Devine Scripture

Hebrews 1:10

What does Hebrews 1:10 mean?

A plain-English look at Hebrews 1:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Hebrews 1:10 means

Addressed to the Son, Scripture says, “Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands.” The Son is not only King; He is Creator. He stands at the starting point of all that exists, crafting earth’s foundation and the vast expanse above. Calling Him “Lord” recognizes His divine authority and creative power. Creation is the work of His hands, personal and purposeful. By ascribing the making of heaven and earth to the Son, the text establishes that everything else is contingent on Him. This pushes His superiority far beyond angels: He is the One by whom they—and all things—were made.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands:

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands:

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

You, Lord, at the first did put the earth on its base, and the heavens are the works of your hands:

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and, `Thou, at the beginning, Lord, the earth didst found, and a work of thy hands are the heavens;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And: Thou in the beginning, O Lord, didst found the earth: and the works of thy hands are the heavens.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And, Thou in the beginning, Lord, hast founded the earth, and works of thy hands are the heavens.

Context

Verse 10 broadens the portrait from the Son’s kingship (vv. 8–9) to His role as Creator. It follows logically from verse 2, which already said God made the worlds through Him. Verses 11–12 will carry this forward by contrasting the changeable nature of creation with the Son’s permanence. The flow thus moves from royal authority to creative authorship to unchanging being, each layer intensifying the case for the Son’s absolute supremacy.

v.9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

v.10This passage

v.11They shall perish; but thou continuest: And they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Psalms 102:25

    Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands.

  • Isaiah 51:13

    and hast forgotten Jehovah thy Maker, that stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fearest continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he maketh ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

  • Revelation 3:14

    And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:

  • Isaiah 42:5

    Thus saith God Jehovah, he that created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he that spread abroad the earth and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

  • John 1:1

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

  • Isaiah 48:13

    Yea, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

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