The
name Berith, however, does not occur in the old prophets, not even
in Hosea, who certainly presents us as clearly as possible with
the thing, in his figure of the marriage of Jehovah and Israel
(Isaiah i. 21). That he was unacquainted with the technical usage
of Berith is strikingly proved by ii. 20 and vi. 7; and these
passages must decide the view we take of viii. 1, a passage which
is probably interpolated.
The NAME Berith comes, it is likely, from quite a different
quarter. The ancient Hebrews had no other conception of law nor
any other designation for it than that of a treaty. A law only
obtained force by the fact of those to whom it was given binding
themselves to keep it. So it is in Exodus xxiv. 3-8, and in
2Kings xxiii. 1-3; so also in Jeremiah xxxiv. 8 seq.--curiously
enough just as with the people of Mecca at the time of Mohammed
(lbn Hisham, p. 230 seq.). Hence also the term Sepher Berith for
the Deuteronomic as well as the Jehovistic Book of the Law.
This use of the phrase Berith (ie., treaty) for law, fitted very
well with the great idea of the prophets, and received from it in
turn an interpretation, according to which the relation of Jehovah
to Israel was conditioned by the demands of His righteousness, as
set forth in His word and instruction.
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