Hebrews 7:23

KJV

And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} they {G1526} truly {G3303} were {G1526}{G1096} many {G4119} priests {G2409}, because they were not suffered {G2967} to continue {G3887} by reason of {G1223} death {G2288}:

Complete Jewish Bible

Moreover, the present cohanim are many in number, because they are prevented by death from continuing in office.

Berean Standard Bible

Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.

American Standard Version

And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Hebrews 7:23 succinctly highlights a fundamental limitation of the Old Covenant's Levitical priesthood: their inherent mortality. This verse serves as a crucial foundational statement, setting the stage for the author's profound argument concerning the unparalleled superiority and eternal nature of Jesus Christ's priesthood, which transcends the temporary and imperfect provisions of the former covenant due to His permanent, unchangeable life.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** The Book of Hebrews is a sophisticated theological treatise, meticulously arguing for the supremacy of Jesus Christ over every aspect of the Old Covenant. Following an extended discussion on Christ's superiority to angels (chapters 1-2), Moses (chapter 3), and the Sabbath rest (chapter 4), the author shifts focus to the priesthood in chapters 5-10. Chapter 7 specifically develops the argument for Christ's priesthood "after the order of Melchizedek," a priesthood superior to the Aaronic/Levitical system. Verse 23 is strategically placed to underscore the inherent flaw in the Levitical system—the mortality of its priests—thereby creating a stark contrast with the eternal priesthood of Christ, which is immediately introduced in [Hebrews 7:24](/hebrews/7-24 "Hebrews 7:24 - Christ's Unchangeable Priesthood") and [Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Christ's Perpetual Intercession"). This verse functions as a premise for the conclusion that a new, more perfect priest was necessary.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Levitical priesthood was central to Israelite worship and the Old Covenant system. Priests, specifically those from the tribe of Levi and the lineage of Aaron, served as mediators between God and the people, offering sacrifices and performing rituals in the Tabernacle, and later the Temple. This system required a continuous line of priests, as the office was hereditary. However, the most significant practical limitation was the mortality of the priests themselves. Each priest's service was finite, interrupted by death, necessitating a constant succession. This meant that no single priest could offer a permanent, uninterrupted ministry, nor could they achieve a final, complete atonement. The Jewish audience of Hebrews would have been intimately familiar with this system and its inherent limitations, making the author's argument about Christ's eternal priesthood particularly impactful.
* **Key Themes:** Hebrews 7:23 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Mortality vs. Eternity**, emphasizing that human priests, subject to death, could not provide a permanent solution for sin, in stark contrast to Christ's eternal life and ministry. Secondly, it underscores the **Imperfection and Temporary Nature of the Old Covenant**, demonstrating that a system requiring constant succession due to death was inherently flawed and provisional, paving the way for a "better hope" ([Hebrews 7:19](/hebrews/7-19 "Hebrews 7:19 - A Better Hope")) and a "better covenant" ([Hebrews 8:6](/hebrews/8-6 "Hebrews 8:6 - A Better Covenant")). Thirdly, it sets up the theme of **Succession vs. Unchangeable Priesthood**, as the "many priests" of the Old Covenant are contrasted with the "one priest" who holds an "unchangeable priesthood" ([Hebrews 7:24](/hebrews/7-24 "Hebrews 7:24 - Christ's Unchangeable Priesthood")), thereby establishing the **Superiority of Christ's Priesthood** as the ultimate theological point.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **priests (Greek, _hiereús'_ G2409):** Refers to those consecrated to sacred offices, particularly in the Old Testament, who mediated between God and humanity through sacrifices and rituals. In this context, it specifically denotes the Levitical priests. The use of the plural "many priests" immediately signals the transient nature of their office, as individual priests were replaced upon death.
* **suffered (Greek, _kōlýō'_ G2967):** Means "to hinder," "to prevent," or "to forbid." This word highlights the external, insurmountable obstacle that prevented the Levitical priests from continuing their service. It's not that they chose not to continue, but that they were forcibly stopped by an unavoidable force—death. This emphasizes the lack of control and permanence inherent in their ministry.
* **continue (Greek, _paraménō'_ G3887):** Signifies "to stay near," "to remain," or "to be permanent." The inability of the Levitical priests to "continue" underscores the temporary and interrupted nature of their service. Their ministry was not perpetual but was constantly broken by the succession necessitated by death, revealing a fundamental inadequacy in their capacity to provide a lasting solution for humanity's sin problem.
* **death (Greek, _thánatos'_ G2288):** Refers to physical death, the cessation of life. In this verse, death is presented as the ultimate, unavoidable impediment to the Levitical priests' ministry. It is the decisive factor that renders their service impermanent and necessitates a continuous succession of "many priests." This biological reality serves as the primary theological argument for the need for a priest who is not subject to death.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And they truly were many priests":** This phrase acknowledges the historical reality of the Levitical priesthood. The emphasis on "many" is crucial, indicating a succession of individuals rather than a single, enduring office-holder. This multiplicity inherently suggests a lack of permanence and a system that required constant replacement.
* **"because they were not suffered to continue":** This clause provides the reason for the "many priests." The priests were "not suffered" or "prevented" from maintaining their office indefinitely. This highlights an external, unavoidable force that interrupted their ministry, signaling an inherent flaw or limitation within the system itself.
* **"by reason of death":** This final phrase explicitly identifies the insurmountable obstacle. Death was the ultimate barrier, rendering any individual priest's service finite and necessitating a continuous cycle of new priests. This biological reality underpins the theological argument for the inadequacy of the Old Covenant priesthood and sets the stage for the introduction of Christ's eternal, death-conquering ministry.

#### Literary Devices
The author of Hebrews employs several literary devices in this concise verse. **Contrast** is paramount, as the mortality of the Levitical priests is presented as a stark counterpoint to the impending revelation of Christ's eternal priesthood. The phrase "by reason of death" functions as a powerful statement of **Cause and Effect**, directly linking the priests' inability to continue their service to their inherent mortality. This simple, factual statement also carries the weight of **Understatement** or **Litotes**, as the profound theological implications of death's dominion over the Old Covenant system are conveyed with remarkable brevity. The verse also serves as a crucial piece of **Rhetorical Argumentation**, laying the necessary groundwork for the subsequent, more detailed exposition of Christ's superior and unchangeable priesthood in the verses that follow, effectively building a logical case for the New Covenant's supremacy.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hebrews 7:23 profoundly illustrates the theological principle that human limitation, particularly mortality, inherently restricts the efficacy of any covenant mediated by finite beings. The constant succession of Levitical priests due to death underscored the provisional and imperfect nature of the Old Covenant's provisions for sin. It revealed that a truly permanent and effective redemption required a mediator who was not subject to the very power of death that sin introduced into the world. This verse, therefore, implicitly points to the necessity of a divine, eternal High Priest whose life and ministry could overcome death's barrier, providing an everlasting atonement and unfailing access to God. It highlights that the Old Covenant, while divinely ordained, was designed to reveal humanity's need for a perfect, eternal solution found only in Christ.

* [Hebrews 9:24](/hebrews/9-24 "Hebrews 9:24 - Christ's Heavenly Ministry")
* [Hebrews 10:11-14](/hebrews/10-11-14 "Hebrews 10:11-14 - Christ's Single Sacrifice")
* [Romans 6:9-10](/romans/6-9-10 "Romans 6:9-10 - Christ's Death and Resurrection")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hebrews 7:23, by exposing the inherent weakness of the Old Covenant priesthood, offers profound assurance and stability to believers today. We are not dependent on a succession of fallible, dying mediators for our access to God or the forgiveness of our sins. Instead, we have a High Priest, Jesus Christ, who is eternal, unchangeable, and has conquered death. His sacrifice was not one in a series of many, but a once-for-all act that perfectly atoned for sin. His intercession for us is not temporary but perpetual, meaning our standing before God is secure and our prayers are always heard through Him. This truth should fill us with immense confidence and peace, knowing that our salvation rests on an unshakeable foundation, not on human frailty or the limitations of earthly systems. It calls us to live with bold assurance, approaching God's throne with confidence, knowing our High Priest ever lives to intercede for us.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the mortality of the Levitical priests highlight the unique and superior nature of Jesus's priesthood for your personal faith?**
* **In what ways does knowing that Jesus's intercession is "unchangeable" and "perpetual" impact your confidence in prayer and your sense of security in Christ?**
* **What does this verse teach us about the temporary nature of earthly systems, even those divinely ordained, in contrast to the eternal nature of God's ultimate provision in Christ?**

### FAQ

**Why does the author of Hebrews emphasize the priests' mortality so much?**

Answer: The author emphasizes the priests' mortality to highlight a critical flaw in the Old Covenant's sacrificial system and priesthood. Because the Levitical priests were subject to death, their service was inherently temporary and interrupted. This constant succession meant that no single priest could offer a permanent, complete atonement for sin, nor could they provide continuous access to God. By stressing this limitation, the author builds a compelling argument for the necessity of a new, perfect High Priest—Jesus Christ—whose eternal life and unchangeable priesthood ([Hebrews 7:24](/hebrews/7-24 "Hebrews 7:24 - Christ's Unchangeable Priesthood")) overcome the deficiencies of the former system, offering a once-for-all sacrifice and perpetual intercession ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Christ's Perpetual Intercession")).

**How does Hebrews 7:23 relate to the concept of the "new covenant"?**

Answer: Hebrews 7:23 is foundational to understanding the necessity and superiority of the "new covenant." The mortality of the Levitical priests demonstrated that the Old Covenant, though divinely instituted, was imperfect and temporary in its ability to provide a lasting solution for sin and reconciliation with God. A covenant mediated by dying priests and requiring repeated sacrifices could not bring about perfect righteousness or permanent access. This verse, by exposing the Old Covenant's inherent weakness, sets the stage for the introduction of the new covenant, which is "better" because it is mediated by a perfect, eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ ([Hebrews 8:6](/hebrews/8-6 "Hebrews 8:6 - A Better Covenant")), whose single sacrifice definitively deals with sin and establishes a permanent relationship with God.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hebrews 7:23, by underscoring the inherent and unavoidable limitation of the Old Covenant's Levitical priesthood—their mortality—serves as a poignant backdrop against which the unparalleled glory and efficacy of Jesus Christ's priesthood shine. The "many priests" who "were not suffered to continue by reason of death" perfectly illustrate the inadequacy of a system dependent on finite human mediators. This deficiency directly points to the divine necessity of a High Priest who is not subject to death, one who can offer a truly permanent and perfect mediation. Jesus Christ fulfills this need precisely because He has conquered death and possesses an "unchangeable priesthood" ([Hebrews 7:24](/hebrews/7-24 "Hebrews 7:24 - Christ's Unchangeable Priesthood")). His resurrection ensures that His ministry is perpetual, allowing Him to "save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Christ's Perpetual Intercession")). Unlike the Levitical priests who offered repeated sacrifices that could never fully take away sins, Christ, through His own blood, entered the holy places "once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" ([Hebrews 9:12](/hebrews/9-12 "Hebrews 9:12 - Christ's Eternal Redemption")). Thus, the temporary and interrupted ministry of the Levitical priests, highlighted in Hebrews 7:23, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the eternal, living, and perpetually interceding High Priesthood of Jesus Christ, who has secured our lasting access to God.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Nehemiah 12:10

And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,

Nehemiah 12:11

And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.

Hebrews 7:8

And here men that die receive tithes; but there he [receiveth them], of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

1 Chronicles 6:3

And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

1 Chronicles 6:14

And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak,