that through death he might faithful as a servant, in the destroy him who hath the pow- whole of his house; for a testi er of death, that is, the impos-mony of those things which tor;* 15 and might deliver those were to be spoken afterward: who, through fear of death, 6 but Christ, as a Son, over were all their lifetime subject his own house; whose house to slavery. we are, if we keep the confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.

16 For indeed death doth not in any manner take hold of angels; but it taketh hold of the 7 WHEREFORE, as the holy seed of Abraham. 17 Where-spirit saith, "To-day, if ye will fore it was right for Christ in hear his voice, 8 harden not all things to be like his breth-your hearts, as in the provoca ren; that he might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in things relating to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.† 18 For in that he himself hath suffered, having been tempted, he is able to assist those who are tempted.

tion, in the day of trial in the desert: 9 where your fathers tried me, proved me, and saw my works forty years: 10 where fore I was grieved with that generation, and said, 'They al ways err in heart; and they have not known my ways:' 11 CH. III. 1 WHEREFORE, holy so in mine indignation I sobrethren, partakers of a heaven- lemnly said, 'They shall not ly calling, consider Jesus the enter into my rest:" 12 so Apostle and High-Priest of our likewise take heed, brethren, profession; 2 who was faithful lest there be in any of you an to him that appointed him, as evil heart of unbelief, in falling Moses also was faithful in the away from the living God: 13 whole of his house. 3 For this but exhort one another daily, person was counted worthy of while it is called to day; lest more glory than Moses, inas-any of you be hardened through much as he who formed the the deceitfulness of sin. house hath more honour than the house.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we retain the beginning of our confidence

4 (For every house is formed by some one; but he who form-firm to the end; 15 while it is ed all [things] is God.) said, "To-day, if ye will hear

5 And Moses indeed was his voice, harden not your

not an angel, or superior spirit. The words might be rendered, 'Since then the children partook in common of flesh and blood, he also completely shared in the same." Im. Ver. note.

the idolatrous and persecuting power. The death of Christ introduced a dispensation which, by gradually putting an end to heathenism and idolatry, and establishing the doctrine of a future life, abolished the power of death, and raised man above the fear of dissolution. See 2 Tim. i. 10, and Wetstein in loco.

The expression is remarkable is to inαoxeσdaι тas dμagrias, not to propitiate God, but to propitiate the sins of the people. The meaning probably is, q. d. to remove all legal obstructions and disqualifications, so that those, who were excluded as sinners from the privi leges of the old covenant, might be admitted to the benefits of the new dispensation, and might be called and made holy. See Theol. Rep. vol. v. p. 164.

under Moses.

hearts, as in the provocation.", lief; 7 God again limiteth a 16 For some, when they had certain day, saying by David, heard, provoked: however, not" To-day," after so long a time, all who came out of Egypt as it is said, "To-day if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts." 8 For if Joshua* had given them rest, then God would not afterward have spoken of another day.

17 But with whom was God grieved forty years? was it not vith those who sinned, whose carcases fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did he solemnly ay that they should not enter nto his rest, but to those who believed not? 19 So we see, hat they could not enter in, because of unbelief.

CH. IV. 1 Let us fear thereFore, lest, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any of you should appear to come short of it. 2 For we have had the glad tidings proclaimed to s, as they also had; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter into rest, as God saith; So in mine indignation I said, They shall not enter into my rest:"" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For Moses somewhere speaketh thus of the seventh day, " And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." 5 And in this place it is said again, "They shall not enter into my rest.

9 There remaineth therefore a keeping of rest to the people of God. 10 For he that hath entered into God's rest, hath rested also from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us earnestly endeavour, therefore, to enter into that rest; lest any one fall after the same example of unbelief.

12 For the word of God is lively and energetic, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and pierceth, even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart: 13 nor is there any creature that is not manifest before it: but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

14 HAVING therefore a great High-priest, who hath passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not a High-priest who cannot have compassion for our infirmities; 6 Since therefore it remain- but one who was tempted in all eth that some must enter there-things like ourselves, though in, and those, to whom glad without sin. 16 Let us therefore tidings were first proclaimed, come with confidence to the entered not in, because of unbe- throne of favour, that we may

* Gr. Jesus: which is the same as Joshua in the Hebrew. Joshua is evidently the person here spoken of.

* In_what_sense Christ is said to offer a sacrifice for sin for himself is explained in the note upon chap. vii. 27.

of God, and are thus making of end of all gain-saying. 17 In him a public example. which matter God, being more 7 For the land which drink- abundantly willing to show to eth in the rain that often com- the heirs of the promise the eth upon it, and produceth herb-immutability of his counsel, inage useful to those for whom it is tilled, receiveth blessing from God: 8 but that which beareth thorns and briars, whose end is to be burned, is rejected, and is about being cursed.

9 But, beloved, though we hus speak, we are persuaded better things of you, and things which belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust, so as to forget your work and the love which ye have shown towards his name, in that ye have miistered to the wants of the saints, and still minister. 11 But we desire that every one of you show the same earnestness, to the full assurance of your hope to the end: 12 that ye be not slothful, but imitators of those who through faith and patience Inherit the promises.

terposed by an oath: 18 that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to speak falsely, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us; 19 which hope we have as a sure and stedfast anchor of the soul, and as entering into the part within the veil; 20 whither our forerunner, Jesus, hath entered for us, being made a high-priest to the age, according to the order of Melchisedec.

CH. VII. 1 FOR this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him, 2 to whom even Abraham gave a tenth part of all the spoils, first being by in13 For when God made his terpretation king of righteouspromise to Abraham, because ness, and then king of Salem he could swear by no greater, also, (which is, king of peace,) 3 he sware by himself, 14 saying, without recorded father, without 'Assuredly I will greatly bless recorded mother, without genethee, and I will greatly multi-alogy, having neither beginning ply thee." 15 And accordingly, of days nor end of life,* but rewhen Abraham had waited pa-sembling the son of God, contiently, he obtained the promise. tinueth a priest during life. 16 For men indeed swear by one who is greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an

4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth

Of whose father, mother, pedigree, birth, and death we have no acount.-" Wakefield; who prefers this intelligible though free translation of the original to what must appear a strange aradoxical account to common readers. See his note. The short account of Melchisedec is Contained in Genesis xiv. The writer runs a parallel between Melchisedec and Christ. Melhisedec was a priest, though not of a priestly family of the termination of his priesthood we ave no account: he was a king as well as a priest; and of an order superior to Aaron, who irtually paid tithes to Melchisedec in his ancestor Abraham. In all these respects Melchisedec a type of Christ, who is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, and not after the order of Aaron." Im. Ver. note.

part of the spoils. 5 And indeed | cording to the likeness of Melthose who are of the sons of chisedec, 16 who became such, Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their own brethren, though these are descendants from Abraham: 6 but he whose pedigree is not from the same stock with them, received tithes from Abraham, and blessed him who had the promises.