KJV: Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
YLT: whence not even the first apart from blood hath been initiated,
Darby: Whence neither the first was inaugurated without blood.
ASV: Wherefore even the first covenant hath not been dedicated without blood.
| Ὅθεν | wherefore |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅθεν Sense: from which, whence. |
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| οὐδὲ | neither |
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Parse: Adverb Root: οὐδέ Sense: but not, neither, nor, not even. |
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| πρώτη | first |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular Root: πρῶτος Sense: first in time or place. |
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| χωρὶς | apart from |
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Parse: Preposition Root: χωρίς Sense: separate, apart. |
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| αἵματος | blood |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: αἷμα Sense: blood. |
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| ἐνκεκαίνισται | has been inaugurated |
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Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἐγκαινίζω Sense: to renew. |
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Greek Commentary for Hebrews 9:18
Supply διατηκη diathēkē as in Hebrews 9:1. Has been dedicated Stands dedicated. Perfect passive indicative of ενκαινιζο enkainizo a late verb in lxx, one papyrus, and in N.T. only here and Hebrews 10:20. It means to renew, to inaugurate (1 Samuel 11:14; 2 Chronicles 15:8) and in 1 Kings 8:63 to dedicate. Note τα ενκαινια ta enkainia (John 10:22) for the feast of dedication. [source]
Rend. wherefore, or for which reason: on the general principle that a covenant must be ratified by death. [source]
Rend. “neither hath the first (covenant) been inaugurated without blood.” There is surely no excuse for inserting testament here, as A.V., since the allusion is clearly to the ratification of a covenant with blood. But further, as this and the verses immediately following are intended to furnish a historical illustration of the statements in Hebrews 9:16, Hebrews 9:17, we seem forced either to render covenant in those verses, or to assume that the transaction here related was the ratification of a will and testament, or to find our writer guilty of using an illustration which turns on a point entirely different from the matter which he is illustrating. Thus: a testament is of force after men are dead. It has no force so long as the testator is alive. Wherefore, the first covenant was ratified by slaying victims and sprinkling their blood. For the incident see Exodus 24:8. Ἐνκαινίζειν only here and Hebrews 10:20. lxx, to renew, 1 Samuel 11:14; 2 Chronicles 15:8; Psalm 51:10: to dedicate, 1 Kings 8:63; John href="/desk/?q=joh+10:22&sr=1">John 10:22. Rend. οὐδὲ neitheras A.V., and not not even, in which case the meaning would be, “not even the first covenant, although its ministries did not perfect the worshipper as touching the conscience,” a thought which would be foreign to the point, which is merely the analogy in the matter of death. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 9:18
d The statement of Hebrews 9:18historically confirmed by the story of the establishment of the law-covenant, Exodus href="/desk/?q=ex+24:5&sr=1">Exodus 24:5. In the original covenant with Abraham a she-goat and a heifer are specially mentioned, Genesis 15:9. [source]
Rend. it is necessary that the death of the institutor (of the covenant ) should be borne. With the rendering testament, φέρεσθαι is well-nigh inexplicable. If covenant the meaning is not difficult. If he had meant to say it is necessary that the institutor die, he might better have used γένεσθαι : “it is necessary that the death of the institutor take place ”; but he meant to say that it was necessary that the institutor die representatively; that death should be borne for him by an animal victim. If we render testament, it follows that the death of the testator himself is referred to, for which θάνατου φέρεσθαι is a very unusual and awkward expression. Additional Note on Hebrews 9:16Against the rendering testament for διαθήκη , and in favor of retaining covenant, are the following considerations: (a) The abruptness of the change, and its interruption of the line of reasoning. It is introduced into the middle of a continuous argument, in which the new covenant is compared and contrasted with the Mosaic covenant (8:6-10:18). -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- (b) The turning-point, both of the analogy and of the contrast, is that both covenants were inaugurated and ratified by death: not ordinary, natural death, but sacrificial, violent death, accompanied with bloodshedding as an essential feature. Such a death is plainly indicated in Hebrews 9:15. If διαθήκη signifies testament, θάνατον deathin Hebrews 9:16must mean natural death without bloodshed. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- (c) The figure of a testament would not appeal to Hebrews in connection with an inheritance. On the contrary, the idea of the κληρονομία was always associated in the Hebrew mind with the inheritance of Canaan, and that inheritance with the idea of a covenant. See Deuteronomy 4:20-23; 1 Chronicles 16:15-18; Psalm 105:8-11. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- (d) In lxx, from which our writer habitually quotes, διαθήκη has universally the meaning of covenant. It occurs about 350 times, mostly representing בְּרִית, covenant. In the Apocryphal books it has the same sense, except in Exodus href="/desk/?q=ex+30:26&sr=1">Exodus 30:26; Numbers 14:44; 2 Kings 6:15; Jeremiah 3:16; Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:72, Acts 3:25; Acts 7:8. Also in N.T. quotations from the O.T., where, in its translation of the O.T., it uses foedus. See Jeremiah 31:31, cit. Hebrews 8:8. For διατιθέσθαι of making a covenant, see Hebrews 8:10; Acts 3:25; Hebrews 10:16. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- (e) The ratification of a covenant by the sacrifice of a victim is attested by Genesis 15:10; Psalm 1:5; Jeremiah 34:18. This is suggested also by the phrase כָּרַֽת בְּרִֽת, to cut a covenant, which finds abundant analogy in both Greek and Latin. Thus we have ὅρκια τάμνειν tocut oaths, that is, to sacrifice a victim in attestation (Hom. Il. ii. 124; Od. xxiv. 483: Hdt. vii. 132). Similarly, σπονδὰς letus cut (make ) a league (Eurip. Hel. 1235): φίλια τέμνεσθαι tocement friendship by sacrificing a victim; lit. to cut friendship (Eurip. Suppl. 375). In Latin, foedus ferire to strike a league foedus ictum a ratified league, ratified by a blow (ictus ). -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- (f) If testament is the correct translation in Hebrews 9:16, Hebrews 9:17, the writer is fairly chargeable with a rhetorical blunder; for Hebrews 9:18ff. is plainly intended as a historical illustration of the propositions in Hebrews 9:16, Hebrews 9:17, and the illustration turns on a point entirely different from the matter illustrated. The writer is made to say, “A will is of no force until after the testator's death; therefore the first covenant was ratified with the blood of victims.sa180 [source]
The A.V. is wrong. Ἣν whichis to be construed with εἴσοδον entranceThus: “having boldness for the entrance which he has inaugurated (or opened) for us - a way new and living.” For ἐνεκαίνισεν see on Hebrews 9:18. The way must be opened, for every other way is closed. Ἐνκαινίζειν in lxx of the inauguration of a house, kingdom, temple, altar. See Deuteronomy 20:5; 1 Samuel 11:14; 1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 15:8. Πρόσφατον newN.T.oIn lxx, see Numbers 6:3; Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 80:9; Ecclesiastes 1:9. The derivation appears to be πρὸς nearto, and φατός slain(from πέμφαμαι , the perfect of φένειν tokill ). According to this the original sense would be newly-slain; and the word was used of one so recently dead as to retain the appearance of life: also, generally, of things which have not lost their character or appearance by the lapse of time; of fishes, fruits, oil, etc., which are fresh; of anger which has not had time to cool. Later the meaning was weakened into new. Note that the contrast is not between a new and an old way, but between a new way and no way. So long as the old division of the tabernacle existed, the way into the holiest was not opened, Hebrews 9:8. Ζῶσαν livingA living way seems a strange expression, but comp. Peter's living stones, 1 Peter 2:5. Christ styles himself both way and life. The bold figure answers to the fact. The new way is through a life to life. [source]
Present middle volitive subjunctive as in Hebrews 4:16 with which exhortation the discussion began. There are three exhortations in Hebrews 10:22-25 (Let us draw near, προσερχωμετα proserchōmetha let us hold fast, κατεχωμεν katechōmen let us consider one another, κατανοωμεν αλληλους katanoōmen allēlous). Four items are added to this first exhortation. With a true heart With loyalty and fealty. In fulness of faith See Hebrews 6:11 for this very phrase. Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Perfect passive participle of ραντιζω rantizō with the accusative retained in the passive, an evident allusion to the sprinkling of blood in the old tabernacle (Hebrews 9:18-22) and the shedding of Christ‘s blood for the cleansing of our consciences (Hebrews 10:1-4). Cf. 1 Peter 1:2 for “the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” Our body washed with pure water Perfect passive (or middle) of λουω louō old verb to bathe, to wash. Accusative also retained if passive. υδατι Hudati can be either locative (in) or instrumental (with). See Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5 for the use of λουτρον loutron If the reference here is to baptism (quite doubtful), the meaning is a symbol (Dods) of the previous cleansing by the blood of Christ. [source]