Hebrews 2:13 Meaning and Explanation
“And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The verse follows the striking claim that Jesus calls sanctified people his brethren. It adds language of trust and family, helping us see that his saving work includes faithful dependence on God and a real relationship with those God brings to glory. The chapter will soon explain this solidarity through his sharing flesh and blood, so these short quotations prepare for a central truth.
Hebrews uses two scriptural sayings to show the Son's solidarity with God's people: he lives in trust toward God and stands before him with the children God has given him.
The Context of Hebrews 2:13
In Hebrews 2:9-10, Jesus tastes death for every man and is made perfect through sufferings as the captain of salvation who brings many sons unto glory. Verse 11 says that he who sanctifies and those sanctified are all of one, and verse 12 cites Psalm 22 to show him calling them brethren. Verse 13 gives two more scriptural citations. The next verses draw the conclusion: because the children share flesh and blood, he also took part in the same, faced death, delivered people from bondage, and became a merciful and faithful high priest.
What Does Hebrews 2:13 Mean?
"And again" signals another scriptural witness. "I will put my trust in him" gives voice to faithful reliance upon God. In this chapter, the Son is exalted and yet has entered suffering and death; the citation therefore fits the writer's emphasis on his obedient human path before God. The second citation begins, "Behold," a word that calls attention to a relationship openly acknowledged. "I and the children which God hath given me" pictures the speaker standing with a people received from God. Hebrews uses these sayings to strengthen the statement that Jesus is unashamed to call them brethren. His saving relation to them includes shared trust, belonging, and care under the Father's purpose.
The two sayings echo Isaiah 8:17-18, where trust in God is voiced amid a difficult setting and children are associated with God's sign and testimony. Hebrews applies their language within its own argument about the Son. The point is closely joined to what follows. The people whom God gives are called children, and verse 14 immediately speaks of children who partake of flesh and blood. Jesus' solidarity is therefore concrete within the chapter: he takes part of the same human condition, suffers, dies, and becomes the high priest who helps the tempted. God's initiative appears in the words "God hath given me," while the chapter also presents the Son's faithful participation in the saving work.
This verse prepares us to read Christ's nearness to his people with both reverence and comfort. He is the captain of their salvation and the faithful high priest, yet Hebrews also lets Scripture portray him among the children given by God. His trust in God belongs with his suffering and his obedience unto death, giving substance to the chapter's promise of help for the tempted. The family language also reaches forward to Hebrews' repeated concern for perseverance. Those whom God gathers are not left to face fear, temptation, or death alone. The Son who shared their flesh and blood is able to succour them in the realities they endure.
Bible Verses Related to Hebrews 2:13
“And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.”
- Isaiah 8:17
“Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.”
- Isaiah 8:18
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”
- Hebrews 2:14
“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
- Hebrews 2:17
Where Hebrews 2:13 Echoes in Scripture
Isaiah 8:17-18 supplies the language gathered in Hebrews 2:13. In Isaiah, trust in God and the presence of children stand within a troubled public moment. Hebrews receives those words as a fitting witness to the Son's faithful dependence on God and his acknowledged bond with the children God gives him. The following verses explain that bond through his full sharing in flesh and blood.
How to Apply Hebrews 2:13 Today
Faith often includes bringing fear and uncertainty before God with the same plain dependence expressed in the first citation. We can practice that dependence in prayer, in honest conversation with trusted believers, and in choices shaped by God's promises rather than panic. The phrase about children given by God also encourages careful regard for people placed within our care and fellowship. Christ's example gives dignity to faithful presence with one another, especially when suffering, temptation, bereavement, or anxiety makes someone feel isolated. We may receive that care and extend it with humility, remembering that every saving gift begins with God.
Reflection & Prayer
In what present pressure do we need to say afresh, "I will put my trust in him," and whom has God placed near us for faithful care? Prayer: God our Father, strengthen our trust in thee, keep us near thy Son, and make us attentive to those who need encouragement and help.