Deuteronomy 29:18

Hebrew Bible

16 “(For you know how we lived in the land of Egypt and how we crossed through the nations as we traveled. 17 You have seen their detestable things and idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold.) 18 Beware that the heart of no man, woman, clan, or tribe among you turns away from the Lord our God today to pursue and serve the gods of those nations; beware that there is among you no root producing poisonous and bitter fruit. 19 When such a person hears the words of this oath he secretly blesses himself and says, ‘I will have peace though I continue to walk with a stubborn spirit.’ This will destroy the watered ground with the parched. 20 The Lord will be unwilling to forgive him, and his intense anger will rage against that man; all the curses written in this scroll will fall upon him, and the Lord will obliterate his name from memory.

Hebrews 12:15

New Testament

13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed. 14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through it many become defiled. 16 And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears.

 Notes and References

"... The broader context of Hebrews 12 refers to Deuteronomy: the majority of quotations from, and allusions to, Deuteronomy appear in the latter portions of Hebrews, especially Chapter 12 (Kibbe 2016:121, 132). Hebrews 12:3 probably alludes to Deuteronomy 20:3 (Steyn 2007:160), and Hebrews 12:15 to Deuteronomy 29:18 LXX (Guthrie 2007:988). Finally, there is a possibility that Proverbs 3:11–12 is based on Deuteronomy 8:5, or at least that ‘the concept of discipline’ in Deuteronomy 8 ‘informs the writer of Proverbs’ (Spellman 2016:499). This would explain several of the parallels between Hebrews 12:9 and Proverbs 3:11–12 ..."

Coetsee, A.J. Hebrews 12:9 Revisited: The Background of the Phrase "and live" (pp. 1-11) HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 76(1), 2020

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