COVENANT
technical
and
legal
sense
of
an
arrangement
entered
Into
by
God,
and
confirmed
or
sealed
with
the
due
formalities.
The
Hebrew
word
(fierlth)
has
a
similarly
wide
signification;
whilst
the
Greek
{dialKlki)
is
used
alike
in
the
classics
and
on
the
papyri
in
the
further
sense
of
'testament'
or
'will,'
though
Aristophanes
{Av.
439)
is
a
good
witness
for
the
meaning
of
mutual
agreement.
The
rendering
'testament'
is
retained
by
the
EV
in
two
places
only
(He
9>«-
";
cf.
margin
of
Gal
31'),
and
is
perpetuated
in
the
titles
given
to
the
two
main
parts
of
the
Bible
(see
Testament).
As
for
the
formalities
in
concluding
a
covenant,
the
primitive
way
seems
to
have
been
for
the
two
parties
to
swallow
each
a
drop
of
the
other's
blood,
thus
becoming
covenant-brothers.
This
actual
mingling
of
blood
soon
became
distasteful,
and
substitutes
were
found,
such
as
the
cutting
of
sacrificial
animals
into
two
parts,
between
which
the
contracting
parties
passed
(On
IS'"-
",
Jer
34i8f),
the
meat
probably
being
eaten
afterwards
in
a
joint
meal.
This
ritual
appears
to
have
been
inherited
from
the
nomadic
period,
and
it
afterwards
generally
gave
way
to
a
solemn
oath
or
invocation
of
God,
combining
a
pledge
to
observe
the
covenant
(Gn
26",
He
6")
and
the
imprecation
of
a
curse
on
non-observance
(Dt
27"").
Sometimes
a
handshake
took
the
place
of
the
oath
(Ezr
10'»,
Pr
6'
I718
222«,
1
Ch
29"
marg.,
1
Mac
6"),
or
was
added
to
it
(Ezk
17").
In
very
early
times
an
agreement
between
two
men
was
sometimes
confirmed
by
setting
up
a
pillar
or
a
heap
of
stones
(Gn
31"-<»),
the
religious
sanction
being
added
(Gn
31"'-
").
When
God
was
Himself
directly
one
of
the
parties,
and
an
obligation
was
thought
to
be
assumed
by
Him
rather
than
by
both,
a
token
was
substituted
(Gn
912);
but
in
these
cases
the
transaction
takes
the
form
chiefly
of
a
pledge
or
assurance,
though
the
idea
of
some
obligation
upon
the
other
party
is
often
implicit.
Compacts
would
often
be
made
or
confirmed
at
a
shrine;
and
the
god
was
invoked
as
a
witness
(Gn
31''"-,
Jos
24^',
2
K
11«
23'),
or
a
sacrificial
meal
accompanied
the
act
(Gn
26'°
31",
2
S
3M).
SprinkUng
of
sacrificial
blood
(Ex
24",
Zee
9",
He
9^°)
was
a
specially
solemn
indication
of
God's
approving
presence
and
of
the
obligations
under-
taken;
and
its
significance
survives
and
is
deepened
in
the
death
of
Christ
(He
lO^"
13«")
and
in
the
Eucharist
(Mt
262»,
Mk
14M,
Lk
22»,
1
Co
ll^).
Of
the
covenants
referred
to
in
Scripture,
there
are
two
classes.
1.
Covermnts
between
men.
—
These,
again,
are
of
several
kinds,
the
most
frequent
being
inter-national
alliances
(c.ff.
Gn
21",
Jos
9»,
Ps
836,
Am
1»),
judicial
decisions
and
codes
(Sir
38'',
possibly
Ex
24'),
agreements
between
a
ruler
and
the
people
(2
S
5',
Dn
9^').
and
civil
and
domestic
compacts
of
every
variety.
The
word
was
used
for
alliances
of
friendship
(1
S
18',
Ps
55"),
and
of
marriage
(Pr
2",
Mai
2»).
By
an
easy
metaphor,
a
covenant
in
the
sense
of
an
imposed
will
may
be
made
with
the
eyes
(Job
31');
or,
in
the
other
sense
of
agreement,
with
the
stones
(Job
6"),
but
not
with
Leviathan
(Job
41*),
because
of
his
greatness
and
intractability,
nor
wisely
with
death
either
in
scorn
of
God
(Is
28"-
")
or
in
yearning
(Wis
1").
In
Dn
11'^
'the
prince
of
the
covenant'
is
sometimes
rendered
'a
prince
in
league
with
him';
but
if
the
other
translation
stands,
'covenant'
will
represent
the
nation
as
a
religious
community
(cf.
Dn
IV-
'»,
Ps
7420),
and
the
prince
will
be
the
high
priest,
Onias
in.,
who
was
deposed
by
Antiochus
about
B.C.
174.
Similarly
in
Mai
3'
'the
messenger
of
the
covenant'
may
be
the
attendant
of
God,
His
instrument
in
dealing
with
the
nation
(cf.
RVm).
2.
Covenants
between
God
and
men.
—
The
idea
of
a
covenant
with
Adam,
beyond
the
siiiiple
injunction
of
Gn
2"-
",
has
been
found
by
some
writers
in
Sir
17",
which
is
more
easily
interpreted
of
the
transactions
on
Horeb
(Dt
5').
In
P«
25",
as
in
652»,
the
word
has
its
fundamental
meaning
of
an
aUiance
of
friendship,
COVENANT
with
a
specific
allusion
in
the
former
case
to
the
Deuter-onomic
covenant
of
the
tenth
verse.
In
other
cases
the
technical
meaning
of
an
agreement
with
signs
and
pledges
is
more
conspicuous.
The
Noachian
covenant
(Gn
6"
98-",
Is
54»'-,
Jer
ZZ^"-
^)
guarantees
the
stability
of
natural
law.
The
covenant
with
Abraham
(Gn
15"
l?^-^')
was
confirmed
in
its
promise
to
Isaac
and
Jacob
(Ex
2'^,
Lv
26«,
Ps
105"),
and
ensured
a
blessing
through
their
seed
to
all
nations,
circumcision
being
adopted
as
the
token
(cf.
Ac
7',
1
Mac
1").
Of
still
greater
significance
was
the
covenant
at
Horeb
or
Sinai
(Ex
19*
34i»-
"f-
et
al.),
which
was
renewed
in
the
plains
of
Moab
(Dt
29'),
and
is
frequently
referred
to
in
the
OT.
It
was
really
a
constitution
given
to
Israel
by
God,
with
appointed
promise
and
penalty,
duly
inscribed
on
the
tables
of
the
covenant
(Dt
9I'-
"■
"),
which
were
deposited
in
the
ark
(Dt
10^-
',
1
K
8'-
«,
2
Ch
5",
He
9«).
Elsewhere
the
covenant
is
described
as
set
forth
in
words
(Ex
342',
Dt
29')
and
written
in
a
book
(Ex
24',
2
K
23').
Amongst
other
covenants
of
minor
importance
are
that
with
Phinehas
establishing
an
everlasting
priesthood
in
his
line
(Nu
25^"),
and
that
with
David
establishing
an
everiasting
kingdom
(Ps
89«-,
Jer
332';
cf.
2
S
7).
Joshua
and
the
people
covenant
to
serve
Jehovah
only
(Jos
2425);
so
Jehoiada
and
the
people
(2
K
11").
Hezekiah-
and
the
people
solemnly
agree
to
reform
the
worship
(2
Ch
291");
Josiah
(2
K
23')
and
Ezra
(10»)
lead
the
people
into
a
covenant
to
observe
the
Law.
Whilst
the
Sinaitic
covenant
is
rightly
regarded
as
the
charter
of
the
Jewish
dispensation,
the
establish-ment
by
God
of
a
new
constitution
was
contemplated
by
a
series
of
prophets
(Jer
31"-
"
32"
50',
Is
55'
5921
61',
Ezk
16"-
«2
20"
342s).
Some
of
the
pledges
were
new,
and
not
confined
in
their
range
to
Israel,
whilst
the
Messianic
Servant
becomes
'for
a
covenant
of
the
people'
(Is
42"-
49^;
cf.
'messenger
of
the
covenant,'
Mai
3').
The
Sinaitic
covenant
is
thus
transformed,
and,
whilst
continuing
as
a
note
of
racial
separation
until
the
period
for
the
Incarnation
was
come,
gave
way
then
to
a
new
dispensation
with
increased
emphasis
on
personal
religion
and
the
provision
of
means
adequate
to
ensure
it
(He
8'-").
Yet
the
ancient
covenant,
even
that
with
Abraham,
was
ever-lasting
(Gn
17'),
and
still
stands
in
its
supreme
purpose
(Lv
26"'-,
Ac
325,
Ro
11»')
of
making
men
the
people
of
God,
the
new
elements
consisting
mainly
in
the
adoption
of
more
effective
influences
and
inspiration.
The
Exile
is
sometimes
thought
of
as
marking
the
dissolution
of
the
Old
Covenant
(Jer
31"*-),
though
the
new
one
was
not
fully
introduced
until
some
centuries
later.
The
act
of
making
the
New
Covenant
is
compared
with
the
transactions
in
the
wilderness
(Ezk
20"').
On
God's
part
there
is
forgiveness
with
the
quickening
of
the
inner
life
of
man
(Ezk
362««).
And
both
the
activity
and
the
blessedness
are
associated
with
the
Messianic
expectations
(Jer
33>"-,
Ezk
3721-2',
Lk
12»).
In
the
later
OT
writings
the
word
'covenant,'
as
appears
from
the
previous
citations,
has
lost
much
of
its
technical
signification,
and
does
not
always
denote
even
a
formal
act
of
agreement,
but
becomes
almost
a
synonym,
and
that
without
much
precision,
for
the
conditions
of
religion
(Ps
103").
St.
Paul
recognizes
a
series
of
covenants
(Ro
9S
Eph
212)
on
an
ascending
scale
of
adequacy
(2
Co
3',
Gal
i"'-,
cf.
He
722
8»ff-);
and
Sinai
is
but
a
stage
(Gal
3"»)
in
the
course
from
Abraham
to
Christ.
Of
special
phrases,
two
or
three'may
present
some
diffi-culty.
'A
covenant
of
salt'
(Nu
18",
2
Ch
13')
is
a
per-petual
covenant,
the
eating
of
salt
together
being
a
token
of
friendship
as
sealed
by
sacred
hospitality.
The
salt
of
the
covenant'
(Lv
2")
has
probably
the
same
primary
suggestion,
as
a
natural
accompaniment
of
the
sacrificial
meEil,
and
with
it
constituting
an
inviolable
bond.
Some-times
the
two
great
divisions
of
Scripture
are
called
the
boolcs
of
the
Ola
and
of
the
New
Covenant
respectively.
The
name'Bookofthe
Covenant
'
(see
next
article)
is
given
