Covenant (biblical) 1

Covenant (biblical)
This article is about biblical covenants. For other uses, see Covenant (disambiguation).

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A biblical covenant is a religious covenant that is described in the Bible. All Abrahamic religions consider biblical
covenants important. Of the covenants found in the Pentateuch or Torah, the Noahic Covenant is unique in applying
to all humanity, while the other covenants are principally agreements made between God and the biblical Israelites.
In the Book of Jeremiah, verses 31:30-33 [2] predict "a new covenant" that God will establish with Israel and Judah.
Most Christians believe this New Covenant is the "replacement" or "final fulfilment" of the Old Covenant described
in the Old Testament and as applying to the People of God, while a minority believe both covenants are still
applicable in a dual covenant theology.

Noahic covenant
See also: Genesis flood narrative § Rainbow covenant and Seven Laws
of Noah
In Judaism, the Seven Laws of Noah (Hebrew: ‫ שבע מצוות בני נח‬Sheva
mitzvot B'nei Noach), or the Noahide Laws, are a set of moral
imperatives that, according to the Talmud, were given by God[3] as a
binding set of laws for the "children of Noah" – that is, all of
humanity.[4][5] The Noahic covenant [Gen 9:8-17] [6] applies to all of
humanity and to all other living creatures. In this covenant, God
promises never again to destroy all life on Earth by flood [9:11] [7] and Noah's Thanksoffering (c.1803) by Joseph Anton
creates the rainbow as the sign of this "everlasting covenant between Koch. Noah builds an altar to the Lord after being
God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth". [9:12-17] delivered from the Flood; God sends the rainbow
[8] as a sign of his covenant.

Abrahamic covenant
Main article: Covenant of the pieces
Covenant (biblical) 2

The Abrahamic covenant found in Genesis 12-17 [9] is known as the Brit bein HaBetarim, the "Covenant Between
the Parts" in Hebrew, and is the basis for brit milah (covenant of circumcision) in Judaism. The covenant was for
Abraham and his seed, or offspring, both of natural birth and adoption.[10]
In Genesis chapters 12–17 three covenants can be distinguished based on the differing Jahwist, Elohist and Priestly
sources.[11] In Genesis 12 and 15, God grants Abraham land and descendants but does not place any stipulations
(unconditional). By contrast, Gen. 17 contains the covenant of circumcision (conditional).
• To make of Abraham a great nation and bless Abraham and make his name great so that he will be a blessing, to
bless those who bless him and curse him who curses him and all peoples on earth would be blessed through
Abraham. [Gen 12:1-3] [12]
• To give Abraham's descendants all the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates. [Gen 15:18-21] [13] Later, this
land came to be referred to as the Promised Land (see map) or the Land of Israel.
• To make Abraham the father of many nations and of many descendants and give "the whole land of Canaan" to
his descendants. [Gen 17:2-9] [14]
• Circumcision is to be the permanent sign of this everlasting covenant with Abraham and his male descendants and
is known as the brit milah. [Gen 17:9-14] [15]
Covenants in biblical times were often sealed by severing an animal, with the implication that the party who breaks
the covenant will suffer a similar fate. In Hebrew, the verb meaning to seal a covenant translates literally as "to cut".
It is presumed by Jewish scholars that the removal of the foreskin symbolically represents such a sealing of the
covenant.[16]

Mosaic covenant
Main article: Mosaic covenant
See also: Ten Commandments, 613 commandments and Law of Moses
The Mosaic covenant, beginning in Exodus 19-24 [17], contains the
foundations of the written Torah and the Oral Torah. In this covenant, God
promises to make the Israelites his treasured possession among all people [Exo
19:5] [18]
and "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" [Exo 19:6] [19], if they
follow God's commandments. As part of the terms of this covenant, God
gives Moses the Ten Commandments. These will later be elaborated on in the
rest of the Torah.

The form of the covenant resembles the suzerainty treaty in the ancient Near
East.[20] Like the treaties, the Ten Commandments begins with Yahweh's
identification and what he had done for Israel ("who brought you out of the
land of Egypt"; Ex 20:2) as well as the stipulations commanding absolute The Ten Commandments on a monument
loyalty ("You shall not have other gods apart from me"). Unlike the on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol

suzerainty treaty, the Decalogue does not have any witness nor explicit
blessings and curses.[21] The fullest account of the Mosaic covenant is given in the book of Deuteronomy.

God gave the children of Israel the Shabbat as the permanent sign of this covenant. [Exo 31:12-17] [22]
Covenant (biblical) 3

Priestly covenant
Main article: Priestly covenant
The priestly covenant[23] (Hebrew: ‫ ברית הכהונה‬brith ha-kehuna) is the covenant that God made with Aaron and his
descendants, the Aaronic priesthood, as found in the Hebrew Bible and Oral Torah. The Hebrew Bible also mentions
another perpetual priestly promise with Phinehas and his descendants.[24][25]

Davidic covenant
See also: David § Jerusalem and the Davidic covenant
The Davidic covenant [2Sam 7] [26] establishes David and his descendants as the kings of the united monarchy of
Israel [Jer 33:17-21] [27] (which included Judah). The Davidic covenant is an important element in Jewish messianism
and Christian theology. In Jewish eschatology, the messiah is believed to be a future Jewish king from the Davidic
line, who will be anointed with holy anointing oil, gather the Jews back into the Land of Israel, usher in an era of
peace, build the Third Temple, have a male heir, re-institute the Sanhedrin and rule the Jewish people during the
Messianic Age.
Christian theologian John F. Walvoord maintains that the Davidic covenant deserves an important place in
determining the purposes of God and that its exegesis confirms the doctrine of a future reign of Christ on earth.[28]
While Jewish theologians have always held that Jesus did not fulfill the expectations of a Jewish messiah, the
position of conservative Christian theologians is almost unanimous that Jesus fulfills the Davidic covenant, the
provisions of which Walvoord lists as:
1. David is to have a child, yet to be born, who shall succeed him and establish his kingdom.
2. A son (Solomon) shall build the temple instead of David.
3. The throne of his kingdom shall be established forever.
4. The throne will not be taken away from him (Solomon) even though his sins justify chastisement.
5. David’s house, throne, and kingdom shall be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16).

New Covenant
Main article: New Covenant
The New Covenant is a biblical interpretation originally derived from a phrase in the Book of Jeremiah, in the
Hebrew Scriptures. It is often thought of as an eschatological Messianic Age or world to come and is related to the
biblical concept of the Kingdom of God.
Generally, Christians believe that the New Covenant was instituted at the Last Supper as part of the Eucharist, which
in the Gospel of John includes the New Commandment. A connection between the Blood of Christ and the New
Covenant is seen in most modern English translations of the New Testament[29] with the saying: "this cup that is
poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood".
Christians see Jesus as the mediator of this New Covenant, and that his blood, shed at his crucifixion is the required
blood of the covenant: as with all covenants between God and man described in the Bible, the New Covenant is
considered "a bond in blood sovereignly administered by God."[30] It has been theorized that the New Covenant is
the Law of Christ as spoken during his Sermon on the Mount.[31]
Covenant (biblical) 4

References
[1] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Template:Bible-related& action=edit
[2] http:/ / tools. wmflabs. org/ bibleversefinder/ ?book=Jeremiah& verse=31:30-33& src=HE
[3] According to Encyclopedia Talmudit (Hebrew edition, Israel, 5741/1981, Entry Ben Noah, page 349), most medieval authorities consider that
all seven commandments were given to Adam, although Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot M'lakhim 9:1) considers the dietary law to
have been given to Noah.
[4] Encyclopedia Talmudit (Hebrew edition, Israel, 5741/1981, entry Ben Noah, introduction) states that after the giving of the Torah, the Jewish
people were no longer in the category of the sons of Noah; however, Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot M'lakhim 9:1) indicates that the
seven laws are also part of the Torah, and the Talmud (Bavli, Sanhedrin 59a, see also Tosafot ad. loc.) states that Jews are obligated in all
things that Gentiles are obligated in, albeit with some differences in the details.
[5] Compare .
[6] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Gen+ 9%3A8-17& version=ESV
[7] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Gen+ 9%3A11& version=ESV
[8] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Gen+ 9%3A12-17& version=ESV
[9] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Genesis+ 12-17& version=NIV
[10] And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old
shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger,
which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall
be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
[11] Michael D. Coogan, A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009), 62–68
[12] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Gen+ 12%3A1-3& version=KJV
[13] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Gen+ 15%3A18-21& version=9
[14] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Gen+ 17%3A2-9& version=9
[15] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Gen+ 17%3A9-14& version=9
[16] "Circumcision." Mark Popovsky. Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Ed. David A. Leeming, Kathryn Madden and Stanton Marlan.
New York: Springer, 2010. pp.153-154.
[17] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Exodus+ 19-24& version=ESV
[18] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Exo+ 19%3A5& version=ESV
[19] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Exo+ 19%3A6& version=ESV
[20] Kline, Meredith. " Deuteronomy (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080112042837/ http:/ / www. covopc. org/ Kline/
Deuteronomy_Zondervan_Dictionary. html)". The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary
[21] Michael D. Coogan, "A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament" page 103, Oxford University Press, 2009
[22] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Exo+ 31%3A12-17& version=ESV
[23] Qumran and Jerusalem: studies in the Dead Sea scrolls p248 Lawrence H. Schiffman - 2010 This priestly covenant is also echoed in the
poem in 1QM 17:2-3 that re- fers to the eternal priestly covenant. ... Num 18:19).57 That the priestly “covenant of salt,” a biblical expression
denoting a permanent covenant,58 is to be ...
[24] Jewish Encylopedia: Phinehas (http:/ / www. jewishencyclopedia. com/ articles/ 12117-phinehas): "...for this act he was approved by God
and was rewarded with the divine promise that the priesthood should remain in his family forever (Num. xxv. 7-15)."
[25] Jewish Encylopedia: Covenant (http:/ / www. jewishencyclopedia. com/ articles/ 4714-covenant): "The term "berit" ... refers chiefly to God's
covenant made with Israel, and with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Phineas, and David (Derek Ereẓ Zuṭa, i., end)."
[26] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=2Sam+ 7& version=NIV
[27] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ passage/ ?search=Jer+ 33%3A17-21& version=KJV
[28] Walvoord, John F. "Eschatological Problems VII: The Fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant." Web: 19 Mar 2010. Eschatological Problems
VII: The Fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (https:/ / bible. org/ seriespage/ eschatological-problems-vii-fulfillment-davidic-covenant)
[29] but not in the KJV for example
[30] This definition of covenant is from O. Palmer Robertson's book The Christ of the Covenants. It has become an accepted definition among
modern scholars. See this critical review of his book (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20101116221315/ http:/ / apuritansmind. com/ Baptism/
McMahonOverviewRobertsonsBookChrist. htm) by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon.
[31] George R. Law, “The Form of the New Covenant in Matthew,” American Theological Inquiry 5:2 (2012).
Covenant (biblical) 5

Further reading
• Paul Fiddes (1985). 'Covenant - Old and New', in P. Fiddes, R. Hayden, R. Kidd, K. Clements, and B. Haymes,
Bound to love: the covenant basis of Baptist life and mission, pp. 9-23. London: Baptist Union.
• Truman G. Madsen and Seth Ward (2001). Covenant and Chosenness in Judaism and Mormonism. Fairleigh
Dickinson University Press. ISBN 0-8386-3927-5.
• Insight on the Scriptures, Covenant (http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200001054), Watchtower Online
Library, pages 520-525

External links
• Jewish Encyclopedia: Covenant (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=837&letter=C&
search=Mosaic Covenant)
• Nave's Topical Bible (http://bible.crosswalk.com/Concordances/NavesTopicalBible/ntb.cgi?number=T1279)
on covenants
• Understanding of the Covenant of Joseph (http://www.AbrahamsBirthright.com) by Michael Stansfield
(Biblical perspective)
• "What is a Covenant" (http://www.upper-register.com/papers/what_is_covenant.html) from Kingdom
Prologue by Meredith G. Kline (Reformed perspective)
•  "Divine Promise (in Scripture)". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913.
Article Sources and Contributors 6

Article Sources and Contributors

Covenant (biblical)  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=619341670  Contributors: Ace of Spades, Afaprof01, All Hallow's Wraith, AnakngAraw, Andycjp, B, B9 hummingbird
hovering, BD2412, Basawala, Basicide, Ben Ben, Bender235, Bgwhite, Brotherrog, Chris the speller, Civilizededucation, Coelacan, Colin MacLaurin, Colin McLaughlin, Ctobola, DARTH
SIDIOUS 2, DanofTas, Davidiad, DonaldRichardSands, Donner60, DoorsAjar, Dougweller, Drascobiz, Dwayne, Editor2020, Edonovan, El C, Elatanatari, Eliyak, Emmanuelm, Esurhoff,
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HyernLee, Ikar.us, In ictu oculi, InverseHypercube, Invmog, Itohacs, JASpencer, Jasmine Setterah, Java7837, Jeangophile, Jim1138, Jizzbug, John J. Bulten, John of Reading, JohnChrysostom,
KHM03, Koakhtzvigad, Kwamikagami, Ldixon53, Lo2u, Luk, Madmaharaja, Magioladitis, Malhonen, Marcocapelle, Martarius, Matthew Platts, Mbacon8910, Meieimatai, Mestansfield,
MickMacNee, Musse-kloge, Naraht, Ncklsptr, Ndenison, Newcovenants, Nissimnanach, Pastordavid, Pediainsight, Pepuu, PiCo, Piano non troppo, Pmanderson, Ptolemy Caesarion, Qwe,
RainbowOfLight, Random user 39849958, Razilber, Rbreen, Reiddp, Remus Octavian Mocanu, Rich Farmbrough, Rich jj, Rjakew, Robertroberg, Ronhjones, SMcCandlish, SandandStars,
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