7. 'H vpurr), the first) A Metonymy ; for blame (finding fault) does not fall upon a divine institution, but upon a real and per sonal object. AitroTe, with them, is said ver. 8 ; from whicfy it is plain, that not only the New Testament itself was faultless, but also its people. — sxemj, that) The pronoun adapted to a past event. — g^»jrg7ro, should have been sought) A suitable expression : that first covenant would have anticipated all.
8. Me/&<p6/j,svog) A choice expression, as a^e/^rog in the last verse. Ammonius : Mep^is, afAsXowros xartiyopia, Blame is an accusation against a careless person ; and a^sXsia, disregard, care lessness, was the fault of the ancient people. There was active (practical) carelessness or disregard, on the part of the people, which provoked God not to care for or regard them ; ver. 9 (j^sXTjtfa avruv), note. — avroTg) finding fault with them who were under the Old Testament : ^//-po/xa/ governs the dative. — /5ot), behold) Jer. xxxi. 31-34. We shall point out where the LXX. differ. — Xsyg/) LXX., <prtffj ; and so ver. 9, 10 : for the very solemn phrase, saith the Lord, is used thrice. — <rumX£<r«) LXX.,
/j,ai, the Heb. Troi; for which word the LXX. give Jer. xxxiv. 8, 15. The expression is suited to this passage, / will perfect ; comp. with the antithesis at the end of ver. 9, and with the promise at the end of ver. 10. — 1*1) LXX., r& o'/xu 'l<rpafa xai r& O'IKU 'lovda : Heb. fitf, with. The dative is retained, ver. 9, as to the Old Testament ; but the preposition sV/, con cerning, with respect to (super), is more significant in respect of the New Testament. — 'itpafa — 'lovda, Israel — Judah) There fore the Ten Tribes, as well as Judah, are partakers of this covenant.
9. 'Efl-o/Tjtfa, / made) LXX., dieQepqv, / have arranged or dis posed. To perfect is more than to make and dispose. — wspa, in the day) Days, in the plural, are opposed to this one day, ver. 8. These many days are the days that intervened between the day of the Exodus and the New Testament. — sV/Xa/So^vou /AOV rJjc xsiplg avToJv, when I took them by the hand) Whilst their sense of the Divine help and power was recent, these men in old times obeyed ; but they were wont soon to revolt and turn God from them. This was their custom ; comp. presently after, they continued not. It was not merely one singular act. — ex yqg A/yi»crrou, out of the land of Egypt) There are three periods :