Main Features of Covenants in Genesis and Exodus

MAIN FEATURES OF GOD’S COVENANTS IN GENESIS AND EXODUS BY S. M. MUKARRAM JAHAN M.A.C.R. SEM II, ID: 201905072 SUBMITTED TO CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF COMPARATIVE RELIGIONS AND CIVILIZATIONS JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA, OKHLA, NEW DELHI-110025 Dated: May 18, 2020 Professor: Dr. Annie Kunnath COVENANTS IN GENESIS AND EXODUS Prologue S.M. Mukarram Jahan1 A covenant means an official agreement between two parties. It is a two-way agreement imposing rights and obligations on one or both the parties;2 and in the context of Hebrew Bible, it stands for an agreement or a pledge beyond time between God’s chosen people—Israelites—based on His love for them. Even though in Judaism, the first major covenant that is recognized is the covenant between Noah and God (Gen 9:8-13),3 which we shall discuss at length but a critical perusal of the Pentateuch reveals that the first covenant established by God was with the very first human created on earth— Adam. In such a sense, the covenant of Adam as well as that of Noah was binding upon the whole of humanity that envisaged a peaceful, coexistent community of people living on the earth with some rules imposed by God to guide humanity to that end. As the human race progresses, God culls out a particular person, Abraham, and his select progeny, to uphold that covenant so as to be the guides for all the peoples inhabiting the planet as they had again turned to sinful practices, that were abhorred by God. With the closure of the covenant with Abraham and his progeny, God laid some responsibilities upon them in order to have God uphold His end of the deal. We observe that the rules of covenants become strict progressively by each stage to the point when they even felt like a burden unto the people. We shall deal with all the covenants separately. Covenant with Adam—Genesis 1:26-30 God created man in His image as the final act of His creation for humans to have a spiritual relationship with Him. This is also explained as human race being created to represent God on earth and rule as His regents on earth with being granted the command over all that which inhabits the earth—marine life, and all animals and birds as well as the vegetation. Also, God charges them with the duty to “be fruitful and multiply” to ensure the continuation of life. He also puts Adam (& Eve) in charge of seeing that the vegetation also continues to progress and multiply. Finally, God instructs them and the creation to have seeds/fruits of plants/trees as their meal. This concludes the covenant of God with Adam.4 A critical analysis reveals that God created Adam and Eve in His image only to designate them as the most intelligent of beings so that they ensure that the creation process started by God is continued. The only responsibility of Adam and Eve was to oversee the reproduction of all the forms of life because not only humanity, but the entire creation was in its nascent stage and anything repugnant to “multiply” would have been counterproductive (also the reason humans and animals were made frugivorous). 5 In return, God granted them the command over all creation so that they use it equitably and see to it that God’s plan is working. Since this was the first covenant, and there was not much to take care of, we notice that the stipulations of the covenant were rudimentary and only aimed at fruitful multiplication of creation. Complexities were non-existent at the time. Covenant with Noah—Genesis 8:20-9:17 Torah at several places mentions the establishment of covenant by God with Noah and his progeny (Gen 6:18; Gen 9:9). Seeing the righteousness of Noah after God saves him and his family from the deluge and Noah building an altar unto God, God in His covenant with Noah (and the animals of the 1 ID 201905072; Sem II; M.A.C.R., Jamia Millia Islamia, Okhla, New Delhi-110025 (Dated: May 18, 2020). Brill; p. 531 3 Encyclopedia of Judaism; p. 103. 4 The Moody Bible Commentary; p. 77. 5 The Jewish Study Bible; p. 14. 2 ark), decides not to send a global punishment to earth so as to punish the entire humanity save few, like the Noah’s deluge (9:11) as a feature of mercy in the Covenant.6 Another striking feature of the covenant is that God reaffirms Adam’s covenant with Noah inasmuch to “be fruitful and multiply” giving another chance to humanity and wanted it to start afresh even though humanity had not changed and the principle of “evil intent” yet remained but due to Noah’s unblemished obedience. Like Adam’s covenant, God reaffirms man’s authority over animals and birds and licenses humans to use them for food.7 God’s covenant with Noah is usually summed up under the seven commandments referred to as the “Noahide Laws.” Whereas Gen 9 only mentions laws forbidding bloodshed (v.6) and eating flesh from a living animal (v.4),8 the rest are not succinctly mentioned in the Torah and have been exegetically extrapolated in the Talmud.9 Other commandments forbid idolatry, sexual immorality, profaning God’s name, robbery,10 and establishing courts of justice.11 God sealed the covenant with a rainbow that would appear occasionally in the clouds as a constant reminder to both the parties of God’s “involvement in human history—His expressions of righteous judgment as well as His expressions of mercy and love for man.”12 Since Noah is considered as the patriarch of all humanity, the laws are also binding upon all humans. Whereas Jews have 613 commandments that they must follow, non-Jews (gentiles) have only these seven.13 According to Jewish commentaries, the Noahide Laws conform to the natural temperament of humans and hence are put in place to ensure the continuity of natural course of things. They are capable of being universally comprehended and are predicated on rationality. These laws were handed down by God to help the neo-natal humanity to live in peace and harmony as they all are most relevant to ensure mutual coexistence. Covenant with Abrām—Genesis 12 The universalism of covenants didn’t have much success and God singles out a Mesopotamian, Abrām, and commands him to migrate from his father’s house in Haran to dwell at Canaan where God concludes a covenant with him.14 This covenant was also a test for Abrām as God promised him numerous progeny, even though his wife was over 65 years old, barren and he 75 after commanding him to remove himself from the comforts of his kindred and go to an unknown land which He would make his progeny the inheritors of. However, once he reaches Canaan, he finds the land that was supposed to be flowing with milk and honey riddled with famine. This could have tempted Abrām to return to Ur but he stayed firm in faith, built an altar unto God there and instead journeyed to Egypt for the time being.15 Thus, this covenant had three key features: land, numerous offspring, and blessing. Abrām had always yearned for children. The prospects of numerous offspring with incredible land and a blessing from God were too good to be true, yet Abrām obliged his God. The covenant also entailed 6 The Moody Bible Commentary; p. 119. The Jewish Study Bible; p. 25. 8 Matthew Poole Annotations on the Holy Bible (Kindle Edition). 9 The Noahide Laws; My Jewish Learning; https://www.myjewishlearning.com/ 10 Encyclopedia of Judaism; p. 103. 11 The Jewish Study Bible; p. 25. 12 The Moody Bible Commentary; p. 121. 13 Meri, Joseph (editor); The Routledge Handbook of Muslim-Jewish Relations; p. 89. 14 The Jewish Study Bible; p. 30. 15 Matthew Poole’s Annotations on the Holy Bible (Kindle Edition). 7 God’s support for Abrām and his household’s well-being and that is why later (v.17), God personally intervened when the Pharaoh forcefully apprehended Sarai. Thus, both parties hold their ends of the deal. Abrām Becomes Abraham—Genesis 17 God makes another covenant with Abrām on the condition that he acts according to God’s will (v.1).16 This covenant is rather worked out than all the previous ones in which God demands that Abraham and his progeny worship Him as the only God (v.7-8)17 in return of the following incentives: 1. God promises to make Abrām the “father of a multitude of nations” and kings would be born in his progeny thus renaming him as Abraham which means “the father of a multitude” and Sarai as Sarah, means “princess,” and informing them of Isaac’s birth next year as well as the continuation of the covenant through Isaac and his progeny.18 2. Isaac’s progeny will be huge, prosperous and will inherit Canaan. 3. Just like the rainbow appeared as the sign of the covenant with Noah, God commands Abraham, his progeny, his servants and strangers living with him to get circumcised to seal the covenant as a visible mark on man’s flesh. Male babies in Abraham’s progeny were to be circumcised on the 8th day after birth. Failing to do so would tantamount to breaking the covenant and expulsion from Abraham’s clan. 4. Ishmael is not neglected and he too is blessed and his progeny too will be numerous with 12 princes coming from his line. Abraham first is cynical (v.17) but soon realizes and to seal the covenant, gets himself (at 99), Ishmael (at 13) and every male of his household circumcised.19 Final Covenant—Enter Moses—Exodus 19-24 A little background to the covenant is necessary. Three months after Israelites’ departure from Egypt, they reach Sinai and God instructs Moses of the prerequisites of the covenant about to be established. This covenant, along with the earlier one, became the basis on which Judaism defined its relationship with God. God spoke to Moses in the form of a cloud for the Israelites to witness to eliminate their doubts. The covenant is again conditional on Israelites’ accepting Him as their only God in return of an especially close relationship with Him. Israelites readily accept the condition and then God reveals the details: 1. Israelites would be the treasured possession of God enjoying the status of priests as in a society and a holy nation.20 2. Strict adherence to the Ten Commandments: a. You shall have no other gods besides Me; f. You shall not kill; b. You shall not make of Me any graven g. You shall not commit adultery; image; h. You shall not steal; c. You shall not take My Name in vain; i. You shall not hold false witness against d. You shall honor the Sabbath day; your neighbor; e. You shall honor you parents; 16 The Moody Bible Commentary; p. 145. Encyclopedia of Judaism; p. 103. 18 Brill; p. 534. 19 The Jewish Study Bible; pp. 37-39. 20 Ibid; pp. 145-52. 17 j. You shall not covet your neighbor’s belongings. 3. There are other elaborate sets of commandments that actually emanate from the Decalogue pertaining to: a. Male slaves (21:1-6), including their rights, duties and terms of bondage; b. Female slaves (21:7-11), including their rights, duties and terms of bondage; c. Personal injury (21:12-36), including legislation for disputes between people and terms of retribution; d. Personal property (22:1-15), concerning trust, terms of lending and borrowing; e. Personal integrity (22:16-23:9), concerning strangers, witches, debauchery, poor, positive attitude towards gods and rulers of other people, and upholding honesty; f. Worship (23:10-19), including three major feasts of the year, offerings, sacrifices and observing Sabbath. 4. Plans for the conquest of the Holy Land, by appointing an angel to guide Israel who would instill their fear in the hearts of their enemies who will be driven out of Canaan. Israelites shall make no covenants with the natives or their gods. Analysis The covenant is ratified by the Israelites who respond with fear, devotion and worship and Moses seals it by building 12 altars for 12 tribes of Israel, offers sacrifices there and sprinkles the blood on people to bind them with the covenant. Moses is given the stone tablets written over by God that carry the Decalogue.21 An analysis of all the above mentioned laws conveys that they govern each and every aspect of one’s life and were revealed for Israelites as they were now free from any external pressure and were to live as a great independent nation, and these circumstances and situations were bound to present in their lives and they needed legislation to dispense off these issues in an equitable and judicious manner conforming to the will of God. The Israelites are given theses commandments immediately after leaving Egypt because now they were on their own and without proper guidance, odds were that they may have adopted the heathen practices of the Egyptians so abhorred by God. Also, now that they weren’t slaves anymore, they were now free to practice their faith, as God wanted them to. These laws promote ways of leading a disciplined life and dictate the relationship of Israelites with God and each other. Thus these laws were based on ethical principles governing their social, religious and even political arenas. A survey of these laws also reveals that great stress is laid on rituals and observing them meticulously. They are particularly concerned with the Israelites alone, although provisions for relations with gentile travelers, “strangers,” and slaves are also taken care of. 21 The Moody Bible Commentary; pp. 283-298. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOK AIDS: 1. Meri, Joseph (editor); The Routledge Handbook of Muslim-Jewish Relations; Routledge; New York/Oxon; ISBN: 9781315675787; 2016. 2. The Holy Bible (King James Version); Biblica; USA; ISBN: 9781563207891; 2013. ENCYCLOPEDIAE 1. Neusner J.; Avery-Peck A.J.; Green W.S.; The Encyclopaedia of Judaism (Vol. I); Brill; Netherlands; ISBN 9004149333; 2005. 2. Karesh, Sara; Hurvitz M.M.; Encyclopedia of Judaism; Facts On File; New York; ISBN 0816054576; 2006. BIBLE COMMENTARIES 1. Berlin, Adele; & Brettler, M.Z.; The Jewish Study Bible; Jewish Publication Society; Oxford University Press; New York; 1999. 2. Poole, Matthew; Matthew Poole’s English Annotations on the Holy Bible (Kindle Edition). 3. Rydelnik, Michael & Vanlaningham, Van (Editors); The Moody Bible Commentary; Moody Publications; Chicago (USA); ISBN: 9780802428677; 2014. ONLINE WEBSITES 1. 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