Demonstrable Errors in Modern Versions Part 5: Hebrews 3:16

Things are not looking good for the modern versions up to this point. We have thus far looked at four examples of blatant, proveable errors, and we are not even finished yet. I still have a least two more to show, possibly more. This next error is found in the book of Hebrews. I will go ahead and give the ESV a break and instead quote from the NIV for this one. But first we will read from the KJB. The context of Hebrews 3 shows Paul exhorting his audience to faith and perseverance in their Gospel profession. He gives the example of the Israelites in Numbers 14 who perished in the wilderness by provoking God’s wrath through idolatry and unbelief, which is the same story he references in 1 Corinthians 10 when warning the church at Corinth against idolatry. In Hebrews 3:16 the KJB reads:

Hebrews 3:16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

As one searches the Scriptures, he or she will find this clearly shown to be true. As we look at Numbers chapter 14, in which this incident is recorded, we find God himself speaking to Moses with the following words:

Numbers 14:20–24 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: (21) But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD . (22) Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; (23) Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: (24) But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

Once again, the author of Hebrews is making a very simple point. Many of the Israelites provoked God in the wilderness, but not all. Some did, but not all. Numbers 14 confirms this, and this is obviously where Paul is getting his information from. But the modern versions love to complicate and screw up everything, so here is the same verse from the NIV:

16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?

Every modern version that I have checked, including the ESV, says the same thing. And the answer to the question as it stands in the NIV is clearly “no” according to Numbers 14, yet for some reason the NIV and other modern versions decided to translate this as a rhetorical question and imply that everyone who came out of Egypt did in fact provoke God and perish in the wilderness.

Similar to the last post, there is not much to say here. It is quite literally as simple as pointing out that there is a blatant, demonstrably false teaching in the NIV. The error speaks for itself and any honest reader can clearly see it. Any reader who trembles at the word of God ought to forsake such a messed up version and pick up a King James Bible.