Ancient Near Eastern Covenants
The word, covenant, typically derives from the Hebrew word, berit, referring to a “contract, pact or treaty”. The word, berit, applied in
both a divine and secular context results in the same meaning. The Akkadian word, biritu, (belonging to a language existing outside of
the bible) indicates the meaning of “mutuality” or “binding” by an agreement or obligation.
Covenants in the Ancient Near East
acted as legal binding documents
between parties, individuals or entire
nations. These covenants were held
at the utmost importance and
created under extremely serious
terms. Ancient Near Eastern
Covenants were traditionally used
as a personal or political agreement
with the overall aim to create
recognised and formal relationships.
Once the involved parties,
individuals or nations taking part in
the covenant were identified, the
obligations and benefits were then
established. Here, the specific terms
of the covenant are identified and
obligations and responsibilities of
each party, individual or nation are
recognised. Ancient Near Eastern
Covenants generally consisted of
two major categories: Suzerainty
Treaties and Royal Grants.
Suzerainty Treaties:
Suzerainty Treaties were binding
covenants that defined and outlined
loyalty between two parties. The
obligation and responsibility largely
fell upon the inferior party. The inferior
parties would be obliged to adhere
to particular laws and specifications
determined by the superior party
who would in return provide
protection, security, resources and
power.
Royal Grants:
Royal Grants were binding covenants
that offered a reward or benefit
mainly to the minority of those
involved. Therefore, the obligation
largely (but not entirely) relied on the
superior party. The inferior party
would be required to prove their
loyalty to then receive an awarded
favour or increased privilege, for
example, clothing, housing and food.
A Royal Grant covenant existed
around a list of benefits and generally
only involved the superior party
honouring their pledge.
All Ancient Near Eastern
covenants had a specific time
at which the covenant began
to function legally. This was
often referred to as “cutting a
bond”, meaning the covenant
was enacted and official.
Ceremonies were often held to
mark the moment the
covenant was “cut”, and
usually involved the
presentation of a sacrifice,
token or physical act. Even
more interestingly, Ancient
Near Eastern covenants were
primarily designed to last
eternally and still continued to
function even if the terms were
broken. Generally, it was only
the consequence of the
covenant that changed, not
the continuation.
 Covenants in the Pentateuch
The Pentateuch consists of several covenants being made between God and the Israelite nation. Similarly, to Ancient Near Eastern
covenants, the biblical understanding of covenants refers to a binding commitment between two parties, usually between God and the
Israelite people. The presence of Ancient Near Eastern covenants in the Pentateuch can be seen through several examples such as the
covenants between God and Abraham, Moses and David. Both Suzerainty Treaties and Royal Grants are also seen within these covenants.

Abrahamic Covenant The Mosaic Covenant David Covenant

The Abrahamic covenant is found in Genesis 12:1-3,
15:18-21. God gave Abram a specific task to fulfil: to
leave his country and travel to an unknown destination
that God would later reveal, and in return to
Abraham’s faithfulness, God promised several effects.
God promised to bless Abram and his family and
pledge that a nation would emerge from his continued
care and provision, that Abram would receive a new
name, Abraham, which would live on after he passes
away, the nation that comes from Abraham would
bless other nations by demonstrating a way of life in
accordance with God’s law and holiness, to provide his
protection against all people and forces that
confronted Abraham and his people and all people
and generations of Abraham would be blessed. During
the time this covenant between God and Abraham
was established, humanity was in rebellion to God,
demonstrating idolatry and spiritual adultery. However,
out of love, God wanted to set his people free from the
evil of the world and bring them into holiness with Him.
When Jesus (who was a descendant of Abraham)
came to earth, He fulfilled these promises of God and
by salvation through Jesus, we are included in the
inheritance of Abraham and receive the fulfilment of
the promises of God. Paul states in Galatians 3:28-29,
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,
nor is there male and female, for you are all one in
Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”.
The Mosaic covenant is found in Exodus 19-
24. God asked Moses to lead the Israelites in
keeping the laws of God and in return, God
would set them apart from other nations and
call them his own. This covenant clearly
established the relationship that God wanted
to have with his people – a relationship that is
founded on God’s faithfulness and loyalty. By
obeying God, the Israelite people were able
to identify as the holy people, whereas other
nations continued to live in idolatry and other
sinful natures. The Mosaic covenant also
allowed the Israelite people to have an
exclusive awareness into God’s plans and
how they can relate and connect with Him.
By God asking His people to obey his law, He
was asking them to love Him first above
anything else. When Jesus came to earth, he
set a law/commandment to, “Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).
We to have been called by Jesus to express
the same obedience to God as those
included in the Mosaic covenant. We as the
church are also called to model the way of
life God intends for his people so that those
who do not know Jesus can come and be
part of his holy family.
The covenant of David is found in Samuel
7:5-16. Prior to the establishment of this
covenant, God anointed and appointed
David as a leader, specifically choosing
him as a humble shepherd to become a
ruler of nations. God then makes a
covenant with David in which He promises
to make his name great and that through
David’s descendants, someone would
come into this world, make a house for
God’s name and establish God’s
kingdom. God is making a covenant with
David, that Jesus Christ would be born of
his bloodline bringing salvation and glory
to earth. Through the covenant of David,
we are reminded of the plans of God that
are too big for humans to perceive or
understand. God eventually fulfilled this
covenant through the birth, life, death
and resurrection of Jesus, which was far
more complex and bigger than David
could ever imagine. Other heirs of David
emerged as great leader such as
Solomon, however each of these leaders
sinned and died, whereas Jesus lived a
perfect life, died and then resurrected
again. Jesus fulfilled the covenant as the
perfect heir of David, bringing God’s
kingdom to earth and revealing His
incredible glory.
Bibliography

Beacham, Dr. Roy. "Ancient Near Eastern Covenants." Journal of Ministry and Theology, 2011: 1-5.

Bill T. Arnold, Rochard S. Hess. Ancient Israel's History. Baker Academy , 2014.

The Jesus Bible NIV Edition. Michigan: Passion Publishing, 2016.