Definition: But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Hebrews 3:17. It's a really interesting and thought-provoking passage about forgiveness and our relationship with God. Here’s what it means in simple terms: The Basic Idea: This verse is asking a big question: “Who was the real reason God waited so long for us to repent (change our ways)?” It suggests that God didn't wait long because He was pleased with us, even though we hadn’t yet fully shown repentance. Let’s unpack it piece by piece: “But with whom was he grieved forty years?” – This is the core of the question. It means that God was disappointed and saddened for a long time – forty years – because of our disobedience. He felt like He wasn’t being pleased with us. “[Was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?” - This is where it gets really significant. The "wilderness" represents a time of trouble and separation from God's grace. It was when we weren't following His rules perfectly, and our lives were drifting away from Him. “whose carcases fell” : This is a figurative way of saying that people had fallen short of God’s standards – they didn’t fully turn to Him. Their "carcass" (their body) was broken or damaged. So, what does this all mean? The verse essentially says that God wasn't disappointed because we were the ones who weren't following His instructions. Instead, He was disappointed because we , as a whole group of people, hadn’t fully turned to Him and repented of our sins. In a nutshell: God grieved for a long time because we weren’t showing enough love and obedience to Him. He wasn't waiting longer because he was the one who was struggling; He was patiently waiting for us to become more like Him. --- Does this explanation help you understand the verse better? Would you like me to: Explain a specific part in more detail? Give you some examples of how this principle applies to our lives today?