2. The prophets. — The idea of the divine cove- nant appears very little in the prophets down to Jer and Ezk, two propliets directly under the influ- ence of Dt. The notion of covenant in general is not unfamiliar to them (Am 1», Hos 2", Is 28'»-" 3.3'), but a covenant of God with men is not re- 'erred to except Hos 6' 8'. The former of these
Cassages is obscure, and the second is considered y some an interpolation, though mainly just be- cause it does refer to the divine covenant, t It can
• It Is doubtful If Ps 50» refcre to this covenant ; the ptcp. may have a present sense thoge that make a covenant, ref. being to the sacrificial worship, which is a continuous making ormain- taining of the covenant with J". Cf. S iii. (4) etut.
t For ' forsaken thy covenant,* 1 K 19'0 LXX reads forsaken tJue. and in vM ' thv covenant and ' seemfl a dupUoftte of tJue ia previous cUuae, and is wanting in A.
hardly be because the idea of a divine covenant was as yet little current that the early propheta avoid the use of the term, for later prophets (Zeph, Nah, Hab, Hag, Jon, Jl, Zee 1-8) also fail to use it ; the retison must rather be that their thoughts moved on different lines. The prophets have to do with an existing people, and their main concep- tions are — (1) that there is a relation between J' and Israel ; He is their God and they are His people. (2) This relation of J" and the people was formed by His act of redeeming them from Egypt : ' I am J" thy God from the land of Egypt ' (Hos 12"), This was the day of Israel's ' birth ' (Hos 2» 11' 12« 13*), the time when J' ' knew ' her (Am 3»). (3) In this as in all His other acts towards Israel the motive of J" was His goodness (Am 2"'-), His ' love ' (Hos IP, cf. Is V S"-). (4) The nature of this re- lation between J' and the people is perfectly well understood. It is given in the conception of J', and is purely ethical. \Vhat is required of the people is to seek ' good ' — civil and moral righteousness and the service of J" alone. In demanding this from the people the prophets do not found on a book or on laws, they speak off their o^vn minds. To themselves their principles are axiomatic, and wher- ever these principles were learned they coincide with the Moral Law (Hos 4'"'). Thus the prophets dealing with an existing people have no occasion to go further back than the Exodus, when the people came into existence. It is doubtful if Isaiah goes further up than David and Zion. The ' jud- ges, as at the first' (1^), are supreme rulers like David ; 'the Lord hath founded Zion ' (14^^); ' He dwelleth in Mount Zion ' (8'"). J", who is universaj Sovereign, has founded His kingdom of righteous- ness in Israel (28"*). If Isaiah has any covenant ia his mind it is the Davidic, on which his Messianic prophecies repose (7'-9' 11). Thus the proplietic idea differs from the idea of a covenant as real differs from formal ; the assurance of redemption reposes, not on the divine promi.se, but on the divine nature, on God Himself as men have historically found Him in His acts of redemption already done, and as He is kno\vn in the heart of man. (5) And the nature of God, as it explains the present, guarantees the future. However Hosea came by his ideas, whether in the course of his domestic trials he discovered in his own heart a love which could not let its object go, however degraded she might become, and rose by inspiration to the intuition that such was God's love, — however this be, he has the idea of a love which is stronger than custom or law, or even than moral repugnance, a love which nothing can overcome. And this is God's love to Israel. The relation between J" and Israel, of God and people, is indissoluble, because J" has loved (Hos 2=»3).
3. Deuteronomy. — Dt knows of three covenants — that with the fathers, that at Horeb, and that in the plains of Moab. The covenant with the fathers (4" 7'-), specifically Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (1* 6">), was a promise to increase their seed (13") and give them the land of Canaan (6"). Thi covenant is called an ' oath ' (?'), and is often said to have been sworn. The covenant at Horeb waa based on the Decalogue (4" S-" g""-, cf. 4-»). Id addition to these Dt mentions a covenant in thb plains of Moab, which is expressly distinguished from the covenant at Horeb (29' [Heb. 28**], cf. 299. 12. u. 21 26"-'»). The contents of this covenant are formed by Dt itself (i.e. ch. 12-26, 28), which ia called the Book of the Covenant (2 K 23-- -', cf. Jer I P-'"). Dt is in the main an expansion of Ex 21 IT., the place of which it is meant to take. The terraa of this covenant are given in 26"'* 'Thou hast avouched * J" this day that he shall be thy God,