9 The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the following words are spoken by the Lord (see vv. 9–11).
10 The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1–7; Num 20:1–13, see also Pss 81:7; 106:32). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.
11 The name Massah means “testing.” This was another name (along with Meribah) given to the place where Israel complained following the Red Sea Crossing (see Exod 17:1–7, as well as Deut 6:16; 9:22; 33:8).
12 Heb “do not harden your heart[s] as [at] Meribah, as [in] the day of Massah in the wilderness.”
13 Heb “where your fathers tested me.”
14 The prefixed verbal form is either a preterite or an imperfect. If the latter, it emphasizes the ongoing nature of the condition in the past. The translation reflects this interpretation of the verbal form.
15 Heb “a people, wanderers of heart [are] they.”
16 Heb “and they do not know my ways.” In this context the Lord’s “ways” are his commands, viewed as a pathway from which his people, likened to wayward sheep (see v. 7), wander.
17 Heb “my resting place.” The promised land of Canaan is here viewed metaphorically as a place of rest for God’s people, who are compared to sheep (see v. 7).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture,

and the sheep of his hand.

Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,

as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

when your fathers put me to the test

and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

For forty years I loathed that generation

and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,

and they have not known my ways.”

Therefore I swore in my wrath,

“They shall not enter my rest.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

for he is our God

and we are the people of his pasture,

the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice,

“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,

as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,

where your ancestors tested me;

they tried me, though they had seen what I did.

For forty years I was angry with that generation;

I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,

and they have not known my ways.’

So I declared on oath in my anger,

‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture,

the sheep under his care.

Today, if you hear his voice:

Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,

as on that day at Massah in the wilderness

where your ancestors tested me;

they tried me, though they had seen what I did.

For forty years I was disgusted with that generation;

I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray;

they do not know my ways.”

So I swore in my anger,

“They will not enter my rest.”

NLTNew Living Translation

for he is our God.

We are the people he watches over,

the flock under his care.

If only you would listen to his voice today!

The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah,

as they did at Massah in the wilderness.

For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience,

even though they saw everything I did.

For forty years I was angry with them, and I said,

‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me.

They refuse to do what I tell them.’

So in my anger I took an oath:

‘They will never enter my place of rest.’ ”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture

and the sheep of his hand.

Today if you will hear his voice:

“Do not harden your heart as at Meribah,

as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,

when your ancestors tried me.

They put me to the test,

even though they had seen my work.

For forty years I loathed that generation,

and said, ‘They are a people whose heart wanders.

And my ways they do not know.’

Therefore I swore in my anger,

‘They shall surely not enter into my rest.’ ”

KJV 1900King James Version

For he is our God;

And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

To day if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your heart, as in the provocation,

And as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

When your fathers tempted me,

Proved me, and saw my work.

Forty years long was I grieved with this generation,

And said, It is a people that do err in their heart,

And they have not known my ways:

Unto whom I sware in my wrath

That they should not enter into my rest.

Public Domain