1:6

when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth: Paul is referring to a future event. This conclusion is supported by his words at Heb 2:5 regarding “the inhabited earth to come, about which we are speaking.” (See study note.) Thus Paul here points forward to a time when God would again send his Firstborn, this time invisibly, to give attention to the world of mankind.​—See study notes on Lu 2:1; Ac 1:11.

And let all of God’s angels do obeisance to him: Paul here quotes from the Greek Septuagint rendering of De 32:43 or Ps 97:7, or perhaps he combines thoughts from both scriptures. In the Septuagint, De 32:43 reads: “And let all of God’s sons do obeisance to him.” At Ps 97:7, the Septuagint reads: “Do obeisance to him [or “Bow down to him”], all his angels.” The Scriptures often use the expression “sons of God” to refer to angels. (See study note on Heb 1:5.) In the Hebrew Masoretic text, the phrase “and let all of God’s sons do obeisance to him” does not appear at De 32:43. However, support for this wording was discovered in a Dead Sea Scroll fragment of Deuteronomy written in Hebrew. The fragment contains a phrase with wording similar to that in the Septuagint. It is the first time this phrase has been found in any Hebrew manuscript of De 32:43. So the Greek translation of this expression was apparently based on a Hebrew text similar to what appears in this fragment.

do obeisance to him: Or “bow down to him,” that is, to Jesus. God has exalted Jesus to a position second only to that of the Most High. God has thus placed all the angels under the authority of his Son. Therefore, God can tell the angels to do obeisance to his Son. This admonition is in line with Php 2:9-11, where Paul wrote that “every knee . . . of those in heaven” should bend “in the name of Jesus.” (See study notes on Php 2:9, 10.) The Greek verb rendered “do obeisance to” (pro·sky·neʹo) at Heb 1:6 is broad in meaning. One lexicon gives the following possible meanings: “(fall down and) worship, do obeisance to, prostrate oneself before, do reverence to, welcome respectfully.” The context is essential in determining which is the correct rendering in this case. (See study note on Lu 24:52.) Many Bible translators use the term “worship” here (Heb 1:6), giving the impression that Jesus is God. However, the Bible shows elsewhere that Jesus is not Almighty God. Jehovah alone has the right to be worshipped. (Mt 4:10; Re 4:10, 11; 22:8, 9) Therefore, such renderings as “do obeisance to” or “bow down to” are well-supported and are found in various translations of this verse. The Jewish writer Josephus of the first century C.E. uses the Greek verb pro·sky·neʹo when speaking of subjects who, out of respect, would “make obeisance before,” or “bow before,” Roman governors and even their military bodyguards.​—The Jewish War, II, 366 (xvi, 4).