Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Verse
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Hebrews 6:7
ESV For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.
NIV Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.
NASB For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;
CSB For the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God.
NLT When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing.
KJV For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

What does Hebrews 6:7 mean?

Verses 7 and 8 are crucial to understanding the correct interpretation of verses 4 through 6. Just as verses 1 through 3 introduced the need for Christians to move beyond shallow faith, verses 7 and 8 explain God's method for restoring those whose immaturity leads to a "falling away." The metaphor given here is a farmer's field, which either responds to rain by producing good crops, or by growing weeds and thorns. Productive fields are blessed. Weed-choked fields are not destroyed or discarded. Rather, they are burnt in order to clear all of those negative growths away.

Paired with the warnings of verses 4, 5, and 6, the meaning of this metaphor is more clearly understood. Christians whose faith is shallow, and who "fall away" into doubt and disobedience, are beyond the help of other men in coming back to a full faith (Hebrews 6:4–6). Such people are, in practice, siding with the world which crucified Christ. God's method, then, is the same as that of the farmer: fire. In Scripture, fire is a frequent symbol of divine judgment (Hebrews 10:26–29; Isaiah 10:17).

The ultimate example of this, as used in the book of Hebrews, is the nation of Israel. The Jewish people doubted God and disobeyed Him at the borders of the Promised Land. This resulted in severe judgment, after which the nation was finally able to move on (Numbers 13—14). This living example is a major theme explored in chapters 3 and 4 of this book (Hebrews 3:12–19; 4:11). This is the overall context of this passage. The purpose is not to imply a loss of salvation, but the danger of being "disqualified" and judged accordingly, before one can be restored (1 Corinthians 9:27).
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app:
BibleRef.com is part of Got Questions Ministries

For answers to your Bible questions, please visit