Israel's notion of the covenant was formed by stories of patriarchs and matriarchs. These stories confirmed Israel's election. In other words, they confirmed Israel's sense of being called by God to be God's chosen people.
Gen. 17 is a is a very important passage in which we read of the establishment of the "Abrahamic Covenant," the covenant between God and Abraham. God promises, "I will make nations of you, and kings, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God" (Gen. 17.6-8).
In this passage, Abraham is promised that nations will descend from him. He is also promised the land on which he is standing, the land of Canaan. This concept of the land becomes very important in Israel's history.
In return, Abraham is told that he and all his descendants must be circumcised.
Abraham's covenant is renewed in a covenant between God and Isaac (Gen. 26.2-5), and it is renewed again in a covenant between God and Jacob (Gen. 28. 10-22). In Ex. 24 this covenant is renewed once again in God's liberation of Israel from bondage in Egypt (see also Ex. 3 and 19).
Berit
is the Hebrew word that we translate as "covenant." This word is rich in meaning.
It indicates not only Israel's duty to be faithful to God, but God's love and faithfulness to Israel.
Covenant
