Covenants In The Hebrew Bible

Covenants in the Hebrew Bible

In the Hebrew Bible, the relationship between God and men expressed differently and it gradually transforms with different descendants. In the end, it leads to an increase of power of God not only toward an individual, but also toward all human beings through codifications called “covenants”.

The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology defines Covenant as “A compact or agreement between two parties binding them mutually to undertakings on each other’s behalf” (). To understand the whole principle of covenants’ development, we need to begin with a story of creation in Genesis. God made the world as a pattern for Adam and Eve and guided them how to live and what to do: “Be fruitful and multiply;

Indeed, the relationship between God and human beings was as a sort of gift exchange, where God not only gives a life, but also various tangible things (children, houses, land, etc.). Therefore, those who pleased merciful God could succeed and be protected by covenants, while others suffered from different disasters. In the 22nd chapter, a type of agreement changes as to mandatory obedience is added a worship ritual to him and God demands Abraham to sacrifice his son: “Take, pray, your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and offer him up as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I shall say to you” (169). Abraham confirms his covenant through his son from Sarah, as she was blessed by God: “I will bless her and she shall become nations” (168). Isaac was a promise of the covenant and the act of renaming Sarai to Sarah when announcing a birth of Isaac refers to a sign of God’s purpose embedded in her. The covenant changes from a codification over an individual, how it was in the Adamic version, to the covenant over a great number of representatives of him: “All the nations of the earth will be blessed through your seed because you have listened to my voice”

Indeed, a history of life takes its origins in the first chapters and includes covenants of God toward a man or individual, while later it develops to the relationship of God toward all mankind. Through his mediators and their seed, his promises become to be universal and punishment of disobedience turns to the redemption (Noah), not destruction, as it was Cain and Abele. What is more, we see that covenants start to be the silent rules for God’s descendants, even though they were separated from him after the Adamic covenant. This fact pervades the whole book, as God choses Jewish people to serve his witnesses to the rest of the world for the sake of his