9:1 Now the first covenant, 14 in fact, had regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary.
1 tn Grk “having become.” This is part of the same sentence that extends from v. 1 through v. 4 in the Greek text.
2 tn Most modern English translations attempt to make the comparison somewhat smoother by treating “name” as if it were the subject of the second element: “as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, CEV). However, the Son is the subject of both the first and second elements: “he became so far better”; “he has inherited a name.” The present translation maintains this parallelism even though it results in a somewhat more awkward rendering.
3 sn The message spoken through angels refers to the OT law, which according to Jewish tradition was mediated to Moses through angels (cf. Deut 33:2; Ps 68:17-18; Acts 7:38, 53; Gal 3:19; and Jub. 1:27, 29; Josephus, Ant. 15.5.3 [15.136]).
4 tn Grk “through angels became valid and every violation.”
5 tn Here, because of its occurrence in an OT quotation, τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς (tois adelfois) has been translated simply as “brothers” rather than “brothers and sisters” (see the note on the latter phrase in the previous verse).
6 sn A quotation from Ps 22:22.
7 tn Grk “the beginning of the confidence.”
9 tn Grk “while it is said.”
10 tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.”
11 sn A quotation from Ps 95:7b-8.
11 tn Grk “through Moses.”
13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate a summary or conclusion to the argument of the preceding paragraph.
15 sn The Greek text contains an elaborate comparison between v. 20a and v. 22, with a parenthesis (vv. 20b-21) in between; the comparison is literally, “by as much as…by so much” or “to the degree that…to that same degree.”
17 tn Grk “the first” (referring to the covenant described in Heb 8:7, 13). In the translation the referent (covenant) has been specified for clarity.
19 tn Grk “the first tent.”
21 tn Grk “my soul.”
22 sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.
23 tn This probably refers to the righteous rule of David and others. But it could be more general and mean “did what was righteous.”
24 tn Grk “obtained promises,” referring to the things God promised, not to the pledges themselves.
25 sn The expression these all were commended forms an inclusio with Heb 11:2: The chapter begins and ends with references to commendation for faith.
26 tn Grk “the promise,” referring to the thing God promised, not to the pledge itself.