Hebrews 7:13
in Hebrews 7He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For he of whom these things are said belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar.
KJV
For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
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This verse in Hebrews 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For he of whom these things are spoken - The Lord Jesus, the Messiah, to whom they had reference. The things here spoken of pertain to his office as priest; his being of the order of Melchizedek. The apostle here “assumes” it as a point concerning which there could be no dispute, that these things referred to the Lord Jesus. Those whom he addressed would not be disposed to call this in question, and his argument had conducted him to this conclusion. Pertaineth to another tribe - To the tribe of Judah; Heb 7:
This site's exposition
when the priesthood is changed
on Hebrews 7:12-14
The law tied the priesthood to Levi, so when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well. Christ belonged to a different tribe, Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests.
This site's exposition
belonged to a different tribe
The things said are the words of Psalm 110:4, and Albert Barnes notes the writer takes it as beyond dispute that they speak of Jesus. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown render the verb as has partaken of a tribe. The perfect tense marks that His manhood continues.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"For he of whom these things are spoken." It is certainly said concerning Christ, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb. 7:17) "belongs to another tribe." And so great, he says, is the change and interchange of both the law …
"For He of whom these things are spoken pertained to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests." I myself also say it, I know that this tribe of Judah had nothing of priesthood. For there is a transferring. And observe the mystery. First it was royal, and then it is become sacerdotal: so therefore also in regard to Christ: for King indeed He always was, but has become Priest from the time that He assumed the Flesh, that He offered the sacrifice. Thou seest the change, and the very things which were ground of objection these he introduces, as though the natural order of things required them.
The Medieval Church2 voices
355. – Then when he says, he of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, he clarifies what he had said: first, that the priesthood was transferred; secondly, he explains this (v. 14). 356. – He says, therefore: It has been stated that …
He shows how the priesthood was changed according to tribe, and says that Christ ("of Whom" (ἐφ᾿ ὃν) instead of τον, περί ου – that is, "to Whom" the priesthood passed over) – is from another tribe, namely from Judah. "From which," namely from the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But the priesthood is manifestly changed from one order to another, and from one tribe to another. For he of whom these things are spoken - Namely, Jesus.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For he of whom these things are spoken,....
The priesthood and law by which perfection could not come are abolished, and a priest has arisen, and a dispensation is now set up, by which true believers may be made perfect. Now that there is such a change is obvious.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Confirming the truth that a change is made of the law (Heb 7:12), by another fact showing the distinctness of the new priesthood from the Aaronic. these things-- (Ps 110:4). pertaineth--Greek, "hath partaken of" (the perfect tense implies the continuance still of His manhood). another--"a different tribe" from that of Levi.
For he of whom these things are spoken - That is, Jesus the Messiah, spoken of in Psa 110:4, who came, not from the tribe of Levi, but from the tribe of Judah, of which tribe no priest ever ministered at a Jewish altar, nor could minister according to the law.
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | [He] concerning | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ὃν | hon | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| λέγεται | legetai | are spoken | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ταῦτα, | tauta | these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| φυλῆς | phules | to a tribe | G5443 → | |
| ἑτέρας | heteras | another | G2087 → | 97 times |
| μετέσχηκεν, | metescheken | has belonged to, | G3348 → | 8 times |
| ἀφ᾽ | aph᾽ | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| ἧς | hes | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| οὐδεὶς | oudeis | no [one] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| προσέσχηκεν | prosescheken | has served | G4337 → | |
| τῷ | to | at the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θυσιαστηρίῳ. | thusiasterio | altar. | G2379 → |
ἐφ᾽[He] concerning
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ὃνwhom
honG3739 →1405 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
λέγεταιare spoken
legetaiG3004 →1325 times
ταῦτα,these things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
φυλῆςto a tribe
phulesG5443 →
ἑτέραςanother
heterasG2087 →97 times
μετέσχηκεν,has belonged to,
meteschekenG3348 →8 times
ἀφ᾽from
aph᾽G575 →640 times
ἧςwhich
hesG3739 →1405 times
οὐδεὶςno [one]
oudeisG3762 →232 times
προσέσχηκενhas served
proseschekenG4337 →
τῷat the
toG3588 →19766 times
θυσιαστηρίῳ.altar.
thusiasterioG2379 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 7:14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests.
it leads to
- Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days…
- Isaiah 11:1
Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
- Luke 3:33
the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
- Revelation 5:5
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
- Micah 5:2
Through
Hebrews 7:11Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of…
it leads to
- Hebrews 8:7
For if that first covenant had been without fault, no place would have been sought for a second.
- Galatians 2:21
I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.
- Galatians 4:9
But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them…
- Hebrews 8:7
Through
Numbers 17:5The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the constant grumbling of the Israelites against you.”
it leads to
- Numbers 16:5
Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him and who is holy, and He will bring that person near to Himself. The one…
- Numbers 16:5
Where this verse is studied
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About Hebrews
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 13; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.