Hebrews 9:19
What does Hebrews 9:19 mean?
A plain-English look at Hebrews 9:19 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Hebrews 9:19 means
When Moses had spoken every commandment to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, mixed with water, applied with scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people. This vivid scene shows the thoroughness of consecration: law and people alike were brought under the sign of sacrificial blood. Moses’ declaration identified this blood as the covenant’s blood—what bound God and Israel in a solemn relationship. The multiple elements—animals, water, hyssop—underscore the seriousness and pervasiveness of the cleansing and dedication. Covenant relationship with a holy God is not casual; it is sealed in blood, directing us forward to the true sealing blood that Christ would shed.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
KJV
King James Version · 1611For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For when Moses had given all the rules of the law to the people, he took the blood of goats and young oxen, with water and red wool and hyssop, and put it on the book itself and on all the people,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862for every command having been spoken, according to law, by Moses, to all the people, having taken the blood of the calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, he both the book itself and all the people did sprinkle,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For when every commandment of the law had been read by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890For every commandment having been spoken according to [the] law by Moses to all the people; having taken the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
Context
Verse 19 provides concrete detail following verse 18’s general statement about the first covenant’s dedication with blood. Verse 20 includes Moses’ covenant declaration, and verse 21 extends the sprinkling to the tabernacle and its vessels. These verses collectively demonstrate that blood permeated the inauguration of the old order. Verse 22 will then state the general principle derived from these practices. The flow strengthens the reader’s grasp of why Christ’s blood is central to the new covenant and sets up the comparison between earthly copies and heavenly realities in verses 23–24.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Leviticus 1:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man of you offereth an oblation unto Jehovah, ye shall offer your oblation of the cattle, even of the herd and of the flock.
- Exodus 12:22
And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.
- Leviticus 14:4
then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
- John 19:5
Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold, the man!
- Leviticus 16:14
and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat on the east; and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
- Matthew 27:28
And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
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