But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?
Parallel translations
- KJV But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
- BSB But somewhere it is testified in these words: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?
- NKJV But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him?
- NASB But someone has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You think of him? Or a son of man, that You are concerned about him?
- NLT For in one place the Scriptures say, “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Scripture marvels that God should be mindful of frail humanity and care for the son of man. It raises the question of humanity's place and dignity in God's purposes.
Overview
Quoting Psalm 8:4, the author voices wonder at God's attentiveness to lowly human beings. In its original setting the psalm celebrates humanity's God-given dignity and dominion. Hebrews will apply 'the son of man' especially to Jesus, who fulfills humanity's intended destiny on our behalf.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 8:4–8what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him?
- Ps 144:3Yahweh, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?
- Job 7:17–18What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
- Isa 51:12“I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who will be made as grass?
- Job 15:14What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
- Job 25:6How much less man, who is a worm, the son of man, who is a worm!”
- Heb 4:4For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, “God rested on the seventh day from all his works”;
- Luke 7:16Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!”
- Gen 50:24Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
- 1 Pet 1:11searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.
- Isa 40:17All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
- Heb 5:6As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
- Luke 1:78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,
- Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
- Ps 146:3–4Don’t put your trust in princes, each a son of man in whom there is no help.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 2:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.