Hebrews 4:7

7. Again--Anew the promise recurs. Translate as the Greek order is, "He limited a certain day, 'To-day.'" Here Paul interrupts the quotation by, "In (the Psalm of) David saying after so long a time (after five hundred years' possession of Canaan)," and resumes it by, "as it has been said before (so the Greek oldest manuscript, before, namely, He 3:7, 15), To-day if ye hear His voice," &c. [Alford].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Verse 7. Again, he limiteth. He designates, or definitely mentions. The word rendered limiteth οριζει means to bound, to set a boundary--as of a field, or farm; and then, to determine or fix definitely, to designate, appoint. Here it means, that he specifies particularly, or mentions expressly.

A certain day. A particular time; he mentions TO-DAY particularly. That is, in the time of David, he uses the word "to-day," as if there was then an offer of rest, and as if it were then possible to enter into it. The object of the additional thought was to show that the offer of rest was not confined to the Israelites, to whom it was first made; that David regarded it as existing in his day; and that man might even then be invited to come and partake of the rest that was promised. "Nearly five hundred years after the time when the Israelites were going to the promised land, and when the offer of rest was made to them, we hear David speaking of rest still; rest which was offered in his time, and which might then be lost by hardening the heart. It could not be, therefore, that the offer of rest pertained merely to the promised land. It must be something in advance of that. It must be something existing in the time of David. It must be an offer of heaven." "A Jew might feel the force of this argument more than we do; still it is conclusive to prove the point under consideration, that there was a rest spoken of long after the offer of the promised land, and that all the promises could not have pertained to that".

Saying in David. In a Psalm composed by David, or rather, perhaps, saying by David; that is, God spake by him.

To-day. Now; that is, even in the time of David.

After so long a time. That is, so long after the first promise was made; to wit, about five hundred years. These are the words of Paul, calling attention to the fact, that so long a time after the entrance into the promised land there was still a speaking of "to-day," as if even then they were called to partake of the rest.

As it is said. To quote it exactly; or to bring the express authority of the Scriptures. It is expressly said even after that long time, "To-day--or Now--if you will hear his voice." All this is to prove that even in that time, there was an offer of rest.

(b) "to-day" Ps 95:7

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Verse 7 He limiteth a certain day - The term day signifies not only time in general, but also present time, and a particular space. Day here seems to have the same meaning as rest in some other parts of this verse. The day or time of rest relative to the ancient Jews being over and past, and a long time having elapsed between God's displeasure shown to the disobedient Jews in the wilderness and the days of David, and the true rest not having been enjoyed, God in his mercy has instituted another day - has given another dispensation of mercy and goodness by Christ Jesus; and now it may be said, as formerly, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. God speaks now as he spoke before; his voice is in the Gospel as it was in the law. Believe, love, obey, and ye shall enter into this rest.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain