Covenant — Meaning in the Bible
A binding relationship with promises and obligations, made by solemn commitment. In the Bible God makes covenants with Noah, Abraham, Israel at Sinai and David, and the prophets promise a new covenant.
What it means
A covenant is more than a contract: it binds two parties in a relationship, usually with promises, obligations and a sign or ceremony. People make covenants with each other, and God binds himself by covenant to people. Genesis 21:27Genesis 9:9–131 Samuel 18:3
The biblical covenants are not all the same. God's covenant with Noah is a promise to every living creature, with no conditions placed on them. The covenant at Sinai sets out Israel's obligations and is sealed with blood. The new covenant promised in Jeremiah is written on the heart, and Jesus speaks of the cup as the new covenant in his blood. Genesis 9:8–17Exodus 24:3–8Jeremiah 31:31–34Luke 22:20
Key passages
- Genesis 9:8–17 — God's covenant with Noah and every living creature; the rainbow is its sign.
- Genesis 15:7–21 — God binds himself to give the land to Abram's offspring.
- Genesis 17:1–14 — The covenant with Abraham: many nations, the land, and circumcision as its sign.
- Exodus 24:1–8 — At Sinai the people promise to obey, and Moses sprinkles "the blood of the covenant".
- 2 Samuel 7:8–16 — God's promise that David's house and kingdom will endure (called a covenant in Psalm 89:3).
- Jeremiah 31:31–34 — The promise of a new covenant, with the law written on the heart and sins forgiven.
- Luke 22:20 — At the last supper Jesus calls the cup "the new covenant in my blood".
- Hebrews 8:6–13 — Hebrews quotes Jeremiah 31 and calls the earlier covenant old.
Different senses
- Between people
- An agreement or treaty, such as Abraham and Abimelech at Beersheba, or the bond of friendship between David and Jonathan. Genesis 21:27–321 Samuel 18:3
- God's promise-covenants
- Covenants in which God binds himself by promise: with Noah, with Abraham, with David. Genesis 9:11Genesis 17:7Psalm 89:3–4
- The Sinai covenant
- The covenant that set out Israel's life with God through the law, accepted by the people and sealed with sacrifice. Exodus 19:5–8Exodus 24:7–8
- The new covenant
- Promised by Jeremiah and connected by Jesus to his death; the New Testament letters develop it. Jeremiah 31:31–34Luke 22:202 Corinthians 3:6
Examples in Scripture
- The rainbow after the flood is the sign of God's covenant with the earth. Genesis 9:12–16
- David keeps his covenant with Jonathan by caring for Jonathan's son Mephibosheth. 1 Samuel 20:14–172 Samuel 9:1–7
Original language
בְּרִית be.rit
Hebrew · Strong’s H1285 · gloss: “covenant”
The Hebrew word is used for covenants between people and between God and people. Its exact origin is debated, so the word's meaning is best learned from how the passages use it. Genesis 9:9Exodus 24:8
διαθήκη diathēkē
Greek · Strong’s G1242 · gloss: “covenant”
The Greek word used in the New Testament for covenant; in Galatians 3:15 and Hebrews 9:16-17 it also carries the sense of a will or testament. Luke 22:20Hebrews 9:15–17
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
How translations differ
- Some versions translate the Greek word as "testament" in places such as Hebrews 9:16-17, where the writer plays on its meaning of a will. This is where the names "Old Testament" and "New Testament" come from. Hebrews 9:16–17
For children
A covenant is a special promise that joins people together. After the flood, God promised Noah he would never again flood the whole earth, and he gave the rainbow as the sign. Genesis 9:11–13
Study further
- Genesis 9:8–17 Begin with the covenant with all creation.
- Genesis 17:1–14 Read the covenant with Abraham and its sign.
- Exodus 24:1–8 See how the Sinai covenant is accepted and sealed.
- Jeremiah 31:31–34 Read the promise of a new covenant.
- Luke 22:14–20 Read Jesus' words at the last supper.