berit[h]
by Cadet Michael Ramsay

Covenant is obviously an important concept in Salvation Army with full membership requiring a signing of the Soldier's Covenant. It is also a very important idea in the Old Testament. The word testament, itself, can be translated as covenant! berit[h] is the most common term translated as 'covenant' in the Hebrew Bible: it appears 286 times thus proving it an extremely important word.[1]

The origin of this word is not entirely conclusive. It is a form of the word brh, which refers to the meal that accompanies the covenantal ceremony
[2].brh, however, is not the usual verb to indicate eating so this origin is not the most likely [3]. berith is identical to the Akkadian word birit which means "between" or "among" so that is a possible origin.[4] Most probably though, berith comes from the Akkadian word biritu, which means "to fetter". This term designates the establishment or breach of a contract.[5]

As this root, biritu, suggests the original Hebrew meaning of the word would imply more of an "imposition" of terms rather than an "agreement or settlement between two parties"
[6]. Covenants are commanded (Ps. 111:9; Jgs. 2:20) and can be seen as the same as a law or commandment (cf.; e.g., Dt. 4:13; 33:9; Isa. 24:5; Ps. 50:16; 103:18).[7] The "covenant at Sinai in Ex. 24 is in its essence an imposition of laws and obligations upon the people (vv. 3-8)"[8].

There are a number of classifications of the various types of OT covenants that can be made: secular (where God is not one of the parties involved), covenants in which God IS bound, and covenants in which Israel is bound.

Covenants where God is not one of the parties involved can be further classified as suzerainty, where a superior binds an inferior to terms the superior sets (I Sam 11:1; Hos. 12:1; Job 41:4, 5:23.)
[9]; parity, where each party is bound by oath (Gen 21:25-32, 26:27-31, 31:44-50; Josh. 9:3-27; I Kings 5:12, 20:34)[10]; patron, where a superior binds himself for the benefit of an inferior (Isa.: 28:15); promissory, which guarantees future performance of stipulated obligations (II Kings 11:4-12,17; II Kings 23:3; Jeremiah 34:8; Ezra 10:3; Nehemiah 5:11-13, 9:38, 10:28-29)[11].

Covenants where God, himself, is bound include the covenant with Noah (Gen. 17, Num. 25:12), the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 15, 17:1-14), and the Davidic covenant (II Sam. 23:5, Pss. 89:3, 28-29; 110:4).
[12]

The covenants where Israel is bound include the Mosaic covenant (cf.; e.g., the ten commandments, Deut 27-28), the covenant of Joshua (Jos. 24), the reform of Josiah (II Kings 23), and the covenant of Ezra (Neh. 9-10).
[13]

To sum up, covenants can be made voluntarily or involuntarily, with or without obligation, and between equals, or superiors and inferiors; berith's origin is uncertain but it is probably derived from biritu, which means "to fetter".

So, who cares? Well, the Salvationist, I suppose, or more importantly the person contemplating a 'covenant' relationship with God. When you sign your covenant, you are fettered, shackled, and bound. This chain cannot easily be broken. If it is, there are repercussions. So for potential Salvationists, they should ask, "Is this the star to which God has asked me to hitch my wagon?" and for the Salvationist who tends to take the terms of the covenant lightly, remember that it is difficult to move when the one you are yoked together with one who is going in the other direction...BUT when you are following in a proper covenant, His yoke is easy! And really what could you accomplish on your own that wouldn't be accomplished much more easily and effectively if you were shackled to the LORD!

Michael Ramsay
Herald of the Good News
The Salvation Army's Renew Network
www.renewnetwork.net



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Footnotes

[1] G.E. Mendenhall. "Covenant." In The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, edited by George Arthur Buttrick. (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1962), 715.

[2] M. Weinfeld. "berith." In Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, edited by G. Johannes Botterweck. (Stuttgart, W.Germany: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1975), 253.

[3] M. Weinfeld, P. 254.

[4] M. Weinfeld, P. 254.

[5] G.E. Mendenhall, P. 715.

[6] M. Weinfeld, P. 255

[7] M. Weinfeld, P. 255

[8] M. Weinfeld, P. 255

[9] G.E. Mendenhall, P. 716.

[10] G.E. Mendenhall, P. 717.

[11] G.E. Mendenhall, P. 717.

[12] G.E. Mendenhall, P. 718.

[13] G.E. Mendenhall, P. 721.

 

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