Hebrews 8:7
ESV
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
NIV
For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
NASB
For if that first covenant had been free of fault, no circumstances would have been sought for a second.
CSB
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one.
NLT
If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.
KJV
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
NKJV
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.
What does Hebrews 8:7 mean?
Earlier passages in the book of Hebrews pointed out that God's promises clearly point to something better than the Levitical priesthood. References to passages such as Genesis 14 and Psalm 110 were used to prove that God had a purpose in mind which went beyond the Old Testament law. Those rituals and objects were meant as symbols of the truth, not the truth itself. Here, that same idea is stated in clear language: the old covenant, by itself, is flawed. If that system had been perfect, there would have been no reason for God to promise something better. Therefore, if God Himself made the promise of a "new covenant," we cannot claim that the old covenant is His ultimate plan.The upcoming quotation is from the prophet Jeremiah, who wrote about the impending defeat and exile of Israel, many centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ. Even then, God was pointing to a relationship with mankind beyond rituals and repetitive sacrifices. The description provided by Jeremiah exactly matches the pattern fulfilled by Jesus, and preached by the apostles who followed Him.
Hebrews 8:7–13 uses a quotation from Jeremiah to support an important claim. According to the author of Hebrews, God has always intended to replace the old covenant of the Levitical priests with a new covenant, centered on the work of Jesus Christ. Jeremiah's description of a covenant, explicitly different from what Israel was given during the Exodus, describes the personal, internal nature of the Holy Spirit in a saved believer. Jeremiah's words also place great emphasis on ''I will'' statements coming from God.
Hebrews chapter 8 indicates that the temples, rituals, and objects of the old covenant were always meant to be symbolic. They were real, and valuable, but their ultimate worth was in their symbolism. Those were always intended by God to point towards a better covenant. Rather than something repetitive, earthly, and limited, God planned to offer something completed, personal, and eternal through Jesus Christ. As further proof of this, the writer of Hebrews offers yet another quotation from the Jewish Scriptures, this time from the prophet Jeremiah.
