Hebrews 8:8

KJV

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:

KJV (with Strong's)

For {G1063} finding fault {G3201} with them {G846}, he saith {G3004}, Behold {G2400}, the days {G2250} come {G2064}, saith {G3004} the Lord {G2962}, when {G2532} I will make {G4931} a new {G2537} covenant {G1242} with {G1909} the house {G3624} of Israel {G2474} and {G2532} with {G1909} the house {G3624} of Judah {G2455}:

Complete Jewish Bible

For God does find fault with the people when he says,

“‘See! The days are coming,’ says Adonai,
‘when I will establish
over the house of Isra’el and over the house of Y’hudah
a new covenant.

Berean Standard Bible

But God found fault with the people and said: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

American Standard Version

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Hebrews 8:8 introduces a pivotal prophecy from Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God declares His intention to establish a new covenant. The author of Hebrews cites this prophecy to underscore the inherent limitations of the old Mosaic covenant, not due to any flaw in God's perfect Law, but because of humanity's inability to perfectly fulfill its demands. This verse serves as a cornerstone for the epistle's central argument, demonstrating the necessity and superiority of the new covenant, which is mediated by Jesus Christ and promises an inner transformation and a more profound, grace-based relationship with God for both the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** The Epistle to the Hebrews systematically argues for the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ over every aspect of the Old Covenant. Leading up to [Hebrews 8:8](/hebrews/8-8 "Hebrews 8:8 - The New Covenant Prophecy"), the author has meticulously established Christ's superior priesthood, contrasting it with the temporary and imperfect Levitical priesthood (e.g., [Hebrews 7](/hebrews/7 "Hebrews 7 - Melchizedek and the Superior Priesthood")). [Hebrews 8:1-6](/hebrews/8-1-6 "Hebrews 8:1-6 - Christ's Superior Ministry") sets the stage by affirming Christ's "more excellent ministry" in the heavenly sanctuary. Verse 7 explicitly states, "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second." This declaration directly precedes and logically necessitates the quotation in verse 8, which provides the Old Testament scriptural proof for the divine intention of a new covenant by quoting [Jeremiah 31:31-34](/jeremiah/31-31-34 "Jeremiah's Prophecy of the New Covenant"). The quotation then extends through [Hebrews 8:12](/hebrews/8-12 "Hebrews 8:12 - God's Forgiveness in the New Covenant"), culminating in the definitive statement in [Hebrews 8:13](/hebrews/8-13 "Hebrews 8:13 - The Obsolete Old Covenant") that the mention of a "new covenant" renders the first one obsolete.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The original audience of the Epistle to the Hebrews was likely Jewish Christians who were grappling with immense pressure, possibly persecution, and were tempted to revert to the familiar rituals and perceived security of Judaism. For centuries, the Mosaic Law had been the bedrock of their religious and national identity, with the temple system, its sacrifices, and its priesthood central to their worship. The author's task was to demonstrate that Christianity was not a deviation from God's plan but its ultimate fulfillment, offering something fundamentally "better" and more enduring than what the Old Covenant provided. The concept of a "covenant" was deeply ingrained in Jewish thought, representing a divinely initiated agreement between God and His people, often involving promises and obligations. The prophecy in [Jeremiah 31](/jeremiah/31 "Jeremiah 31 - Hope for Israel and Judah") was originally given during a period of national exile and spiritual decline, offering a profound message of hope for future restoration and a renewed, intimate relationship with God, directly addressing the failures that had led to their current predicament.

* **Key Themes:** [Hebrews 8:8](/hebrews/8-8 "Hebrews 8:8 - The New Covenant Prophecy") significantly contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Hebrews. Firstly, it underscores the **superiority of Christ and His covenant** over the Old Covenant, a dominant motif woven throughout the epistle (e.g., [Hebrews 1:4](/hebrews/1-4 "Hebrews 1:4 - Christ's Superiority to Angels"), [Hebrews 7:22](/hebrews/7-22 "Hebrews 7:22 - A Better Covenant")). Secondly, the verse highlights the **limitations of the Old Covenant**, particularly its inherent inability to effect true inner transformation and provide perfect, definitive forgiveness, thereby necessitating a new divine arrangement (e.g., [Hebrews 7:18-19](/hebrews/7-18-19 "Hebrews 7:18-19 - Weakness of the Law"), [Hebrews 10:1-4](/hebrews/10-1-4 "Hebrews 10:1-4 - Inadequacy of Animal Sacrifices")). Thirdly, the declaration "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant" emphasizes **God's faithfulness and sovereign initiative** in establishing this new covenant, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His people despite their failures, a theme powerfully echoed in passages like [Hebrews 6:13-20](/hebrews/6-13-20 "Hebrews 6:13-20 - God's Unchanging Promise")). Finally, the verse clearly points to **prophetic fulfillment**, showing how ancient promises find their ultimate and complete realization in Jesus Christ, thereby validating the Christian faith as the culmination of God's unfolding redemptive plan (e.g., [Hebrews 1:1-3](/hebrews/1-1-3 "Hebrews 1:1-3 - God's Final Word in His Son")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **For (Greek, _gár'_):** This primary particle serves to introduce a reason or explanation for the preceding statement in [Hebrews 8:7](/hebrews/8-7 "Hebrews 8:7 - The Need for a Second Covenant"). It signifies that the subsequent quotation from Jeremiah provides the divine justification for the author's assertion that the first covenant was not "faultless" and therefore necessitated a "second" or new arrangement.
* **finding fault (Greek, _mémphomai'_):** This verb means "to blame" or "to find fault." In the context of [Hebrews 8:8](/hebrews/8-8 "Hebrews 8:8 - The New Covenant Prophecy"), it refers to God's assessment of the people's consistent failure to uphold the terms of the Old Covenant. It is crucial to understand that the fault was not with God's perfect Law itself, which is holy and good, but with humanity's inherent inability to perfectly obey it and the Old Covenant's inherent limitations in providing the inner transformation necessary for such obedience.
* **new (Greek, _kainós'_):** This adjective denotes something "new" in quality, freshness, or kind, rather than merely new in time (for which the Greek word _neos_ would typically be used). The "new covenant" is thus not simply a later version of the old one, but fundamentally different and superior in its nature, efficacy, and spiritual impact, implying a qualitative improvement and a fresh, unprecedented divine arrangement.
* **covenant (Greek, _diathḗkē'_):** This term refers to a solemn disposition, a contract, or a testament. In biblical usage, it signifies a divinely initiated agreement, often unilateral, where God establishes the terms. The concept of "covenant" is central to understanding God's relationship with humanity throughout Scripture, from Noah to Abraham, Moses, and David, culminating in this qualitatively "new covenant" established through Christ.
* **make (Greek, _synteléō'_):** This verb means "to complete entirely" or "to execute." When God declares "I will make a new covenant," it emphatically highlights His sovereign initiative and His absolute power to bring this new, superior arrangement to full completion and effect. It underscores that the establishment of this covenant is a divine act, not a human endeavor or achievement.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For finding fault with them, he saith":** This introductory phrase sets the stage for God's indictment of the people under the Old Covenant. The "fault" was not with the Mosaic Law itself, which is holy and righteous, but with the consistent failure of the people to perfectly keep its demands. The Old Covenant, while revealing God's standards and exposing sin, was inherently limited in its ability to provide the inner spiritual capacity for perfect obedience or definitive cleansing of conscience. God, through the prophet Jeremiah, declares this fundamental deficiency.
* **"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord":** This is a classic prophetic formula, serving to emphasize the certainty and divine origin of the coming event. "Behold" (G2400, _idoú_) functions as an imperative, calling for immediate attention and highlighting the profound significance of the declaration. "The days come" points to a future, divinely appointed time when this new reality will be inaugurated. "Saith the Lord" (G2962, _kýrios_) reinforces God's absolute authority, faithfulness, and sovereign power in bringing His promises to pass.
* **"when I will make a new covenant":** This is the core promise of the verse. God Himself, in His sovereign initiative, will establish a "new" (G2537, _kainós_ – qualitatively superior) covenant. This new arrangement will fundamentally address the limitations of the old, offering a spiritual solution and a depth of relationship that the previous covenant could not provide. It signifies a radical and transformative shift in God's redemptive dealings with humanity.
* **"with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah":** This clause specifies the original recipients of the new covenant. It encompasses the entire nation of Israel, referring to both the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah), symbolizing the comprehensive scope of God's redemptive plan for His chosen people. While initially addressed to literal Israel, its ultimate fulfillment in Christ extends to all who are spiritual Israel, whether Jew or Gentile, united in Him through faith.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in [Hebrews 8:8](/hebrews/8-8 "Hebrews 8:8 - The New Covenant Prophecy") is **Quotation**, as the author directly cites [Jeremiah 31:31](/jeremiah/31-31 "Jeremiah 31:31 - Prophecy of the New Covenant"). This strategic use of **Scriptural Authority** is central to the author's overall argumentative method throughout the epistle, grounding his theological claims in the Old Testament prophecies to demonstrate both continuity and ultimate fulfillment in Christ. The phrase "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord" functions as a **Prophetic Formula**, signaling a divinely ordained future event of immense significance and demanding the reader's immediate attention. Furthermore, the inherent contrast between the "fault" found with "them" (the people under the old covenant) and God's proactive promise to "make a new covenant" creates a strong **Antithesis**. This rhetorical device highlights the inadequacy of the old system and the absolute necessity and qualitative superiority of the new, a pervasive rhetorical strategy throughout Hebrews that consistently elevates Christ and His redemptive work above the former shadows.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
[Hebrews 8:8](/hebrews/8-8 "Hebrews 8:8 - The New Covenant Prophecy") is profoundly significant for Christian theology, as it explicitly articulates the divine necessity and promise of a new covenant, which finds its full realization in Jesus Christ. It clarifies that the "fault" necessitating this new arrangement was not in God's perfect Law, but in humanity's inherent inability to perfectly obey it and the Old Covenant's inherent limitations in providing full and final redemption. This verse underpins the entire shift from the Old Testament economy to the New, emphasizing God's sovereign initiative in providing a better way for humanity to relate to Him—one characterized by inner transformation, complete forgiveness, and direct access. It highlights the progressive nature of God's revelation and redemptive plan, culminating perfectly in Christ.

* [Jeremiah 31:31-34](/jeremiah/31-31-34 "Jeremiah's Prophecy of the New Covenant")
* [Luke 22:20](/luke/22-20 "Luke 22:20 - Jesus Institutes the New Covenant")
* [2 Corinthians 3:6](/2_corinthians/3-6 "2 Corinthians 3:6 - Ministers of a New Covenant")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[Hebrews 8:8](/hebrews/8-8 "Hebrews 8:8 - The New Covenant Prophecy") offers immense comfort and profound assurance to believers today, reminding us that our standing with God is not predicated on our perfect performance or rigid adherence to external rules, but on His gracious initiative and the finished work of Jesus Christ. We live under the "new covenant," a covenant of grace, where God's law is not merely an external set of precepts but is powerfully written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, enabling us to genuinely desire and walk in obedience from within. This liberating truth frees us from the impossible burden of trying to earn God's favor through our own efforts and invites us into a relationship of deep intimacy and unwavering trust, knowing that our sins are truly forgiven and forgotten. It calls us to wholeheartedly embrace the radical transformation offered by Christ, allowing His Spirit to work within us, and to live daily in the freedom, power, and security of a covenant secured by His perfect sacrifice and mediation.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does understanding the "fault" of the old covenant (not with God's law, but with human inability) deepen your appreciation for the grace and power of the new covenant?**
* **In what specific ways do you personally experience God's promise to "make a new covenant" fulfilled in your life and in the community of believers today?**
* **How does the truth that God's law is now written on your heart in the new covenant impact your daily walk, your motivations for obedience, and your pursuit of holiness?**

### FAQ
**What does "finding fault with them" mean in Hebrews 8:8?**

Answer: This phrase does not imply that God's Law itself was flawed, imperfect, or inherently bad. Rather, it refers to God finding fault with the people's consistent inability to keep the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant, while holy, just, and good, was limited in its capacity to provide true inner transformation and definitive, eternal forgiveness of sins. It effectively exposed sin but could not ultimately remove it or empower individuals to perfectly obey God's righteous standards. Thus, the "fault" lay with humanity's inherent sinfulness and the covenant's temporary nature as a shadow pointing to a better, more complete reality, as further explained in [Hebrews 10:1-4](/hebrews/10-1-4 "Hebrews 10:1-4 - The Law as a Shadow").

**How is the "new covenant" different from the "old covenant"?**

Answer: The "new covenant" is qualitatively superior to the "old covenant" in several fundamental ways, as detailed throughout [Hebrews 8](/hebrews/8 "Hebrews 8 - Christ's Superior Ministry and the New Covenant"). Under the old covenant, the law was external, written on stone tablets, and people consistently failed to keep it, leading to a cycle of sin, guilt, and temporary atonement through animal sacrifices. The new covenant, established through Christ's perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, offers inner transformation where God's laws are written directly on the heart and mind ([Hebrews 8:10](/hebrews/8-10 "Hebrews 8:10 - Law Written on the Heart")), complete and eternal forgiveness of sins ([Hebrews 8:12](/hebrews/8-12 "Hebrews 8:12 - God Forgets Their Sins")), and direct, confident access to God through Jesus, our High Priest ([Hebrews 10:19-22](/hebrews/10-19-22 "Hebrews 10:19-22 - Bold Access to God")). It is a covenant founded on grace, not works, and is eternal and unbreakable.

**Does the new covenant replace or abolish the old covenant?**

Answer: The author of Hebrews argues that the new covenant renders the old covenant "obsolete" and "ready to vanish away" ([Hebrews 8:13](/hebrews/8-13 "Hebrews 8:13 - The Obsolete Old Covenant")). It does not abolish God's eternal moral law or His overarching redemptive purposes, but it fulfills and supersedes the Mosaic covenant, particularly its ceremonial, sacrificial, and priestly aspects. The old covenant served as a temporary tutor and guardian, preparing the way for Christ and His perfect work ([Galatians 3:24-25](/galatians/3-24-25 "Galatians 3:24-25 - The Law as a Guardian")). In Christ, the promises, types, and shadows of the old are perfectly realized and brought to their intended culmination, establishing a superior, permanent, and more effective way of relating to God. It represents a progression and fulfillment, not a complete discarding of God's earlier revelation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[Hebrews 8:8](/hebrews/8-8 "Hebrews 8:8 - The New Covenant Prophecy") finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The ancient prophecy of a "new covenant" declared by Jeremiah, and so strategically quoted here, points directly to Jesus as the divinely appointed mediator of this superior arrangement. He is the perfect High Priest, whose once-for-all sacrifice on the cross inaugurated this new covenant, making possible what the old covenant could not: the complete and eternal forgiveness of sins and the inner transformation of the human heart. Through His shed blood, Jesus established the "new covenant in my blood" ([Luke 22:20](/luke/22-20 "Luke 22:20 - Jesus Institutes the New Covenant")), thereby perfectly fulfilling the prophetic promise that God would write His laws on His people's hearts and minds ([Hebrews 8:10](/hebrews/8-10 "Hebrews 8:10 - Law Written on the Heart")). His resurrection and subsequent ascension to the right hand of God signify His ongoing, efficacious ministry as the mediator of this better covenant, ensuring its eternal efficacy and providing all believers with confident and direct access to God's presence ([Hebrews 10:19-22](/hebrews/10-19-22 "Hebrews 10:19-22 - Bold Access to God")). Thus, Jesus is not merely a part of the new covenant; He is its very essence, its divine guarantor, and its perfect embodiment, bringing humanity into a reconciled and intimate relationship with God that was previously unattainable ([Hebrews 7:22](/hebrews/7-22 "Hebrews 7:22 - A Better Covenant")).

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

Jeremiah 31:31

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jeremiah 31:34

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Hebrews 10:16

This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

Hebrews 10:17

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 12:24

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.

Jeremiah 32:40

And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

Hebrews 9:15

¶ And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.