Covenants

{This comes from a course called "Biblical Backgrounds" and is largely unchanged}

- Hebrew uses the word Berith for covenant.

- you cut a covenant to create it

- the same word is used for international treaties of the time

- extant treaties are largely from 1500 - 600BC so they form a societal backdrop to the Old Testament covenants

- The aim of the treaty was to create a relationship between the suzerain and the vassal.

- a suzerain was a king/emperor whatever that made/enforced a treaty with someone less powerful.

- Note the relationship was not equal

- usually in return for taxes, the suzerain protected the vassal

- florid, rhetorical language was used in the treaty document as well as colourful ceremonies, to empress on the vassal the importance of obedience

- a good Vassal will "go after", "fear", "love","hearken to the voice of" his lord.

- the bad vassal sins against the suzerain

- there were six sections to the treaty -

1) a preamble that names the author of the treaty
2) a historical prologue setting out the relations between the parties prior to signing the treaty. ie who beat up who.
3) stipulations explaining mutual responsibilities - The vassal was to pay these taxes, the suzerain was to protect, the vassal was to supply these soldiers etc
4) a document clause describing the treaty document and arranging for the vassal to read it regularly
5) a list of gods witnessing the treaty
6) a list of curses and blessings. These may be physical - the vassal will be deported/executed if he breaks the treaty or metaphysical in the gods curse of illness famine etc. It promises prosperity and blessing for faithfulness

- The kings of Israel were continually making treaties or rather having them imposed upon them.

- The problem was that built into the treaty was the requirement of reverence for the suzerain's gods.

- this led to apostasy easiest example is King Ahaz 2K 16. Ahaz called on Tiglath-Pileser for relief from Samaria and Damascus who were oppressing him

- Tiglath-Pileser defeated both but then made a treaty with Ahaz which included, presumably the building of an altar and worship of his god.

- there are very close similarities between the treaty documents and the covenants in the old testament.

- the biggest difference is that instead of gods there is God.

- Deuteronomy can be broken up into the sections of a covenant document:

1-3 Historical prologue
4-26 stipulations
27 document clause
28 blessings and curses

- the concept of covenant extends throughout the old testament into the new.

- the last covenant between God and people is of course the new covenant inaugurated by Jesus.

- the Major covenants in the Old Testament were the Abrahamic covenants and the Sinai covenant

- others include the Nohaic - Gen 9, The davidic covenant 2Sam 7 for one

- Jacob for one attempted to turn the table and create a covenant with God - Arrogant young man that he was Gen 28:16ff

Bibliography

This essay was developed as a lecture and so the references are not as good as they should be. As far as I am aware the material of the course was based on the following books:

"The New Bible Dictionary" (InterVarsity Press 1962)

"The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible" (Abingdon Press 1962)

"The Lion Handbook of the Bible" (Lion Publishing 1973)

"The Story of Jericho" 2nd Ed. by J. Garstang and J.B.E. Garstang (Marshall Morgan and Scott 1948)

"How to Read the New Testament" by Etienne Charpentier (SCM Press 1981)

"A Way into the Old Testament" by C.R. Biggs and A.L.G Catlin (Uniting Church Press 1983)

"The New Testament Environment" by Eduard Lohse (SCM Press 1976)

"How to Read the Old Testament" by Etienne Charpentier (SCM Press 1981)

"The Background of the Gospels" by W. Fairweather (T & T Clark 1911)