![]() ![]() 8While the number of texts is not astounding, there are certainly sufficient number to establish a pattern of covenant form and to shed light on certain biblical texts as well. 550, i.e., the whole period of Babylonian history during which Boundary-stones were employed for the protection of private property. 7They are particularly known from the Babylonian kudurru or boundary stones, texts which cover a period from B.C. Royal grant treaties or covenants have been found in Hittite, Babylonian and Neo-Assyrian texts and most recently in materials from Ras Shamra. The Identity and Structure of the Royal Grant Treaty in the Ancient Near East 6It will be the purpose of this paper to summarize these parallels and suggest some exegetical implications. Weinfeld, among others, has shown that the Abrahamic texts bear marked parallels to the Grant-type treaty in distinction to the Suzerain-Vassal type. 5Too many differences exist between the classic “ Hittite ” treaty and the Abrahamic corpus. 4Some have attempted to show similar parallels between the Abrahamic covenant and the Suzerain-Vassal treaty without much success. 3Many have shown that the biblical record mapping the relations between יהוה and Israel is set in a Suzerain-Vassel treaty form, including the overall structure of Deuteronomy. Much work has been effectively done in the paralleling of the decalogue with the Suzerain- Vassel treaty form, known best to us from the Hittite treaties of Hattusas. 2We are not surprised, therefore, to see the influence of covenant structure and vocabulary upon the biblical texts itself and we must, in the process of exegesis, strive to determine the divine purpose for casting the eternal word in these forms. 1 Indeed, the continuity of the covenant structure, form(ularies) and to a surprisingly large extent, the language of these covenants is astounding, being common to the peoples of the ancient Near East from the fourth millennium down to the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Some have contented that covenant is the key word of Israelite faith and is best applied to the relation of the people with their God. The past decades have given to the biblical scholar data from covenant structure and vocabulary which shed light on the biblical text itself and upon the historicopolitical relations between the Israelites and their neighbors. Introduction The study of the ancient Near Eastern “ covenant” or “ treaty” has had far-reaching implications for Old Testament studies in general. ![]() It was common in the Near East at that time, and included four main parts: (1) Preamble: Identifies the parties and their history, (2) Stipulations: The terms the vassal is responsible to uphold, (3) Blessing & Curse: Result of keeping or not the stipulations, (4) Treaty Document: Includes its reading, storage, and witnesses.Can Royal Grant Treaties Shed Light on the Abrahamic Covenant?ĭownload this article in PDF by Clicking Here What a masterful way to lay the foundations for nation building!ĭeuteronomy follows the structure of a suzerain-vassal treaty, which established the relationship between a superior (the suzerain) and their beneficiary (the vassal). ![]() how to deal with specific cases in a court of law. The latter is giving Israel court precedent once trouble comes-i.e. The first is an analysis of human nature and its antidote-i.e. Ever wonder why Deuteronomy 5-11 is so general and focused largely on the human heart, but from chapter 12 onwards all the cases are so specific and seemingly so.distant. But what's the difference? In English, it's almost nothing. When Moses introduces the 10 Commandments (and the 20 chapters that follow), he calls it "the statutes and the rules" (4:1, 5:1, 6:1). As a constitution is to a nation today, so the covenant was to Israel-but perhaps with both greater details and holism. There, on the banks of Israel, Yahweh – through Moses-delivers His covenant prescription for human flourishing. In 1500 B.C., Yahweh is building a nation-on earth-for the first time. ![]()
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