Hebrews 8:7

Hebrews 8:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
• New International Version (NIV)For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

Context of Hebrews 8:7

5But the way that those Levite priests work is only like a picture of the true things in heaven. It is like a shadow of what would happen in heaven. Long ago, when Moses was ready to make the tabernacle, God warned him about it. God said to Moses, ‘Be careful to make everything just like the plan which I showed you on the mountain.’ 6But now God has given Jesus a much better way to serve him as a priest. The new agreement that God makes with his people is possible because of Jesus. Because of Jesus' work on our behalf, the new agreement is better than the old one. It is much better because it started with better promises. If there had been nothing wrong with that first agreement, then nobody would have needed a second agreement. 8But God did find something wrong with it. As a result, he said this to his people: ‘Listen to this! The Lord says: A time will come when I make a new agreement with my people. That is, with Israel's people and with Judah's people. 9It will not be like the old agreement that I made with their ancestors. At that time, I brought my people safely out of Egypt. I led them like a father who takes his child's hand. But they did not continue to obey my agreement with them. So I turned away from them. That is what the Lord says.

Hebrews 8:7 word by word

εἰ γὰρ ἡ πρώτη ἐκείνη ἦν ἄμεμπτος, οὐκ ἂν δευτέρας ἐζητεῖτο τόπος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
• had beenεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• faultlessἄμεμπτοςamemptos · blamelessG273
• then should noοὐou · noG3756
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• have been soughtζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• for the secondδεύτεροςdeuteros · secondlyG1208
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588

Cross-references for Hebrews 8:7

• Hebrews 8:6But now God has given Jesus a much better way to serve him as a priest. The new agreement that God makes with his people is possible because of Jesus. Because of Jesus' work on our behalf, the new agreement is better than the old one. It is much better because it started with better promises.
• Hebrews 7:11The Levite priests were a necessary part of God's Law for Israel's people. But those priests could not make the people completely right with God. If that had been possible, the Levite priests could have continued their work. But we see that God has chosen a different kind of priest to serve him. That priest is not someone from Aaron's family, as the Levites were. Instead, he is a priest in the same way that Melchizedek was God's priest.
• Galatians 3:21So should we say that God's Law works against God's promises? No, certainly that is not true! It is not possible for the rules of any law to give us life with God. If that could happen, then God would have accepted us as right if we obeyed those rules.

Commentaries on Hebrews 8:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7If that first had been faultless - This is nearly the same argument with that in Hebrews 7:11. The simple meaning is: If the first covenant had made a provision for and actually conferred pardon and purity, and given a title to eternal life, then there could have been no need for a second; but the first covenant did not give these things, therefore a second was necessary; and the covenant that gives these things is the Christian covenant.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For if that first covenant had been faultless - see the note on Hebrews 7:11. It is implied here that God had said that that covenant was not perfect or faultless. The meaning is not that that first covenant made under Moses had any real faults - or inculcated what was wrong, but that it did not contain the ample provision for the pardon of sin and the salvation of the soul which was desirable. It was merely “preparatory” to the gospel. Then should no…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 The superior excellence of the priesthood of Christ, above that of Aaron, is shown from that covenant of grace, of which Christ was Mediator. The law not only made all subject to it, liable to be condemned for the guilt of sin, but also was unable to remove that guilt, and clear the conscience from the sense and terror of it. Whereas, by the blood of Christ, a full remission of sins was provided, so that God would remember them no more. God…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7The first agreement, made at Mount Sinai, was not without faults. It was only part of God’s plan, because it did not overcome human weakness (see Hebrews 7:11–28; 8:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Same reasoning as in He 7:11. faultless--perfect in all its parts, so as not to be found fault with as wanting anything which ought to be there: answering all the purposes of a law. The law in its morality was blameless (Greek, "amomos"); but in saving us it was defective, and so not faultless (Greek, "amemptos"). should no place have been sought--as it has to be now; and as it is sought in the prophecy (He 8:8-11). The old covenant would have…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 8:7

• Covenant
• Gospel
• Law
• Offerings

In the dictionaries

• Admonish
• Uttermost
• Christ, Offices of
• Congregation
• Faithful; Faithfulness
• Fault
• Gebal
• Hebrews, Epistle to the
• Jeroham
• Joelah

Commentaries on Hebrews 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings