Devine Scripture

Hebrews 6:13

What does Hebrews 6:13 mean?

A plain-English look at Hebrews 6:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Hebrews 6:13 means

To anchor the call to patient faith, the writer turns to Abraham. When God promised him, he “sware by himself,” because there is no greater authority. God stooped to human forms of assurance to make his word doubly sure. The point is not that God’s bare promise is weak, but that he lovingly accommodates our weakness. By appealing to the supreme name—his own—God guarantees the certainty of what he pledges. This shows the reliability of all God’s promises to his people: their security rests not on human constancy but on God’s unassailable character and his willingness to confirm his word with an oath.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself,

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself,

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For when God made his oath to Abraham, because there was no greater oath, he made it by himself,

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

For to Abraham God, having made promise, seeing He was able to swear by no greater, did swear by Himself,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For God making promises to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom he might swear, swore by himself,

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

ForGod, having promised to Abraham, since he had no greater to swear by, swore by himself,

Context

The exhortation to imitate the patient faithful (verse 12) now finds its model in Abraham. Verse 13 explains the manner of God’s promise to him—sealed with an oath. Verse 14 will recall the content of that oath in brief form, and verse 15 will highlight Abraham’s patient endurance leading to fulfillment. Then, verses 16–18 will generalize the function of oaths and show how God’s oath provides strong encouragement to all heirs of the promise. This leads into the anchor imagery and Christ’s priestly entrance in verses 19–20.

v.12that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

v.13This passage

v.14saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

Cross references

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

  • Ezekiel 32:13

    I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside many waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them.

  • Psalms 105:9

    The covenantwhich he made with Abraham, And his oath unto Isaac,

  • Luke 1:73

    The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father,

  • Jeremiah 22:5

    But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith Jehovah, that this house shall become a desolation.

  • Isaiah 45:23

    By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

  • Genesis 22:15

    And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven,

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