for themselves, for their worldly gain and advantage, and for the estates of men; but for the souls of men, to do them good, to comfort and edify them, to feed them with knowledge and understanding, and for the salvation of them; as such that must give an account to their own consciences, that they discharge their work aright, or they cannot be satisfied; and to the church, to whom they minister, to whom they are accountable, if they are dilatory and negligent; and especially as such as must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and give an account to him of their ministry, of their use of talents committed to them, and of souls that are put under their care and charge; how they have discharged their duty to the souls of men, and how these have behaved towards them under the ministry of the word: the Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin version read, "for they watch, as those that must give an account for your souls": the sense is much the same:

that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; either do their work with joy, cheerfully; which they do, when they are obeyed and submitted to; when men attend upon the word and ordinances administered by them, and receive advantage, and grow in grace and spiritual knowledge; when they abide by the Gospel, and walk worthy of it; otherwise they do their work heavily, and with sorrow: or else give up their account with joy, and not with grief; either at the throne of grace, where they either rejoice or complain; or at the great day, when they will be witnesses, either for or against those that have been committed to them:

for that is unprofitable unto you; for whose souls they watch; that is, the latter would be so, either to do their work sorrowing, or to give up their account by way of complaint; either of them must be to the disadvantage of such persons that occasion grief and sorrow.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Obey them that have the rule over you - Margin, guide; see notes on Hebrews 13:7. The reference here is to their religious teachers, and not to civil rulers. They were to show them proper respect, and to submit to their authority in the church, so far as it was administered in accordance with the precepts of the Saviour. The obligation to obedience does not, of course, extend to anything which is wrong in itself, or which would be a violation of conscience. The doctrine is, that subordination is necessary to the welfare of the church, and that there ought to be a disposition to yield all proper obedience to those who are set over us in the Lord; compare notes on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.

And submit yourselves - That is, to all which they enjoin that is lawful and right. There are in relation to a society:

(1)Those things which God has positively commanded - which are always to be obeyed.

(2)Many things which have been agreed on by the society as needful for its welfare - and these are to be submitted to unless they violate the rights of conscience; and

(3)Many things which are in themselves a matter of no express divine command, and of no formal enactment by the community. They are matters of convenience; things that tend to the order and harmony of the community, and of the propriety of these, “rulers” in the church and elsewhere should be allowed to judge, and we should submit to them patiently.

Hence, in the church we are to submit to all the proper regulations for conducting public worship; for the promotion of religion; and for the administration of discipline.

For they watch for your souls - They have no selfish aim in this. They do not seek “to lord it over God’s heritage.” It is for your own good that they do this, and you should therefore submit to these arrangements. And this shows also the true principle on which authority should be exercised in a church. It should be in such a way as to promote the salvation of the people; and all the arrangements should be with that end. The measures adopted, therefore, and the obedience enjoined, should not be arbitrary, oppressive, or severe, but should be such as will really promote salvation.

As they that must give account - To God. The ministers of religion must give account to God for their fidelity. For all that they teach, and for every measure which they adopt, they must soon be called into judgment. There is, therefore, the best security that under the influence of this solemn truth they will pursue only that course which will be for your good.

That they may do it with joy, and not with grief - Greek μὴ στενάζοντες mē stenazontes - not sighing, or groaning; as they would who had been unsuccessful. The meaning is, that they should so obey, that when their teachers came to give up their account they need not do it with sorrow over their perverseness and disobedience.

For this is unprofitable for you - That is, their giving up their account in that manner - as unsuccessful in their efforts to save you - would not be of advantage to you, but would be highly injurious. This is a strong mode of expressing the idea that it must be attended with eminent peril to their souls to have their religious teachers go and give an account against them. As they would wish, therefore, to avoid that, they should render to them all proper honor and obedience.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. Obey them that have the rule over you — Obey your leaders, τοις ηγουμενοις. He is not fit to rule who is not capable of guiding. Hebrews 13:7. In the former verse the apostle exhorts them to remember those who had been their leaders, and to imitate their faith; in this he exhorts them to obey the leaders they now had, and to submit to their authority in all matters of doctrine and discipline, on the ground that they watched for their souls, and should have to give an account of their conduct to God. If this conduct were improper, they must give in their report before the great tribunal with grief; but in it must be given: if holy and pure, they would give it in with joy. It is an awful consideration that many pastors, who had loved their flocks as their own souls, shall be obliged to accuse them before God for either having rejected or neglected the great salvation.