Hebrews 8:9 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The new covenant will not be like the one made at the Exodus, which the people failed to keep.
What Does Hebrews 8:9 Mean?
The promise continues. God recalls the tenderness of the Exodus, when He took Israel by the hand like a parent leading a child out of Egypt. Yet they did not remain faithful to that covenant, and so its blessing did not hold.
The image of being led by the hand shows that the fault was never in God's love but in human frailty. The new covenant will differ at its root, reaching to change the heart rather than rest on outward keeping alone. The reader sees both the gentleness of God toward His people and the honest naming of human weakness, the very weakness the new covenant is designed to heal.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrews 8:9
What does Hebrews 8:9 mean?
The new covenant will not be like the one made at the Exodus, which the people failed to keep.