Hebrews 8:8
For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The "fault" found isn't just with the people, but with the first covenant itself. God is saying that because they couldn't keep the old covenant, he's going to establish a new one that works fundamentally differently, not just relying on human effort.
The author of Hebrews is explaining why Jesus is a superior mediator compared to the Levitical priests by showing the inadequacy of the first covenant God made with Israel. To support this, the text quotes Jeremiah's prophecy about a new covenant that God will establish, highlighting its inherent superiority over the old one. This prophecy from Jeremiah directly precedes the author's further explanation in subsequent verses about the characteristics and benefits of this new covenant.
The text says God 'finds fault.' What does that really mean? Was it the covenant itself that was flawed, or the people living under it?
When the author of Hebrews says God is 'finding fault' (or 'blaming,' 'censuring') with them (μeμφόμενος), it points to a deep problem. The scholars suggest the blame can fall on two fronts:
The key takeaway is that the relationship outlined by the old covenant was broken, not necessarily because God's intention was faulty, but because of human sin and the covenant's inability to permanently fix it.
God promises a 'new' covenant. What makes it truly new? It's more than just a revised agreement; it's a divine transformation.
The promise of a 'new covenant' (διαθήκην καινήν) in Jeremiah 31, picked up by Hebrews, signifies a radical shift. This new arrangement from God isn't just a tweak of the old one; it's a fundamentally different way of relating to His people.
Understand the original words
kyrios · Greek Noun
The supreme authority and creator of all things, who reveals Himself to humanity. Used here in the sense of the LORD (Yahweh), the personal, covenant-keeping name of God.
This verse is a direct quote from Jeremiah's prophecy, delivered during a time when the people of Judah were in exile or facing imminent destruction, making the promise of a 'new covenant' a message of hope for restoration and a deeper relationship with God.
c. 1446 BC
Giving of the Mosaic Covenant
God establishes the covenant with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, giving them the Law as a guide for their relationship with Him and each other.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, foreshadowing future division and exile.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and scattering them among other conquered peoples.
587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the population of Judah to Babylon.
c. 627 BC
This is the primary passage quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12. It explicitly lays out God's promise of a new covenant written on the heart, contrasting it with the old covenant which Israel broke.
Romans 8:3-4This passage explains how the law, which was part of the old covenant, was unable to justify us because of our sinful nature. A new covenant, accomplished through Christ, is what provides righteousness.
2 Corinthians 3:6-11Here, Paul contrasts the 'ministration of death' under the old covenant (written on stone) with the 'ministration of righteousness' under the new covenant (written on the heart by the Spirit), echoing the themes in Hebrews 8.
Galatians 3:15-18This passage discusses the nature of God's covenants, arguing that the promise made to Abraham, which predated the Law, cannot be annulled by the Law and is thus passed on through a covenant established by God's promise, similar to the new covenant established through Christ.
ellicottHebrews 8:8: "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:"
(8) Finding fault with them. —Not, “with it,” but with those through whom the covenant had failed. The following quotation ( Hebrews 8:8-12 ) is taken from Jeremiah 31:31-34 . It is the crowning point of that collection of prophecies which is brought together in Heb 30-33, descriptive of the hope and salvation of Israe…
vincentHebrews 8:8: "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:"
For finding fault with them (μεμφόμενος αὐτοὺς)Them signifies the possessors of the first covenant. The prophet says what follows by way of blame. The passage cited is Jeremiah 38:31-34, lxx (A.V. Jeremiah 31:31-34). The writer assumes that Jeremiah's new covenant means the Christian covenant.I will make (συντελέσω…
The "fault" found isn't just with the people, but with the first covenant itself. God is saying that because they couldn't keep the old covenant, he's going to establish a new one that works fundamentally differently, not just relying on human effort.
The author of Hebrews is explaining why Jesus is a superior mediator compared to the Levitical priests by showing the inadequacy of the first covenant God made with Israel. To support this, the text quotes Jeremiah's prophecy about a new covenant that God will establish, highlighting its inherent superiority over the old one. This prophecy from Jeremiah directly precedes the author's further explanation in subsequent verses about the characteristics and benefits of this new covenant.
The author of Hebrews is explaining why Jesus is a superior mediator compared to the Levitical priests by showing the inadequacy of the first covenant God made with Israel. To support this, the text quotes Jeremiah's prophecy about a new covenant that God will establish, highlighting its inherent superiority over the old one. This prophecy from Jeremiah directly precedes the author's further explanation in subsequent verses about the characteristics and benefits of this new covenant.
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Jeremiah Prophesies New Covenant
The prophet Jeremiah delivers God's message of a coming new covenant, emphasizing inward transformation and complete forgiveness, distinct from the Old Covenant.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Ministry and the New Covenant
Jesus inaugurates the new covenant through His life, death, and resurrection, fulfilling the promises made to Israel and Judah.
c. AD 60-70
Writing of the Book of Hebrews
The author of Hebrews writes to Jewish believers, explaining how the new covenant in Christ surpasses the old Mosaic covenant, referencing Jeremiah's prophecy.
"For he finds fault with them when he says:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah," — The "fault" found isn't just with the people, but with the *first covenant itself*. God is saying that because they couldn't keep the old covenant, he's going to establish a new one that works fundam…