Lexical Definition

‎בְּרִית‎ bᵉrîyth (ber-eeth') covenant ^H:N-F
from ‎בָּרָה‎ (in the sense of cutting (like ‎בָּרָא‎))

confederacy, (con-) feder(-ate), covenant, league.

• a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)

1) covenant, alliance, pledge
1a) between men
1a1) treaty, alliance, league (man to man)
1a2) constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects)
1a3) agreement, pledge (man to man)
1a4) alliance (of friendship)
1a5) alliance (of marriage)
1b) between God and man
1b1) alliance (of friendship)
1b2) covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges)
2) (phrases)
2a) covenant making
2b) covenant keeping
2c) covenant violation

See Greek: διαθήκη · ἐντολή

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎בְּרִית‎₂₈₅ noun feminine covenant (|| Aramaic ‎קְיָם‎, διαθήκη; constitutio) — ‎׳‎‎ב‎ Gen 9:13 + 199 t.; suffix ‎בְּרִיתִי‎ Gen 6:18 + 50 t.; ‎בְּרִיתְךָ‎ Deut 33:9 ‎בְּרִיתֶ֑ךָ‎ Ps 44:18* + 11 t.; ‎בְּרִיתְכֶם‎ Isa 28:18 ‎בְּרִיתֵךְ‎ Ezek 16:61 ‎בְּרִיתוֺ‎ Exod 2:24 = 18 t.; — pact, compact, covenant. I. between men.

1. trety, alliance, league: Abraham and Amorites Gen 14:13 Edom and its allies Obad 1:7 with Philistines Gen 21:27; Gen 21:32 (E) Gen 26:28 (J); Jacob and Laban Gen 31:44 (J); Joshua and Gibeonites Josh 9:6; Josh 9:7; Josh 9:11; Josh 9:15; Josh 9:16 (J); Israel and Canaanites Exod 23:32; Exod 34:12; Exod 34:15 (JE) Deut 7:2; Judg 2:2 Ammonites and Jabesh 1Sam 11:1 Solomon and Hiram 1Kgs 5:26* Ahab and Benhadad 1Kgs 20:34 Syria and Israel 1Kgs 15:19 = 2Chr 16:3 Nebuchadnezzar and Zedekiah Ezek 17:13-19 nations against Israel Ps 83:6* nations with Egypt Ezek 30:5 Ephraim and Assyria Hos 12:2* Judah and Israel Ezek 16:61 Judah and Tyre Amos 1:9 Assyria and Judah Isa 33:8 ‎נגיד ברית‎ a prince in league (with him) Dan 11:22 (so He Ew; Hi Meinh Bev reference to high priest Onias III, & translate prince of covenant, compare AV RV); figurative, with death Isa 28:15; Isa 28:18 with stones of the field Job 5:23.

2. constitution, ordinance, between monarch and subjects: David and Abner 2Sam 3:12; 2Sam 3:13; 2Sam 3:21 David and the elders of Israel 2Sam 5:3 = 1Chr 11:3 Zedekiah and his people Jer 34:8-18 hostile prince and Israelites Dan 9:27.

3. agreement, pledge: Jehoiada and captains 2Kgs 11:4 = 2Chr 23:1 with onself Job 31:1 with Leviathan to be a servant Job 40:28* between man and man Hos 10:4 compare ‎בעל ברית‎ Judg 8:33; Judg 9:4 = ‎אל ברית‎ Judg 9:46.

4. alliance of friendship between David and Jonathan 1Sam 18:3; 1Sam 20:8; 1Sam 23:18 compare Ps 55:21*.

5. alliance of marriage Prov 2:17; Mal 2:14. — In all cases ‎כרת ברית‎ is the technical phrase for making covenant except Jer 34:10 ‎באו בברית‎; Dan 9:27 ‎הגביר ברית לְ‎. Various prepositions are used, most often ‎לְ‎ Exod 23:32 +, but also ‎עִם‎ Gen 26:28 +, ‎אֵת‎ 2Sam 3:12 +, ‎בֵּין‎ 2Chr 16:3. II. between God and man.

1. alliance of friendship (|| ‎סוֺד‎) Ps 25:14.

2. covenant, as a divine constitution or ordinance with signs or pledges (see ‎אוֺת‎).
a. with Noah Gen 9:9-17 (P) Isa 54:10; Jer 33:20; Jer 33:25 a divine promise that there would be no other deluge.
b. with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Gen 15:18 (J) Gen 17:2-21; Exod 2:24; Exod 6:4; Exod 6:5; Lev 26:42 (P) 2Kgs 13:23; 1Chr 16:15 = Ps 105:8; Ps 105:10; Neh 9:8; Jer 34:18 a promise to multiply their seed, give them the land of Canaan, and make them a blessing to the nations.
c. with Israel at Sinai = Horeb, with a covenant sacrifice Exod 19:5; Exod 24:7; Exod 24:8 (E) Exod 34:10; Exod 34:27; Exod 34:28 (J) Exod 31:16; Lev 2:13 (P) Lev 24:8; Lev 26:9; Lev 26:15; Lev 26:25; Lev 26:44; Lev 26:45 (H) Deut 4:13 renewed in plains of Moab Deut 28:69* with blessings and curses Deut 29:20* frequently referred to in other books 2Chr 34:32; Ps 25:10; Ps 44:18*; Ps 50:5; Ps 50:16; Ps 74:20; Ps 78:10; Ps 78:37; Ps 103:18; Ps 106:45; Ps 111:5; Ps 111:9; Isa 56:4; Isa 56:6; Jer 1:2; Jer 1:3; Jer 1:6; Jer 1:8; Jer 1:10; Jer 14:21; Jer 22:9; Jer 31:32; Ezek 16:8; Ezek 16:59; Ezek 16:60; Ezek 44:7; Dan 9:4; Dan 11:28; Dan 11:30; Dan 11:32; Hos 6:7; Hos 8:1; Zech 9:11; Zech 11:10 a divine constitution given to Israel with promises on condition of obedience and penalties for disobendience, in the form of tables of the covenant Deut 9:9; Deut 9:11; Deut 9:15, inscribed with the ten words, placed in ‎ׅ‎‎׳‎‎ארון ברית(י‎ the ark of the covenant Num 10:33 + 40 t. (see ‎ארון‎; in 1Sam 4:3; 1Sam 4:4 (twice in verse); 1Sam 4:5 omits ‎ברית‎ after ‎ארון‎ ᵐ5 We Dr); set forth in ‎דברי הברית‎ words of the covenant Exod 34:28 (J) Deut 28:69*; Deut 29:8*; 2Kgs 23:3 (= 2Chr 34:31) Jer 11:2-8 written in ‎ספר הברית‎ the book of the covenant Exod 24:7 (E compare Exod 34:27 J) 2Kgs 23:2; 2Kgs 23:21 (compare 2Chr 34:30).
d. with Phinehas Num 25:12; Num 25:13 (P), a constitution, establishing an everlasting priesthood in his line; compare ‎ברית הכהנים‎ Neh 13:29 & ‎ברית הלוי‎ Mal 2:4; Mal 2:8.
e. with Joshua and Israel Josh 24:25 (E), an ordinance or constitutional agreement to serve Yahweh only. feminine with David Ps 89:4*; Ps 89:29*; Ps 89:34*; Ps 89:39*; Ps 132:12; Jer 33:21 (compare 2Sam 7 = 1Chr 17); a divine promise to the seed of David of an everlasting kingdom, the relation of sonship, and the superintendence of the temple (compare Ps 2.)
g. Jehoiada and the people 2Kgs 11:17 = 2Chr 23:3, a constitutional agreement to be the people of Yahweh.
h. Hezekiah and the people 2Chr 29:10, a constitutional agreement to reform the worship.
i. Josiah and the people 2Kgs 23:3, a constitutional agreement to obey the book of the covenant.
j. Ezra and the people Ezra 10:3, a constitutional agreement to put away foreign wives and observe the Law.
k. the prophetic covenant, a divine promise through a series of prophets to establish a new constitution ‎ברית חדשׁה‎ Jer 31:31, with new institutions and precepts Isa 42:6; Isa 49:8; Isa 55:3; Isa 59:21; Isa 61:8; Jer 31:31; Jer 31:33; Jer 32:40; Jer 50:5; Ezek 16:60; Ezek 16:62; Ezek 20:37; Ezek 34:25; Ezek 37:26; Hos 2:20*. In Isa² the Messianic servant is ‎ברית עם‎ Isa 42:6; Isa 49:8, compare ‎מלאך הברית‎ Mal 3:1. III. Phrases.

1. covenant making: ‎כרת ברית‎ Gen 15:18; Exod 34:10; Exod 34:27 (J) Josh 24:25 (E) Deut 5:2; Deut 5:3; Deut 28:69*; Deut 29:13*; Deut 29:24*; 1Kgs 5:26*; 2Kgs 11:17; 2Kgs 17:35; 2Kgs 17:38; 2Kgs 23:3; 2Chr 21:7; 2Chr 23:3; 2Chr 23:16; 2Chr 29:10; 2Chr 34:30; Ezra 10:3; Neh 9:8; Ps 50:5; Ps 89:4*; Isa 55:3; Isa 61:8; Jer 11:10; Jer 31:31; Jer 31:32; Jer 31:33; Jer 32:40; Jer 34:13; Ezek 34:25; Ezek 37:26; Hos 2:20* ‎הקים ברית‎ establish a covenant Gen 6:18; Gen 9:9; Gen 9:11; Gen 9:17; Gen 17:7; Gen 17:19; Gen 17:21; Exod 6:4 (P) Ezek 16:60; Ezek 16:62, but confirm covenant Lev 26:9 (?;H) Deut 8:18 ‎נתן ברית‎ Gen 17:2; Num 25:12 (P); ‎שׂם ברית‎ 2Sam 23:5 (poetry); ‎עבר בברית‎ Deut 29:11* ‎בא בברית‎ 2Chr 15:12; Ezek 16:8 ‎צוה ברית‎ Ps 111:9 ‎נשׂא ברית‎ ‎על פי‎ Ps 50:16. (compare further on these Dr^{J Ph xi. 1882, 210 ff.})

2. covenant keeping: on the part of man ‎שׁמר ברית‎ 1Kgs 11:11; Neh 1:5; Neh 9:32; Ps 78:10; Ps 103:18; Ps 132:12; Dan 9:4, ‎נצר ברית‎ Deut 33:9; Ps 25:10, ‎מחזיקים‎ ‎בברית‎ Isa 56:4; Isa 56:6 on the part of God ‎זכר ברית‎ Gen 9:15; Gen 9:16; Exod 2:24; Exod 6:5 (all P), Lev 26:42 (3 t. in verse) (H; on suffix compare Di Ges^{«GKC:128»§ 128}, 1 R b) vLev 26:45 (H) Ps 105:8; Ps 106:45; Ps 111:5; 1Chr 16:15; Ezek 16:15; Ezek 16:60. Thus we have ‎נאמנת‎ Ps 89:29* ‎ברית עולם‎ Gen 9:16; Gen 17:7; Gen 17:13; Gen 17:18; Gen 17:19; Exod 31:16; Lev 24:8; Num 18:19; Num 25:13 (P) 2Sam 23:5 (poetry) 1Chr 16:17 (= Ps 105:10) Isa 24:5; Isa 55:3; Isa 61:8; Jer 32:40; Jer 50:5; Ezek 16:60; Ezek 37:26 ‎ברית מלח‎ Lev 2:13; 2Chr 13:5; 2Chr 21:7 (a cov't. with sacrificial meal and salt; on cov't. with salt in Arabia compare We^{Skizzen iii. 124}); ‎ברית שׁלום‎ Num 25:12 (P) Isa 54:10; Ezek 34:25; Ezek 37:26 ‎הברית והחסד‎ Deut 7:9; Deut 7:12; 1Kgs 8:23 (= 2Chr 6:14) Neh 1:5; Neh 9:32; Dan 9:4 ‎ברית קדשׁ‎ Dan 11:28; Dan 11:30 ‎מסרת הברית‎ Ezek 20:37.

3. covenant violation: ‎עבר ברית‎ Deut 17:2; Josh 7:11; Josh 7:15; Josh 23:16 (D) Judg 2:20; 2Kgs 18:12; Hos 6:7; Hos 8:1 ‎הפר ברית‎ Gen 17:14; Lev 26:15; Lev 26:44 (H) Deut 31:16; Deut 31:20 (J) Judg 2:1; Isa 24:5 (twice in verse); Jer 11:10; Jer 14:21; Jer 31:32; Jer 33:20; Jer 33:21; Ezek 16:59; Ezek 17:18; Ezek 17:19; Ezek 44:7; Zech 11:10 ‎עזב ברית‎ 1Kgs 19:10; 1Kgs 19:14; Jer 22:9; Dan 11:30 ‎מאס ברית‎ 2Kgs 17:15 ‎נאר ברית‎ Ps 89:39* ‎חלל ברית‎ Ps 89:34*; Mal 2:10 ‎שׁקר בברית‎ Ps 44:18* ‎שׁכח ברית‎ Deut 4:23; Deut 4:31; Jer 50:5.

‎בְּרוֺשׁ‎, ‎בְּרוֺת‎ see below ‎ברשׁ‎. ‎בָּרוּת‎ see below I. ‎ברה‎. ‎בֵּרוֺ֫תָה‎, ‎בֵּרֹתי‎ see below ‎באר‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References