New Living Translation
Hebrews 12:17
17You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.
Hebrews 12:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
- New International Version (NIV)Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Context of Hebrews 12:17
15Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 16Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears. 18You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.
Read all of Hebrews 12Hebrews 12:17 word by word
ἴστε γὰρ ὅτι καὶ μετέπειτα θέλων κληρονομῆσαι τὴν εὐλογίαν ἀπεδοκιμάσθη· μετανοίας γὰρ τόπον οὐχ εὗρεν καίπερ μετὰ δακρύων ἐκζητήσας αὐτήν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- ye knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- how thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- afterwardμετέπειταmetepeita · afterwardG3347
- when he would haveθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- inheritedκληρονομέωklēronomeō · to inheritG2816
- the blessingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the blessingεὐλογίαeulogia · praiseG2129
- he was rejectedἀποδοκιμάζωapodokimazō · to rejectG593
- he foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- noοὐou · noG3756
- placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
- of repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341
- thoughκαίπερkaiper · althoughG2539
- he soughtἐκζητέωekzēteō · to seek outG1567
- itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- tearsδάκρυ, δάκρυονdakru dakruon · teardropG1144
Cross-references for Hebrews 12:17
- Genesis 27:31Esau prepared a delicious meal and brought it to his father. Then he said, “Sit up, my father, and eat my wild game so you can give me your blessing.”
- Hebrews 6:8But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.
- Proverbs 1:24“I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
- Jeremiah 6:30I will label them ‘Rejected Silver,’ for I, the Lord, am discarding them.”
- Matthew 7:23But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
- Matthew 25:11Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
- Luke 13:24“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.
- Hebrews 6:4For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Hebrews 10:26Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.
Commentaries on Hebrews 12:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17When he would have inherited the blessing - When he wished to have the lordship over the whole family conveyed to him, and sought it earnestly with tears, he found no place for a change in his father's mind and counsel, who now perceived that it was the will of God that Jacob should be made lord of all. Repentance - Here is not to be taken in a theological sense, as implying contrition for sin, but merely change of mind or purpose; nor does the word refer…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17For ye know how that afterward - When he came to his father, and earnestly besought him to reverse the sentence which he had pronounced; see Genesis 27:34-40. The “blessing” here referred to was not that of the birth-right, which he knew he could not regain, but that pronounced by the father Isaac on him whom he regarded as his first-born son. This Jacob obtained by fraud, when Isaac really “meant” to bestow it on Esau. Isaac appears to have been…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian's hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual race and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure. Peace with men, of all sects and parties, will be favourable to our pursuit of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17The author of Hebrews views Esau's lack of respect for his inheritance (Hebrews 12:16) and his loss of the blessing (Genesis 27:30–40) as closely connected. This led to his bitter tears. By extension, those who reject an inheritance through Christ's new covenant will face a future filled with bitterness.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. afterwards--Greek, "even afterward." He despised his birthright, accordingly also he was despised and rejected when he wished to have the blessing. As in the believer's case, so in the unbeliever's, there is an "afterwards" coming, when the believer shall look on his past griefs, and the unbeliever on his past joys, in a very different light from that in which they were respectively viewed at the time. Compare "Nevertheless afterward," &c. He 12:11…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 12:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hebrews 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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