The verse highlights that the original covenant wasn't just broken by the people's failure to obey, but God's subsequent "not regarding them" was a direct consequence of their unfaithfulness. This reveals a reciprocal dynamic: their abandonment of the covenant led to God's withdrawal, not just as punishment, but as a consequence of the covenant's broken terms.
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a larger argument showing the superiority of the new covenant in Christ. The author quotes Jeremiah 31 to illustrate that the old covenant, made when God delivered Israel from Egypt, ultimately failed because the people did not remain faithful to it. This failure, God declares, meant He "regarded them not," paving the way for a new covenant that would be inwardly written on their hearts.
The Bible describes God taking His people 'by the hand' when leading them out of Egypt. It sounds so loving, so intentional. But what happened next?
This verse highlights a stark contrast: God's gentle initiation of His covenant with Israel versus their swift unfaithfulness.
A Father's Hand
God led Israel out of Egypt with immense power and care, described as taking them 'by the hand.' This imagery, especially in ancient Near Eastern culture, evokes a father leading a child – tender, protective, and guiding. It was a moment of profound divine engagement, marking the birth of their national covenant relationship.
Broken Promises
Yet, the verse immediately pivots: 'For they did not continue in my covenant.' Despite God’s powerful rescue and tender guidance, the people quickly broke their commitment. Their failure wasn't a single mistake but a pattern of unfaithfulness. This led God to say, 'and so I showed no concern for them' (or, 'I disregarded them'). This wasn't God abandoning them arbitrarily, but a consequence of their persistent breaking of the covenant agreement.
Why did God need a 'new' covenant if the old one was good? This verse gives us a crucial clue: the problem wasn't just God's commands, but the human heart's ability to keep them.
This verse explains why a new covenant was necessary. The original covenant made at Sinai, while initiated by God, ultimately failed because the people couldn't sustain their end of the agreement. God's response points to a deeper issue.
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External vs. Internal
The covenant made on the day Israel left Egypt was largely based on external laws and commands written on stone tablets (as described in Exodus 24:7-8). The people promised to obey, but their hearts weren't transformed to genuinely desire obedience. God's statement, 'they did not continue in my covenant,' reveals the inherent weakness of a covenant that relies solely on external stipulations when dealing with an internally rebellious human nature.
God's Gracious Intervention
God's declaration, 'I showed no concern for them' (or, in some translations, 'I disregarded them'), isn't about God's lack of love, but the consequence of the broken covenant. Because the people failed to uphold their part, the relationship suffered. The need for a new covenant arises from this failure – a covenant where God promises to address the root issue: the human heart. As the following verses in Hebrews explain (8:10-12), this new covenant involves God's laws being written internally, ensuring genuine obedience and a restored relationship.
This verse highlights the historical failure of the Old Covenant at its very inception, emphasizing that the Israelites' unfaithfulness led to its inadequacy, thus setting the stage for God's promise of a new, enduring covenant.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt and Covenant at Sinai
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and establishes His covenant with them at Mount Sinai, giving them the Law.
c. 1446-587 BC
Israel's Repeated Disobedience
Throughout their history, the people of Israel repeatedly break the covenant made at Sinai, turning away from God's laws.
c. 587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem and destroy the Temple, exiling many Israelites. This signifies a major breakdown in God's covenant relationship.
c. 550-538 BC
Jeremiah Prophesies New Covenant
The prophet Jeremiah foretells a future time when God will make a new covenant, writing His law on their hearts.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry, Death, and Resurrection
Jesus inaugurates the new covenant through His sacrificial death and resurrection, fulfilling the Law and offering forgiveness of sins.
c. AD 60-70— this verse
Writing of the Book of Hebrews
The author of Hebrews explains the superiority of the new covenant in Christ over the old Mosaic covenant, referencing its foundational event.
This is the prophecy that the author of Hebrews is quoting, directly explaining the failure of the old covenant and the promise of a new one where God's law is internalized.
Exodus 19:5-8This passage describes the Israelites' initial agreement to the covenant at Sinai, promising obedience, which directly contrasts with their later failure to 'continue in my covenant' mentioned in Hebrews 8:9.
Deuteronomy 29:24-28This passage reflects on the consequences of breaking the covenant, showing that God will reject a nation that abandons His laws, echoing the sentiment of 'I regarded them not'.
Romans 3:1-3Paul discusses the 'advantage' of the Jews and the reliability of God's promises despite Israel's unfaithfulness, directly addressing the concept of the covenant's validity and God's faithfulness even when the people fail.
Galatians 3:15-18This passage explains how the Law given at Sinai (the old covenant) cannot annul the promise made to Abraham, highlighting the inadequacy of the old covenant in comparison to God's prior and enduring promise.
ellicottHebrews 8:9: "Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord."
(9) Not according to the covenant. —The difference is declared below ( Hebrews 8:10-12 ). “In the day when” they were led forth out of Egypt the token of God’s covenant was the deliverance itself. At Sinai, Exodus 24:7-8 (see Hebrews 9:18-22 ), the “book of th…
calvinHebrews 8:7-13: "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second."
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Non secundum foedus quod feci cum patribus eorum in die, quo apprehendi manum eorum, ut educerem eos e terra, Aegypti, quai ipsi non perstiterunt in…
The verse highlights that the original covenant wasn't just broken by the people's failure to obey, but God's subsequent "not regarding them" was a direct consequence of their unfaithfulness. This reveals a reciprocal dynamic: their abandonment of the covenant led to God's withdrawal, not just as punishment, but as a consequence of the covenant's broken terms.
This passage is part of a larger argument showing the superiority of the new covenant in Christ. The author quotes Jeremiah 31 to illustrate that the old covenant, made when God delivered Israel from Egypt, ultimately failed because the people did not remain faithful to it. This failure, God declares, meant He "regarded them not," paving the way for a new covenant that would be inwardly written on their hearts.
This passage is part of a larger argument showing the superiority of the new covenant in Christ. The author quotes Jeremiah 31 to illustrate that the old covenant, made when God delivered Israel from Egypt, ultimately failed because the people did not remain faithful to it. This failure, God declares, meant He "regarded them not," paving the way for a new covenant that would be inwardly written on their hearts.
"not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declare…" — The verse highlights that the original covenant wasn't just broken by the people's failure to obey, but God's subsequent "not regarding them" was a direct consequence of their unfaithfulness. This re…
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Last reviewed October 2026
