The Jerusalem Bridge

Biblical Hebrew words for covenant and promise

Covenant, oath, pledge, redemption and return: the legal language the Bible uses about God and people.

  1. beter(bether)בֶּתֶר

    a cut half (of a covenant animal)

    וַיִּקַּח־לוֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה וַיְבַתֵּר אֹתָם בַּתָּוֶךְ וַיִּתֵּן אִישׁ־בִּתְרוֹ לִקְרַאת רֵעֵהוּ וְאֶת־הַצִּפֹּר לֹא בָתָר׃

    “He took all these for Him, cut them through the middle, and laid each half opposite its partner, but the birds he did not cut. (Genesis 15:10)”

  2. megurim(magur)מְגוּרִים

    sojournings; the place you lived as a guest

    וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל־פַּרְעֹה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה

    “And Jacob said to Pharaoh: The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years. (Genesis 47:9)”

  3. amenאָמֵן

    truly, so be it — a binding 'yes, I accept the terms'

    וְעָנָה כָל־הָעָם וְאָמַר אָמֵן

    “And all the people shall answer and say: Amen. (Deuteronomy 27:15)”

  4. go'el(goel)גֹּאֵל

    kinsman-redeemer — the near relative obligated to rescue you

    כִּי־יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָכַר מֵאֲחֻזָּתוֹ וּבָא גֹאֲלוֹ הַקָּרֹב אֵלָיו וְגָאַל אֵת מִמְכַּר אָחִיו׃

    “If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his redeemer, his nearest kinsman, shall come and redeem what his brother has sold. (Leviticus 25:25)”

  5. teshuvah(teshuva)תְּשׁוּבָה

    return, repentance

    שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם.

    “Return to me, and I will return to you (Malachi 3:7)”

  6. brit(berit)בְּרִית

    covenant, binding agreement

    וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אִתְּךָ.

    “And I will establish my brit with you (Genesis 6:18)”

  7. eravon(arrabon)עֵרָבוֹן

    a pledge handed over as security for a promise

    אִם־תִּתֵּן עֵרָבוֹן עַד שָׁלְחֶֽךָ׃

    “If you give a pledge until you send it." — Genesis 38:17 (Tamar to Judah)”

  8. alahאָלָה

    sworn curse that binds a covenant

    לְעָבְרְךָ בִּבְרִית יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּבְאָלָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ כֹּרֵת עִמְּךָ הַיּוֹם

    “...for you to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, and into his alah, which the LORD your God is cutting with you today." — Deuteronomy 29:11 (Hebrew) / 29:12 (English)”

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Yaacov, native Jerusalemite

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