Hebrews 9:20 kjv
Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Hebrews 9:20 nkjv
saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you."
Hebrews 9:20 niv
He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep."
Hebrews 9:20 esv
saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you."
Hebrews 9:20 nlt
Then he said, "This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you."
Hebrews 9 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 24:8 | "And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant...'" | Direct historical source for Heb 9:20; Old Covenant sealed by blood. |
| Exo 24:6 | "Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins..." | Context for the preparation of the covenant blood. |
| Gen 15:9-18 | Abrahamic Covenant ratified with split animals. | Earliest biblical record of a covenant confirmed by sacrificial blood. |
| Lev 17:11 | "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement..." | Foundation for blood's significance in atonement and covenant. |
| Zech 9:11 | "As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit." | Foretelling release through covenant blood, hinting at salvation. |
| Jer 31:31-34 | "Behold, days are coming… when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel..." | Prophecy of a New Covenant, foreshadowing the need for new blood. |
| Mt 26:28 | "for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins." | Christ's words inaugurating the New Covenant with His own blood. |
| Mk 14:24 | "And He said to them, 'This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.'" | Parallel account of Jesus instituting the New Covenant. |
| Lk 22:20 | "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you." | Emphasizes the newness of the covenant and the efficacy of Christ's blood. |
| 1 Cor 11:25 | "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." | Paul's teaching on the New Covenant ratified by Christ's blood in the Supper. |
| Heb 9:18-19 | "Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken..." | Immediate context, affirming blood as essential for old covenant's inauguration. |
| Heb 9:22 | "And according to the Law, almost all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." | Reinforces the universal principle of blood for cleansing and forgiveness. |
| Heb 10:29 | "How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve, who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified..." | Highlights the grave offense of disrespecting Christ's blood covenant. |
| Heb 13:20-21 | "Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd...by the blood of the eternal covenant..." | Acknowledges the New Covenant as eternal, validated by Christ's resurrection. |
| Rom 3:25 | "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith." | Redemption and propitiation through Christ's shed blood. |
| Eph 1:7 | "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses..." | Salvation's foundation in Christ's atoning blood. |
| Col 1:20 | "and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross..." | Universal reconciliation made possible by Christ's sacrifice. |
| 1 Pet 1:2 | "elect...for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ..." | New Testament believers purified by the application of Christ's blood. |
| Rev 1:5 | "and from Jesus Christ...who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood..." | Ascribes ultimate freedom from sin to Christ's blood. |
| Acts 20:28 | "...shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." | The church's divine ownership established by the cost of Christ's blood. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | "the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." | Continuous purification for believers through Christ's blood. |
| John 6:53-56 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves." | Symbolic intake of Christ's life and sacrifice for spiritual life. |
Hebrews 9 verses
Hebrews 9 20 Meaning
This verse declares, "This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you to keep." It re-articulates the solemn declaration made by Moses at Mount Sinai (Exo 24:8), thereby affirming that the Old Covenant, the Law given to Israel, was established and ratified through the shedding and application of blood. The emphasis is on God's divine command and the non-negotiable role of blood in establishing such a sacred agreement with His people. It highlights that the covenant was a binding decree from God Himself, not a mere suggestion, requiring strict adherence, sealed by life (symbolized by blood). This statement sets the stage for the superiority of the New Covenant established by Christ's blood.
Hebrews 9 20 Context
Hebrews 9:20 is situated within a lengthy theological argument (Heb 8-10) by the author of Hebrews comparing and contrasting the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. Chapter 9 meticulously describes the earthly tabernacle, its services, and the limitations of its blood sacrifices. The preceding verses (Heb 9:18-19) specifically detail Moses' actions at Mount Sinai, where he used the blood of calves and goats to purify the book of the Law and the people, establishing the "first covenant." Verse 20 acts as Moses' solemn pronouncement from that pivotal historical moment. By reiterating Moses' words, the author establishes the critical role of blood in the initiation of God's covenants, demonstrating that the Old Covenant was not ratified casually but by divine decree sealed with blood. This deep historical and theological rootedness of blood sacrifice underpins the author's subsequent argument: if the first covenant required blood for its establishment and effectiveness, then the new and superior covenant also necessarily requires an even more potent sacrifice—the perfect blood of Christ—to fulfill God's eternal plan for atonement and reconciliation, and to overcome the former covenant's imperfections.
Hebrews 9 20 Word analysis
- This (Τοῦτο, Touto): This demonstrative pronoun points directly to the specific blood mentioned in the immediate preceding context (Heb 9:19), referring to the blood of calves and goats used by Moses. It grounds the abstract idea of a covenant in a tangible, physical act.
- is the blood (τὸ αἷμα, to haima): `Haima` (blood) in ancient Semitic and Greek thought was intimately connected with life (Lev 17:11). The article "the" indicates a specific and critical quantity. Its use in covenant initiation signifies the yielding of life for the establishment of the agreement. This underscores the seriousness and cost associated with entering God's covenant.
- of the covenant (τῆς διαθήκης, tēs diathēkēs): `Diathēkē` (covenant, testament) translates the Hebrew `berith`, which is a solemn, divinely instituted bond or agreement, often accompanied by oaths and symbolic actions (like sacrifice). Unlike a simple contract between equals, `diathēkē` frequently implies a disposition or arrangement unilaterally imposed by a superior party (God) on an inferior one, or a will becoming effective upon a death. Here, it refers specifically to the Mosaic covenant.
- that (ἧς, hēs): This relative pronoun links "covenant" to the action of God. It signifies that the following clause describes the nature or origin of this specific covenant.
- God (ὁ Θεός, ho Theos): The inclusion of "God" explicitly highlights the divine origin and authority of the covenant. It was not a human invention but a command and promise from the sovereign Lord, emphasizing its absolute validity and inviolability.
- commanded (ἐνετείλατο, eneteilato): From `entellomai`, meaning "to command, to give a solemn injunction." The aorist tense indicates a definitive, completed action in the past—God did command. This verb underscores that the covenant, including its blood ratification, was an authoritative divine imperative, not merely a custom. This makes the covenant morally binding on those who receive it.
- you to keep (πρὸς ὑμᾶς, pros hymas): `Pros hymas` ("towards/for you") indicates the direction and intended recipients of God's command. It directly addresses the people of Israel who were present at Sinai and entered into this covenant, laying upon them the responsibility and obligation to abide by its terms.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- This is the blood of the covenant: This phrase explicitly links the blood (an element of sacrifice and life) to the covenant agreement. It defines the blood not merely as a symbol, but as the substance through which the covenant becomes active and binding, echoing the ancient understanding that "life is in the blood" (Lev 17:11).
- that God commanded you to keep: This critical clause stresses the divine origin and authoritative nature of the covenant and its requirement of blood. It clarifies that this ritual and the covenant itself were not human traditions but direct instructions from God to His people. This underscores the obedience required from the recipients and implies that disobedience carries severe consequences because it disregards a divine command. It also contrasts human initiative with God's sovereignty in initiating His redemptive plan.
Hebrews 9 20 Bonus section
- Literary Connection: The precise quotation or close paraphrase of Exo 24:8 serves a dual purpose: it grounds the author's argument in the undisputed authority of the Old Testament Law, and it highlights the continuity of God's principle regarding blood and covenant, even while introducing a revolutionary shift in the type of blood. This intertextual connection helps the Jewish audience recognize the argument as flowing directly from their sacred traditions.
- Polemic against rituals alone: By emphasizing the command of God regarding blood, the text subtly prepares for a polemic against reliance solely on external rituals without understanding their deeper meaning or their temporary nature. The Old Covenant rituals, though divinely commanded, were always types pointing to the true and final sacrifice.
- Theological Foundation: This verse contributes to the central theme of the Book of Hebrews: the superiority of Christ over the Old Covenant system. It lays a foundational truth—that blood is necessary for covenant establishment and purification—upon which the argument for Christ's supreme, once-for-all sacrifice can be built, ultimately rendering the former covenant and its blood rituals obsolete for salvation.
Hebrews 9 20 Commentary
Hebrews 9:20, a direct quote from Moses at Sinai, functions as a powerful declaration that every divine covenant, particularly the Mosaic Covenant, necessitates a blood sacrifice for its ratification. It underscores that God Himself commanded the shedding of blood to bring His covenants into effect, demonstrating the profound gravity of these divine agreements and their establishment at immense cost. This wasn't merely a ceremonial formality but a deep theological truth rooted in the sanctity of life and the requirement of atonement. The author uses this principle of blood necessity in the Old Covenant to establish the foundation for explaining the superiority of the New Covenant. If the blood of animals was sufficient to inaugurate the flawed first covenant, then an immeasurably more precious blood, that of Jesus Christ, was required for the perfect, eternal New Covenant to accomplish genuine forgiveness and cleansing. The verse silently asserts that divine commands require solemn commitment and consequence, setting up the profound implications of breaking such a God-ordained covenant.