Hebrews 7:14 kjv

For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

Hebrews 7:14 nkjv

For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

Hebrews 7:14 niv

For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

Hebrews 7:14 esv

For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

Hebrews 7:14 nlt

What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe.

Hebrews 7 verses

Hebrews 7 14 Meaning

Hebrews 7:14 clearly states that Jesus, identified as "our Lord," originated from the tribe of Judah. This is a critical point because the Mosaic Law, through Moses, meticulously designated the priesthood exclusively to the tribe of Levi, specifically the descendants of Aaron. Moses, the Lawgiver, never legislated for priests to come from Judah. Therefore, this verse establishes a fundamental disjunction between Christ's tribal lineage and the requirements of the Mosaic Law concerning the priesthood, laying the groundwork for the argument that His priesthood must belong to a different, superior order—that of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7 14 Context

Hebrews chapter 7 meticulously expounds upon the nature and superiority of Jesus Christ's priesthood, contrasting it with the traditional Levitical (Aaronic) priesthood. The chapter introduces Melchizedek, a priest and king, as a pre-Mosaic type whom Christ fulfills. The Jewish audience would have understood the significance of tribal identity for both kingship (Judah) and priesthood (Levi). Hebrews 7:14 specifically addresses an apparent dilemma: how could Jesus, from the royal tribe of Judah, be a priest when Mosaic Law exclusively reserved the priesthood for the Levitical tribe? This verse emphasizes that Moses, the foundational lawgiver, made no provision for priests from Judah. The historical and cultural context is one where adherence to Mosaic Law, including strict tribal distinctions, was paramount. The author subtly offers a polemic against the limiting belief that the old covenant's framework could fully contain God's ultimate plan, arguing for the fulfillment and transcendence found in Christ.

Hebrews 7 14 Word analysis

• For it is clear (γὰρ πρόδηλον – gar prodēlon):
  • γὰρ (gar): "For," introducing a reason or explanation that underpins the subsequent argument, highlighting a widely accepted truth.
  • πρόδηλον (prodēlon): "Clear," "evident," "manifest," indicating that Jesus's tribal lineage from Judah was a publicly known and indisputable fact among both Jews and early Christians, requiring no further proof.
• that our Lord (ὅτι ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν – hoti ho Kyrios hēmōn):
  • ὅτι (hoti): "That," introducing the statement of what is clear.
  • ὁ Κύριος (ho Kyrios): "The Lord." A significant title for Jesus, denoting His sovereign authority, messianic identity, and implicitly, His divine nature, which is deeply revered by the believing community ("our Lord").
  • ἡμῶν (hēmōn): "Our," denoting a personal relationship and collective identification with Christ among believers.
• descended (ἀνατέταλκεν – anatetalken):
  • From ἀνατέλλω (anatellō): "to rise," "to spring up," "to originate from." It carries the connotation of a new beginning or a prophetic fulfillment (like the rising of a star or a branch) in the context of His appearance.
• from Judah (ἐξ Ἰούδα – ex Iouda):
  • ἐξ (ex): "Out of," signifying origin or derivation.
  • Ἰούδα (Iouda): "Judah," the tribe of the scepter and kingship, from which David and the Messiah were prophesied to come (Gen 49:10). This establishes Jesus's royal lineage.
• and in connection with that tribe (καὶ εἰς ἣν φυλὴν – kai eis hēn phylēn):
  • καὶ (kai): "And," linking two parts of the premise.
  • εἰς ἣν (eis hēn): "In reference to which," "concerning which tribe," emphasizing that the "silence" pertains specifically to Judah in priestly matters.
  • φυλὴν (phylēn): "Tribe," stressing the established tribal system as central to identity and function under the Old Covenant.
• Moses said nothing (οὐδὲν Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησεν – ouden Mōysēs elalēsen):
  • οὐδὲν (ouden): "Nothing," "not at all." This is a strong, emphatic negation, asserting a complete absence of Mosaic legislation.
  • Μωϋσῆς (Mōysēs): "Moses," the divinely appointed lawgiver for Israel, whose words comprised the core of the Old Covenant's legal framework. His silence is weighty.
  • ἐλάλησεν (elalēsen): "Said," "spoke," implying to give legislation or command.
• about priests (περὶ ἱερέων – peri hiereōn):
  • περὶ (peri): "Concerning," "about."
  • ἱερέων (hiereōn): "Priests," referring to the religious officials designated for cultic service.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah": This phrase asserts Jesus's undeniable lineage to the tribe of Judah, the royal tribe, firmly establishing His qualification as the prophesied King-Messiah. This lineage was universally acknowledged, laying a foundational fact for the subsequent argument about the nature of His priesthood.
• "and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests": This critical clause highlights a complete lack of Mosaic legislation for priests originating from Judah. Moses, who extensively detailed the Levitical priesthood, never alluded to a priestly role for Judah. This "silence" in the Law underscores the inability of the Old Covenant system to accommodate a priest from Judah, necessitating a different, higher order of priesthood that is outside the Mosaic framework—the Melchizedekian order—for Christ's priestly function to be legitimate.

Hebrews 7 14 Bonus section

• The argument from the "silence of scripture" is a sophisticated theological technique used by the author of Hebrews. It’s not just about what Moses did say, but what he didn't say, demonstrating that the Mosaic Law, despite its comprehensiveness, left room for and implied the necessity of a different arrangement concerning the ultimate priesthood.
• By referring to Jesus as "our Lord" before mentioning His tribe, the author assumes His audience already acknowledges His divine authority and messianic standing. This strengthens the argument: the divine Lord cannot be constrained by the limitations of the old earthly laws.
• This verse effectively counters potential Jewish Christian skepticism or temptations to revert to the Old Covenant's comfort and familiarity by demonstrating that Christ's non-Levitical priesthood is not a flaw, but a hallmark of His superiority and the establishment of a New Covenant.

Hebrews 7 14 Commentary

Hebrews 7:14 serves as a linchpin in the book's overarching argument for Christ's supreme high priesthood. The author leverages two universally accepted facts within the Jewish context: Jesus's undeniable lineage from the kingly tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10) and Moses's exhaustive, yet silent, legislation concerning priests from that tribe. This verse confronts the apparent dilemma directly. If Jesus, our Lord and Messiah, is from Judah, He cannot be a priest according to the Mosaic Law, which reserves the priesthood exclusively for Levi (specifically Aaron's descendants). The author interprets Moses's silence not as an oversight, but as a divinely intended emptiness within the old covenant framework, an "open space" that foreshadows the need for a new and different priestly order. This forces the conclusion that Christ's priesthood operates under a distinct and superior divine covenant, an "order of Melchizedek" established by God's oath, rendering the Levitical system preparatory and temporary. The silence of Moses on priests from Judah paradoxically speaks volumes about the absolute necessity of Christ's superior, eternal priesthood, which is not dependent on tribal lineage or legal codes but on God's unchangeable purpose.