Hebrews 9 19

Hebrews 9:19 kjv

For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

Hebrews 9:19 nkjv

For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

Hebrews 9:19 niv

When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.

Hebrews 9:19 esv

For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

Hebrews 9:19 nlt

For after Moses had read each of God's commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God's law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool.

Hebrews 9 verses

Hebrews 9 19 Meaning

Hebrews 9:19 explains the ratification of the Old Covenant at Mount Sinai, detailing the ritual Moses performed to consecrate the covenant and the people. It emphasizes the foundational principle that blood was indispensable for covenant making and purification under the Mosaic Law. The verse lists the specific elements used in this sacred ceremony: the blood of animal sacrifices (calves and goats), mingled with water, applied using scarlet wool and hyssop. This mixture was then sprinkled upon the "book of the covenant" and "all the people," symbolizing their consecration and adherence to God's commandments, setting the stage to show the temporary and foreshadowing nature of the Old Covenant system.

Hebrews 9 19 Context

Hebrews 9:19 is part of the author's extended argument, beginning in chapter 8, which establishes the superiority of Christ's new covenant over the old Mosaic covenant. Chapters 8-10 particularly focus on the contrast between the Old Testament priesthood, tabernacle, sacrifices, and the New Testament reality found in Christ. The immediate context of verses 15-22 details the necessity of death for a will or covenant to be in effect. Verse 19 recounts a pivotal Old Testament event—the ratification of the Sinaitic Covenant, as described in Exodus 24:3-8. This event, involving Moses, the Law, and the use of animal blood for sprinkling, serves as a crucial Old Testament prototype for the author's subsequent explanation of Christ's once-for-all, more effective sacrifice. The author details the Old Covenant rituals to highlight their limitations and the provisional nature, demonstrating that they could not truly perfect the conscience or forgive sins permanently, thus necessitating a superior, final sacrifice—that of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 9 19 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): Introduces an explanation or a reason. Here, it explains why the first covenant was inaugurated with blood, as stated in Heb 9:18.
• when Moses had spoken (λαλήσαντος τοῦ Μωϋσέως - lalēsantos tou Mōysēos): Refers to Moses, as the mediator, communicating God's will and covenant terms to the Israelites (Exod 24:3-4). This highlights his central role in the Old Covenant's establishment.
• every precept (πᾶσαν ἐντολήν - pasan entolēn): Every command or ordinance given by God through Moses. This signifies the comprehensive nature of the Mosaic Law as revealed to Israel.
• to all the people (παντὶ τῷ λαῷ - panti tō laō): Emphasizes the universal application of the covenant to the entire Israelite community. No one was exempt from the Law.
• according to the law (κατὰ τὸν νόμον - kata ton nomon): Confirms that Moses' actions were in full compliance with divine instruction. This phrase connects directly to the system God instituted, emphasizing the lawful nature of the rituals described.
• he took (λαβών - labōn): A participle meaning "having taken" or "when he had taken," indicating a preparatory action for the ceremony.
• the blood of calves and goats (τὸ αἷμα τῶν μόσχων καὶ τράγων - to haima tōn moschōn kai tragōn): These were specific sacrificial animals, commonly used for purification and sin offerings in the Mosaic system (Leviticus 4, 16). Their blood symbolized the life surrendered for atonement.
• with water (μετὰ ὕδατος - meta hydatos): Water was essential for ceremonial purification, often mixed with blood or other elements in purification rites (Num 19; Lev 14). It cleansed and made atonement effective.
• and scarlet wool (καὶ ἐρίου κοκκίνου - kai eriōn kokkinou): Scarlet wool, along with hyssop, was specifically used in various Old Testament purification rituals for lepers and those defiled by a corpse (Lev 14:4; Num 19:6). The color "scarlet" often symbolized sin (Isa 1:18) or vibrant life/atonement.
• and hyssop (καὶ ὑσσώπου - kai hyssōpou): A plant with small branches, ideal for sprinkling, famously used in Passover (Exod 12:22), and various purification ceremonies (Lev 14:4; Num 19:6; Ps 51:7). It facilitated the application of the blood and water.
• and sprinkled (ἐρράντισεν - errantisen): This act of "sprinkling" was central to purification and consecration. It ceremonially applied the purifying agent, signifying a setting apart for God's purposes and removal of defilement.
• both the book (τό τε βιβλίον - to te biblion): Refers to the "Book of the Covenant" (Exod 24:7), containing the laws and stipulations of God's covenant with Israel. Sprinkling it signified its sacredness and the people's binding agreement to its terms.
• and all the people (καὶ πάντα τὸν λαόν - kai panta ton laon): Signified the consecration and commitment of the entire nation to the covenant. This act publicly declared their entry into and obligation to the Mosaic Law.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law": This phrase grounds the entire account in the divine command and the Mosaic covenant. It sets the scene by emphasizing Moses' role as the mediator delivering God's complete word to the full congregation of Israel, prior to the covenant's formal ratification. It asserts the legitimacy and comprehensive nature of the Old Covenant system.
• "he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop": This group specifies the ceremonial apparatus. The inclusion of blood highlights its absolute necessity for covenant making and atonement. The additional elements (water, scarlet wool, hyssop) signify purification, demonstrating that the covenant was not merely about law, but also about purification and consecration through ritual means. These elements were deeply symbolic within Jewish cultic practice.
• "and sprinkled both the book, and all the people": This describes the culminating action of the Old Covenant's inauguration. The "book" represents the divine Word and the terms of the covenant, sanctified and validated by blood. "All the people" signifies the recipients of the covenant, cleansed and set apart by the sprinkled blood, entering into a sacred relationship with God. This act bound them irrevocably to God's law.

Hebrews 9 19 Bonus section

The act of sprinkling with blood was not just symbolic but profoundly theological under the Old Covenant, representing life surrendered (as the "life is in the blood," Lev 17:11) for atonement and establishing a consecrated relationship with God. The detailed mention of specific components like scarlet wool and hyssop directly connects this grand covenant-making ceremony at Sinai to other purification rituals found in the Mosaic Law, such as cleansing from defiling diseases or contact with the dead. This highlights the comprehensive application of the principle: purity, whether for approaching God or for participating in the covenant, always involved ritual cleansing, often by blood. This consistent use of blood for purification and consecration within the Old Covenant framework provided the original audience with an indispensable frame of reference for appreciating the depth and efficacy of Christ's superior blood sacrifice.

Hebrews 9 19 Commentary

Hebrews 9:19 meticulously recounts the foundational ceremony of the Old Covenant's ratification, underscoring the critical role of blood. This detailed description is not merely historical recounting but serves as the necessary background for the author's primary argument: the Old Covenant rituals, while divinely ordained and symbolizing atonement, were intrinsically limited and preparatory. The sprinkling of blood on the book of the covenant and the people sealed the agreement, declaring God's commitment to Israel and Israel's obligation to God's law. The specific materials—calves and goats blood, water, scarlet wool, and hyssop—were well-known elements in Old Testament purification rituals, all pointing to a need for cleansing and sanctification. The very act of sprinkling implied consecration and cleansing from defilement. By establishing this historical and ritualistic precedent, the author prepares his readers to understand the radical superiority of Christ's once-for-all, perfect sacrifice and the new covenant inaugurated by His own blood, which cleanses not just externally but fundamentally purifies the conscience and achieves eternal redemption, fulfilling what the shadows of the old could only point toward.