Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest (קוּמוּ וּלְכוּ כִּי לֹא־זֹאת הַמְּנוּחָה, qumu u-lekhu ki lo-zot hamenuchah). The command קוּמוּ וּלְכוּ (qumu u-lekhu, arise and go) announces exile. Canaan was promised as מְנוּחָה (menuchah, rest/resting place—Deuteronomy 12:9; Psalm 95:11). But covenant violation forfeited this rest. The land itself vomits out covenant-breakers (Leviticus 18:25-28). They must leave what was meant to be permanent inheritance.
Because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction (בַּעֲבוּר טָמְאָה תְּחַבֵּל וְחֶבֶל נִמְרָץ, ba'avur tam'ah techabbe l we-chevel nimrats). טָמֵא (tame', pollute/defile) describes cultic/moral contamination. Israel's sins defiled the land, making it uninhabitable. חָבַל (chaval, destroy/ruin) is repeated for emphasis—utter, painful (נִמְרָץ, nimrats, severe/grievous) destruction. The land itself becomes hostile, rejecting polluters.
This theology treats land as having moral responsiveness to human behavior. Genesis 4:10 personifies earth crying out over Abel's blood. Leviticus 18:25-28 warns the land vomits out wickedness. Romans 8:19-22 describes creation groaning under sin's curse, awaiting redemption. Sin doesn't just offend God abstractly; it corrupts creation, which rebels against corruption. Hebrews 4:1-11 reinterprets "rest" spiritually—ultimate rest is found in Christ, not geography. Yet the principle remains: persistent sin forfeits blessing, whether temporal (land) or eternal (fellowship with God).
Historical Context
God promised Canaan as Israel's "rest" (Deuteronomy 12:9-10; Joshua 21:44, 23:1). This rest was conditional—obedience secured possession; disobedience brought exile. Leviticus 26:27-39 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68 detail exile as covenant curse for persistent rebellion. Micah prophesies this curse's fulfillment: because Israel polluted the land through idolatry, injustice, and violence, the land will expel them.
Both Assyrian (722 BC) and Babylonian (586 BC) exiles fulfilled this warning. Lamentations 1:3 mourns: "Judah is gone into captivity... she findeth no rest." Yet prophets also promised return after exile (Jeremiah 29:10-14; Isaiah 40:1-2). The pattern: sin brings judgment, judgment prompts repentance, repentance yields restoration. The New Testament applies this to church discipline—persistent unrepentant sin requires removal from fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:1-13), yet restoration follows genuine repentance (2 Corinthians 2:5-11).
Questions for Reflection
How does the concept that the land itself rebels against sin reflect creation's moral responsiveness to human behavior?
What does forfeiting 'rest' in the promised land teach about how sin robs us of God's intended blessings?
In what ways does Hebrews 4 reinterpret 'rest' spiritually, and how do we enter that rest through Christ?
Analysis & Commentary
Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest (קוּמוּ וּלְכוּ כִּי לֹא־זֹאת הַמְּנוּחָה, qumu u-lekhu ki lo-zot hamenuchah). The command קוּמוּ וּלְכוּ (qumu u-lekhu, arise and go) announces exile. Canaan was promised as מְנוּחָה (menuchah, rest/resting place—Deuteronomy 12:9; Psalm 95:11). But covenant violation forfeited this rest. The land itself vomits out covenant-breakers (Leviticus 18:25-28). They must leave what was meant to be permanent inheritance.
Because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction (בַּעֲבוּר טָמְאָה תְּחַבֵּל וְחֶבֶל נִמְרָץ, ba'avur tam'ah techabbe l we-chevel nimrats). טָמֵא (tame', pollute/defile) describes cultic/moral contamination. Israel's sins defiled the land, making it uninhabitable. חָבַל (chaval, destroy/ruin) is repeated for emphasis—utter, painful (נִמְרָץ, nimrats, severe/grievous) destruction. The land itself becomes hostile, rejecting polluters.
This theology treats land as having moral responsiveness to human behavior. Genesis 4:10 personifies earth crying out over Abel's blood. Leviticus 18:25-28 warns the land vomits out wickedness. Romans 8:19-22 describes creation groaning under sin's curse, awaiting redemption. Sin doesn't just offend God abstractly; it corrupts creation, which rebels against corruption. Hebrews 4:1-11 reinterprets "rest" spiritually—ultimate rest is found in Christ, not geography. Yet the principle remains: persistent sin forfeits blessing, whether temporal (land) or eternal (fellowship with God).