Hebrews 8:7 BSB — MannaFest

Hebrews 8:7

For if that first covenant had been without fault, no place would have been sought for a second.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.

KJV

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

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Commentary

2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

For if that first covenant had been faultless - see the note on Heb 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.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

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 (Heb 8:8-11). The old covenant would have anticipated all man's wants, so as to give no occasion for seeking something more perfectly adequate.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

12 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
εἰ	ei	If	G1487 →
γὰρ	gar	for	G1063 →
ἡ	hē	the	G3588 →
πρώτη	prōtē	first	G4413 →
ἐκείνη	ekeinē	that [one]	G1565 →
ἦν	ēn	was	G1510 →
ἄμεμπτος,	amemptos	faultless,	G273 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
ἂν	an	then would	G302 →
δευτέρας	deuteras	for a second	G1208 →
ἐζητεῖτο	ezēteito	was being sought	G2212 →
τόπος.	topos	a place.	G5117 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Galatians 3:21
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.
leads to
- Galatians 2:21
  I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Romans 9:31
  but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
Through
Hebrews 8:6
Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.
leads to
- Hebrews 7:22
  Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
- Galatians 3:16–21
  The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
- Hebrews 12:24
  to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Through
Hebrews 7:18
So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless
leads to
- 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…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Romans 8:3
  For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin.…
- Acts 13:39
  Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

Featured studies on this passage

On Hebrews 8:7

The Covenants

Six covenants in succession, cumulative rather than replacing. Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New. Each narrowing the line of promise while widening the scope of fulfillment.

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