Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.
Parallel translations
- WEB Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death.
- KJV And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
- BSB Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.
- NASB The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing;
- NLT There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Levitical priests were many because death kept preventing them from continuing in office. Their mortality made their priesthood a succession of temporary servants.
Overview
Under the old system, priesthood passed from one man to the next as each died, requiring many priests over time. This constant interruption by death revealed the weakness of that priesthood. It sets up the contrast with Christ, whose priesthood never passes to another.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Neh 12:10–11Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada,
- 1 Chr 6:3–14The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
- Heb 7:8Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 7:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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