--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A covenant not to defend myself from…" description: "\"A covenant not to defend myself from force by force is always void. For ... no man can transfer or lay down his Right to save himself. For the right me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/thomas-hobbes-1127_covenant_a-covenant-not-to-defend-myself-from-for_803261.jpg" --- # A covenant not to defend myself from force by force is… ![“A covenant not to defend myself from force by force is always void. For ... no man can transfer or lay down his Right to save himself. For the right men have by Nature to protect themselves, when none else can protect them, can by no Covenant be relinquished. ... [The right] to defend ourselves…” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/thomas-hobbes-1127_covenant_a-covenant-not-to-defend-myself-from-for_803261.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/thomas-hobbes-1127_covenant_a-covenant-not-to-defend-myself-from-for_803261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/thomas-hobbes-1127_covenant_a-covenant-not-to-defend-myself-from-for_803261.jpg) > “A covenant not to defend myself from force by force is always void. For ... no man can transfer or lay down his Right to save himself. For the right men have by Nature to protect themselves, when none else can protect them, can by no Covenant be relinquished. ... \[The right\] to defend ourselves \[is the\] summe of the Right of Nature.” [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Natural right to self‑defense cannot be relinquished; any covenant denying it is invalid. **In simple terms:** You cannot give up your right to protect yourself. Key Takeaway Defend your inherent rights. Themes rights self‑defense law Mood serious philosophical Type legal ethical When to use this quote - personal safety - legal rights - political theory Key Concepts natural law social contract Questions to Reflect On - When is self‑defense justified? - How do societies balance individual and collective safety? A Different Perspective Self‑defense may conflict with collective security. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Covenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) [Covenant Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant-defend-4548506/) [Covenant Relinquished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant-relinquished-6146233/) [Defend Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-myself/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protect Covenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-covenant-6146232/) [Right Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-defend-250979/) [Right man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-man/) [Transfers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transfers/) [Void](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/void/) ## Related quotes > [A Covenant not to defend myself from force, by force, is always void. For... no man can transfer or lay down his Right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-covenant-not-to-defend-myself-from-force-by-force-is-always-void-2/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A Covenant not to defend my selfe from force, by force, is always voyd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-covenant-not-to-defend-my-selfe-from-force-by-force-is-always-voyd/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [I still want my right to defend myself. A railroad operation, and you know it, from Nixon on down. they got you running around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-seale/i-still-want-my-right-to-defend-myself-a-railroad-operation-and-you/) [Bobby Seale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-seale/) > [I do believe in the right to carry, and I believe in the right to defend myself and my family -- whether it's from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-ernst/i-do-believe-in-the-right-to-carry-and-i-believe-in-the-right-to/) [Joni Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-ernst/) > [The right to defend oneself is something that should never require us to be on a list, it should never require us to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/the-right-to-defend-oneself-is-something-that-should-never-require-us/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [There is a fundamental principle. People have the right to defend their country from foreign occupiers, and people have the right to defend their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/there-is-a-fundamental-principle-people-have-the-right-to-defend/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [Everybody certainly has the right to defend themselves. That's not to say that they should defy common sense by avoiding or diffusing confrontation. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-seagal/everybody-certainly-has-the-right-to-defend-themselves-that-s-not-to/) [Steven Seagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-seagal/) > [According to the State of Florida, the person with the gun has the right to defend him or herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/according-to-the-state-of-florida-the-person-with-the-gun-has-the/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [I'm in favour of a multi-polar world. I believe that every country has the right to defend its own interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/i-m-in-favour-of-a-multi-polar-world-i-believe-that-every-country-has/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [For everybody has a natural right to defend his own person and property against aggressors, but also to go to the assistance and defence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/for-everybody-has-a-natural-right-to-defend-his-own-person-and/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If America has the right to target Osama bin Laden, or terrorists, of course Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-america-has-the-right-to-target-osama-bin-laden-or-terrorists-of/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“Anybody have the right to defend himself by carrying a gun but nobody have the right to kill others because he is carrying a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hisham-fawzi/anybody-have-the-right-to-defend-himself-by-carrying-a-gun-but-nobody/) [Hisham Fawzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hisham-fawzi/) > [Israel has the right to defend itself, especially against the huge numbers of Iranian long-range missiles pouring into the Gaza Strip from Iran via…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronen-bergman/israel-has-the-right-to-defend-itself-especially-against-the-huge/) [Ronen Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronen-bergman/) > [I have always thought that Israel, as an independent and sovereign nation, had a right to defend itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-nickles/i-have-always-thought-that-israel-as-an-independent-and-sovereign/) [Don Nickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-nickles/) > [If every person has the right to defend - even by force - his person, his liberty, and his property, then it follows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/if-every-person-has-the-right-to-defend-even-by-force-his-person-his/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) ## More by Thomas Hobbes > [“Give an inch, he'll take an ell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/give-an-inch-he-ll-take-an-ell/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For it is with the mysteries of our religion, as with wholesome pills for the sick, which swallowed whole, have the virtue to cure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-it-is-with-the-mysteries-of-our-religion-as-with-wholesome-pills/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; 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yet their true Value is no more than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/let-a-man-as-most-men-do-rate-themselves-as-the-highest-value-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-free-man-is-he-that-in-those-things-which-by-his-strength-and-wit/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/covenants-without-the-sword-are-but-words-and-of-no-strength-to/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/fear-of-things-invisible-in-the-natural-seed-of-that-which-everyone/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/because-silver-and-gold-have-their-value-from-the-matter-itself-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/what-reason-is-there-that-he-which-laboreth-much-and-sparing-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The cause of Sense, is the External Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediately, as in theTaste and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-cause-of-sense-is-the-external-body-or-object-which-presseth-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The characters of man's heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-characters-of-man-s-heart-blotted-and-confounded-as-they-are-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Explore all 285 Thomas Hobbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## More Covenant quotes > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-m-stephens/god-will-keep-his-promises-to-you-as-you-honor-your-covenants-with-him/) [Carole M. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-m-stephens/) > [“God is worming out His and our adversaries, which He will do by little and little, till they be consumed. The covenant is seasonable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/god-is-worming-out-his-and-our-adversaries-which-he-will-do-by-little/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [There is no more blessed way of living, than the life of faith based upon a covenant-keepin g God - to know that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-more-blessed-way-of-living-than-the-life-of-faith-based/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The average citizen expresses pride in the American Bill of Rights and then seeks to protect his real estate by restrictive covenants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-allen-overstreet/the-average-citizen-expresses-pride-in-the-american-bill-of-rights/) [Harry Allen Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-allen-overstreet/) > [The only compensation, gained through the influence of nongovernmental organizations, consisted in slightly broadening for private individuals the possibility of access and appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-cassin/the-only-compensation-gained-through-the-influence-of-nongovernmental/) [Rene Cassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-cassin/) > [Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is an essential covenant to make with the Lord. Faith and repentance precede this ordinance. Confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/baptism-by-immersion-for-the-remission-of-sins-is-an-essential/) [A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/) > [Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/peace-does-not-rest-in-the-charters-and-covenants-alone-it-lies-in/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. 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They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-exception-to-this-rule-all-the-paths-of-the-lord-are/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/what-i-am-trying-to-teach-is-that-when-we-keep-the-temple-covenants/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [No love can be bound by oath or covenant to secure it against a higher love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-love-can-be-bound-by-oath-or-covenant-to-secure-it-against-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Browse all 421 Covenant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A covenant not to defend myself from force by force is always void. For ... no man can transfer or lay down his Right to save himself. For the right men have by Nature to protect themselves, when none else can protect them, can by no Covenant be relinquished. ... 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