Introduction The text from Deuteronomy, chapters 10-11 describes a ‘love’ which is inherent in the origin of an ancient covenant. The modern western impression of covenant is commonly understood as a strong agreement between two parties. It is something like a legal promise or a binding contract. Although this modern understanding originates from the ancient world, it does not describe the depth of what would have been known as a covenantal agreement in the ancient Near Eastern milieu. Along with this, love in modern Western custom is typically an expression of emotion and response toward another person or object. It is fitting that love is not something that would occur in the realm of legal contracts. Therefore, the inherency of love within …show more content…
In this ancient understanding, the suzerain would offer land or good to the vassal with the understanding that the vassal must account for all agreed upon terms in order to remain in good standing with the suzerain. Although this sounds very legal, according to William Moran as well as Michael Coogan, the suzerain treaty was most often used between father and son or husband and wife. As a result, those listening to or reading Deuteronomy would have understood the covenant with YHWH as suzerain treaty, a type of legal commitment or agreement, from a receiver to a giver, but executer is rather familial and agreed upon to through relationship. The understood concepts built into the treaty would be ‘loyalty,’ ‘knowing’ (even going so far as to ‘know’ the other in a sexual way), and ‘love.’ The suzerain treaty is like a marriage agreement, as if to say the common wedding vows which end with, “till death do us part.” Textual Similarities within Ideologies of Love, Covenant, and