בְּרִית
covenant
also: alliance, pledge fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Construct-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
Gender
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
111 distinct verses where H1285 appears in the Absolute state, across 22 books. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Genesis 9 verses
- Genesis 9:12 הַ/בְּרִית֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
- Genesis 9:13 בְּרִ֔ית n c fs I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.
- Genesis 9:17 הַ/בְּרִית֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs God said to Noah, "This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."
- Genesis 15:18 בְּרִ֣ית n c fs In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
- Genesis 17:11 בְּרִ֔ית n c fs You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of a covenant between me and you.
- Genesis 21:27 בְּרִֽית n c fs Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant.
- Genesis 21:32 בְרִ֖ית n c fs So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
- Genesis 26:28 בְרִ֖ית n c fs They said, "We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you,
- Genesis 31:44 בְרִ֖ית n c fs Now come, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be for a witness between me and you."
Exodus 8 verses
- Exodus 23:32 בְּרִֽית n c fs You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
- Exodus 24:7 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, "All that Yahweh has spoken will we do, and be obedient."
- Exodus 24:8 הַ/בְּרִית֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words."
- Exodus 34:10 בְּרִית֒ n c fs He said, "Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which you are shall see the work of Yahweh; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you.
- Exodus 34:12 בְּרִית֙ n c fs Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare in the midst of you:
- Exodus 34:15 בְּרִ֖ית n c fs Don't make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;
- Exodus 34:27 בְּרִ֖ית n c fs Yahweh said to Moses, "Write you these words: for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel."
- Exodus 34:28 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Leviticus 1 verse
Deuteronomy 12 verses
- Deuteronomy 5:2 בְּרִ֖ית n c fs Yahweh our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
- Deuteronomy 5:3 הַ/בְּרִ֣ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Yahweh didn't make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.
- Deuteronomy 7:2 בְּרִ֖ית n c fs and when Yahweh your God shall deliver them up before you, and you shall strike them; then you shall utterly destroy them: you shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them;
- Deuteronomy 7:9 הַ/בְּרִ֣ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Know therefore that Yahweh your God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations,
- Deuteronomy 7:12 הַ/בְּרִית֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs It shall happen, because you listen to these ordinances, and keep and do them, that Yahweh your God will keep with you the covenant and the loving kindness which he swore to your fathers:
- Deuteronomy 9:9 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs When I was gone up onto the mountain to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which Yahweh made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water.
- Deuteronomy 9:11 הַ/בְּרִֽית ptcl def.art + n c fs It came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that Yahweh gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
- Deuteronomy 9:15 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.
- Deuteronomy 29:1 הַ/בְּרִ֜ית הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs ptcl def.art + n c fs These are the words of the covenant which Yahweh commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
- Deuteronomy 29:9 הַ/בְּרִ֣ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
- Deuteronomy 29:14 הַ/בְּרִ֣ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath,
- Deuteronomy 29:21 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Yahweh will set him apart to evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the law.
Joshua 12 verses
- Joshua 3:6 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs ptcl def.art + n c fs Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
- Joshua 3:8 הַ/בְּרִ֖ית ptcl def.art + n c fs You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When you are come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.
- Joshua 3:11 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan.
- Joshua 3:14 הַ/בְּרִ֖ית ptcl def.art + n c fs It happened, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people;
- Joshua 4:9 הַ/בְּרִ֑ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day.
- Joshua 6:6 הַ/בְּרִ֑ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh.
- Joshua 9:6 בְרִֽית n c fs They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country: now therefore make you a covenant with us.
- Joshua 9:7 בְרִֽית n c fs The men of Israel said to the Hivites, What if you dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you?
- Joshua 9:11 בְרִֽית n c fs Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and tell them, We are your servants: and now make you a covenant with us.
- Joshua 9:15 בְּרִ֖ית n c fs Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore to them.
- Joshua 9:16 בְּרִ֑ית n c fs It happened at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them.
- Joshua 24:25 בְּרִ֛ית n c fs So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
Judges 1 verse
1 Samuel 3 verses
- 1 Samuel 11:1 בְרִ֖ית n c fs Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.
- 1 Samuel 18:3 בְּרִ֑ית n c fs Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
- 1 Samuel 23:18 בְּרִ֖ית n c fs They two made a covenant before Yahweh: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
2 Samuel 3 verses
- 2 Samuel 3:13 בְּרִ֑ית n c fs He said, Well; I will make a league with you; but one thing I require of you: that is, you shall not see my face, except you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face.
- 2 Samuel 3:21 בְּרִ֔ית n c fs Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires. David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
- 2 Samuel 5:3 בְּרִ֛ית n c fs So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh: and they anointed David king over Israel.
1 Kings 4 verses
- 1 Kings 5:12 בְרִ֖ית n c fs Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
- 1 Kings 8:23 הַ/בְּרִית֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs and he said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;
- 1 Kings 15:19 בְּרִית֙ בְּרִֽיתְ/ךָ֙ n c fs n c fs cs + sfx pers 2ms [There is] a league between me and you, between my father and your father: behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
- 1 Kings 20:34 בַּ/בְּרִ֣ית בְרִ֖ית prep det + n c fs n c fs [Ben Hadad] said to him, The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you shall make streets for you in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. I, [said Ahab], will let you go with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and let him go.
2 Kings 7 verses
- 2 Kings 11:4 בְּרִ֜ית n c fs In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of Yahweh; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Yahweh, and shown them the king's son.
- 2 Kings 11:17 הַ/בְּרִ֗ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people, that they should be Yahweh's people; between the king also and the people.
- 2 Kings 17:35 בְּרִ֔ית n c fs with whom Yahweh had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
- 2 Kings 17:38 וְ/הַ/בְּרִ֛ית conj + ptcl def.art + n c fs and the covenant that I have made with you you shall not forget; neither shall you fear other gods:
- 2 Kings 23:2 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs The king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of Yahweh.
- 2 Kings 23:3 הַ/בְּרִ֣ית הַ/בְּרִ֣ית בַּ/בְּרִֽית ptcl def.art + n c fs ptcl def.art + n c fs prep det + n c fs The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all [his] heart, and all [his] soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant.
- 2 Kings 23:21 הַ/בְּרִ֖ית ptcl def.art + n c fs The king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.
1 Chronicles 2 verses
- 1 Chronicles 11:3 בְּרִ֛ית n c fs So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of Yahweh by Samuel.
- 1 Chronicles 16:37 בְּרִית n c fs So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, Asaph and his brothers, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required;
2 Chronicles 10 verses
- 2 Chronicles 6:14 הַ/בְּרִית֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs and he said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven, or on earth; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;
- 2 Chronicles 15:12 בַ/בְּרִ֔ית prep det + n c fs They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;
- 2 Chronicles 16:3 בְּרִית֙ בְּרִֽיתְ/ךָ֗ n c fs n c fs cs + sfx pers 2ms [There is] a league between me and you, as [there was] between my father and your father: behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
- 2 Chronicles 21:7 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs However Yahweh would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children always.
- 2 Chronicles 23:1 בַ/בְּרִֽית prep det + n c fs In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.
- 2 Chronicles 23:3 בְּרִ֛ית n c fs All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. He said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David.
- 2 Chronicles 23:16 בְּרִ֔ית n c fs Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be Yahweh's people.
- 2 Chronicles 29:10 בְּרִ֔ית n c fs Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us.
- 2 Chronicles 34:30 הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs The king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 34:31 הַ/בְּרִית֮ הַ/בְּרִ֔ית ptcl def.art + n c fs ptcl def.art + n c fs The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
Ezra 1 verse
Nehemiah 3 verses
- Nehemiah 1:5 הַ/בְּרִית֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs and said, I beg you, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments:
- Nehemiah 9:8 הַ/בְּרִ֗ית ptcl def.art + n c fs and found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his seed, and have performed your words; for you are righteous.
- Nehemiah 9:32 הַ/בְּרִ֣ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keep covenant and loving kindness, don't let all the travail seem little before you, that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.
Job 2 verses
Psalms 3 verses
- Psalms 74:20 לַ/בְּרִ֑ית prep det + n c fs Honor your covenant, For haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.
- Psalms 83:5 בְּרִ֣ית n c fs For they have conspired together with one mind. They form an alliance against you.
- Psalms 89:3 בְ֭רִית n c fs "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant,
Isaiah 2 verses
- Isaiah 28:15 בְרִית֙ n c fs Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
- Isaiah 33:8 בְּרִית֙ n c fs The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceases: [the enemy] has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities, he doesn't regard man.
Jeremiah 12 verses
- Jeremiah 11:2 הַ/בְּרִ֣ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Hear you the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
- Jeremiah 11:3 הַ/בְּרִ֥ית ptcl def.art + n c fs and say you to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who doesn't hear the words of this covenant,
- Jeremiah 11:6 הַ/בְּרִ֣ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Yahweh said to me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear you the words of this covenant, and do them.
- Jeremiah 11:8 הַ/בְּרִית ptcl def.art + n c fs Yet they didn't obey, nor turn their ear, but walked everyone in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they didn't do them.
- Jeremiah 31:31 בְּרִ֥ית n c fs Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
- Jeremiah 31:32 כַ/בְּרִ֗ית בְּרִיתִ֗/י prep det + n c fs n c fs cs + sfx pers 1cs not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 31:33 הַ/בְּרִ֡ית ptcl def.art + n c fs But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:
- Jeremiah 34:8 בְּרִ֗ית n c fs The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them;
- Jeremiah 34:10 בַ/בְּרִ֗ית prep det + n c fs All the princes and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his man-servant, and everyone his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:
- Jeremiah 34:13 בְרִית֙ n c fs Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,
- Jeremiah 34:15 בְרִית֙ n c fs You were now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and you had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:
- Jeremiah 34:18 בְּרִתִ֔/י הַ/בְּרִ֔ית n c fs cs + sfx pers 1cs ptcl def.art + n c fs I will give the men who have transgressed my covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it;
Ezekiel 7 verses
- Ezekiel 16:8 בִ/בְרִ֜ית prep + n c fs Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness: yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Yahweh, and you became mine.
- Ezekiel 16:59 בְּרִֽית n c fs For thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.
- Ezekiel 17:13 בְּרִ֑ית n c fs and he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;
- Ezekiel 17:15 בְּרִ֖ית n c fs But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape who does such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape?
- Ezekiel 17:18 בְּרִ֑ית n c fs For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things; he shall not escape.
- Ezekiel 20:37 הַ/בְּרִֽית ptcl def.art + n c fs I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;
- Ezekiel 30:5 הַ/בְּרִ֑ית ptcl def.art + n c fs Ethiopia, and Put, and Lud, and all the mixed people, and Cub, and the children of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.
Daniel 4 verses
- Daniel 9:4 הַ/בְּרִית֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs I prayed to Yahweh my God, and made confession, and said, Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,
- Daniel 9:27 בְּרִ֛ית n c fs He shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease; and on the wing of abominations [shall come] one who makes desolate; and even to the full end, and that determined, shall [wrath] be poured out on the desolate.
- Daniel 11:22 בְּרִֽית n c fs The overwhelming forces shall be overwhelmed from before him, and shall be broken; yes, also the prince of the covenant.
- Daniel 11:32 בְרִ֔ית n c fs Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits].
Hosea 4 verses
- Hosea 2:18 בְּרִית֙ n c fs In that day I will make a covenant for them with the animals of the field, And with the birds of the sky, And with the creeping things of the ground. I will break the bow, the sword, and the battle out of the land, And will make them lie down safely.
- Hosea 6:7 בְרִ֑ית n c fs But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me, there.
- Hosea 10:4 בְּרִ֑ית n c fs They make promises, swearing falsely in making covenants. Therefore judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
- Hosea 12:1 וּ/בְרִית֙ conj + n c fs Ephraim feeds on wind, And chases the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried into Egypt.
Malachi 1 verse
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
ברית — transliterated bᵉrîyth — is a Hebrew noun carrying the sense “covenant.” Alongside “covenant” the lexicon also lists “alliance” and “pledge” — part of its full sense range. Spanning 264 verses in 27 books, it ranks among the common words of the Hebrew Bible. Its earliest occurrence is Genesis 6:18. Sharing its root, it stands alongside ברה, ברות and ברי. Each statement above links to its evidence; the full detail follows below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H1285 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 264
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 264 distinct verses.
- 27 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 27 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #175
- by frequency
- Top 250 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 175 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 264 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Deuteronomy 26 verses 10%
- Genesis 24 verses 9%
- Joshua 21 verses 8%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 264 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 124 verses · 47%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 76 verses · 29%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 64 verses · 24%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
BDB lists this Strong’s number as 2 distinct words (homographs). Each count above pools all of them and is not split by sense — see the Senses section below. A low-frequency rendering may belong to a different one of those words, not the primary meaning.
- King James Version†: Covenant 246×, League 11×, According to the covenant 2×
- American Standard Version†: Covenant 209×, League 4×, Ark of the covenant 3×
- Berean Standard Bible†: Covenant 254×, Treaty 16×, Be a covenant 2×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text†: Covenant 192×, Covenant of 65×, The 5×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H1285 across 283† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 14 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H1285 across 283† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 55 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H1285 across 283† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 9 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H1285 across 281† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 8 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
23 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 23 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
- I. between men.
- 1. treaty, alliance, league: Abraham and Amorites Gn 14:13; Edom and its allies Ob 7; with Philistines Gn 21:27, 32 (E) 26:28 (J); Jacob and Laban Gn 31:44 (J); Joshua and Gibeonites Jos 9:6, 7, 11, 15, 16 (J); Israel and Canaanites Ex 23:32; 34:12, 15 (JE) Dt 7:2 Ju 2:2; Ammonites and Jabesh 1 S 11:1; Solomon and Hiram 1 K 5:26; Ahab and Benhadad 1 K 20:34; Syria and Israel 1 K 15:19 = 2 Ch 16:3; Nebuchadnezzar and Zedekiah Ez 17:13–19; nations against Israel ψ 83:6; nations with Egypt Ez 30:5; Ephraim and Assyria Ho 12:2; Judah and Israel Ez 16:61; Judah and Tyre Am 1:9; Assyria and Judah Is 33:8; נגיד ברית a prince in league (with him) Dn 11:22 (so He Ew; Hi Meinh Bev ref. to h. p. Onias III & translate prince of cov’t, cf. AV RV); fig., with death Is 28:15, 18; with stones of the field Jb 5:23. e.g. Genesis 14:13
- 2. constitution, ordinance, between monarch and subjects: David and Abner 2 S 3:12, 13, 21; David and the elders of Israel 2 S 5:3 = 1 Ch 11:3; Zedekiah and his people Je 34:8–18; hostile prince and Israelites Dn 9:27. e.g. 2 Samuel 3:12
- 3. agreement, pledge: Jehoiada and captains 2 K 11:4 = 2 Ch 23:1; with oneself Jb 31:1; with Leviathan to be a servant Jb 40:28; between man and man Ho 10:4 cf. בעל ברית Ju 8:33; 9:4 = אל ברית Ju 9:46. e.g. 2 Kings 11:4
- 4. alliance of friendship between David and Jonathan 1 S 18:3; 20:8; 23:18 cf. ψ 55:21. e.g. 1 Samuel 18:3
- 5. alliance of marriage Pr 2:17 Mal 2:14.—In all cases כרת ברית is the technical phrase for making covenant except Je 34:10 באו בברית; Dn 9:27 הגביר ברית לְ. Various preps. are used, most often לְ Ex 23:32 +, but also עִם Gn 26:28 +, אֵת 2 S 3:12 +, בֵּין 2 Ch 16:3. e.g. Proverbs 2:17
- II. between God and man.
- 1. alliance of friendship (‖ סוֹד) ψ 25:14. e.g. Psalms 25:14
- 2. covenant, as a divine constitution or ordinance with signs or pledges (vid. אוֹת).
- a. with Noah Gn 9:9–17 (P) Is 54:10 Je 33:20, 25; a divine promise that there would be no other deluge. e.g. Genesis 9:9
- b. with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Gn 15:18 (J) 17:2–21 Ex 2:24; 6:4, 5; Lv 26:42 (P) 2 K 13:23; 1 Ch 16:15 = ψ 105:8, 10, Ne 9:8 Je 34:18; a promise to multiply their seed, give them the land of Canaan, and make them a blessing to the nations. e.g. Genesis 15:18
- c. with Israel at Sinai = Horeb, with a covenant sacrifice Ex 19:5; 24:7, 8 (E) 34:10, 27, 28 (J) 31:16; Lv 2:13 (P) 24:8; 26:9, 15, 25, 44, 45 (H) Dt 4:13; renewed in plains of Moab Dt 28:69; with blessings and curses Dt 29:20; frequently referred to in other books 2 Ch 34:32 ψ 25:10; 44:18; 50:5, 16; 74:20; 78:10, 37; 103:18; 106:45; 111:5, 9 Is 56:4, 6; Je 1:2, 3, 6, 8, 10; 14:21; 22:9; 31:32; Ez 16:8, 59, 60; 44:7; Dn 9:4; 11:28, 30, 32; Ho 6:7; 8:1 Zc 9:11; 11:10; a divine constitution given to Israel with promises on condition of obedience and penalties for disobedience, in the form of tables of the covenant Dt 9:9, 11, 15, inscribed with the ten words, placed in (י׳) ארון ברית the ark of the covenant Nu 10:33 + 40 times (vid. ארון; in 1 S 4:3, 4(×2), 5 om. ברית after ארון 𝔊 We Dr); set forth in דברי הברית words of the covenant Ex 34:28 (J) Dt 28:69; 29:8; 2 K 23:3 (= 2 Ch 34:31) Je 11:2–8, written in ספר הברית the book of the covenant Ex 24:7 (E, cf. 34:27 J) 2 K 23:2, 21 (cf. 2 Ch 34:30). e.g. Exodus 19:5
- d. with Phinehas Nu 25:12, 13 (P), a constitution, establishing an everlasting priesthood in his line; cf. ברית הכהנים Ne 13:29 & ברית הלוי Mal 2:4, 8. e.g. Numbers 25:12
- e. with Joshua and Israel Jos 24:25 (E), an ordinance or constitutional agreement to serve Yahweh only. e.g. Joshua 24:25
- f. with David ψ 89:4, 29, 34, 39; 132:12; Je 33:21 (cf. 2 S 7 = 1 Ch 17); a divine promise to the seed of David of an everlasting kingdom, the relation of sonship, and the superintendence of the temple (cf. ψ 2). e.g. Psalms 89:4
- g. Jehoiada and the people 2 K 11:17 = 2 Ch 23:3, a constitutional agreement to be the people of Yahweh. e.g. 2 Kings 11:17
- h. Hezekiah and the people 2 Ch 29:10, a constitutional agreement to reform the worship. e.g. 2 Chronicles 29:10
- i. Josiah and the people 2 K 23:3, a constitutional agreement to obey the book of the covenant. e.g. 2 Kings 23:3
- j. Ezra and the people Ezr 10:3, a constitutional agreement to put away foreign wives and observe the Law. k. the prophetic covenant, a divine promise through a series of prophets to establish a new constitution ברית חדשׁה Je 31:31, with new institutions and precepts Is 42:6, 49:8; 55:3; 59:21; 61:8 Je 31:31, 33; 32:40; 50:5; Ez 16:60, 62; 20:37; 34:25; 37:26; Ho 2:20. In Is 2 the Messianic servant is ברית עם Is 42:6; 49:8, cf. מלאך הברית Mal 3:1. e.g. Ezra 10:3
- III. Phrases.
- 1. covenant making: כרת ברית Gn 15:18; Ex 34:10, 27 (J) Jos 24:25 (E) Dt 5:2, 3; 28:69; 29:13, 24; 1 K 5:26; 2 K 11:17; 17:35, 38; 23:3 2 Ch 21:7; 23:3, 16; 29:10; 34:30 Ezr 10:3; Ne 9:8; ψ 50:5; 89:4; Is 55:3; 61:8; Je 11:10; 31:31, 32, 33; 32:40; 34:13 Ez 34:25; 37:26; Hos 2:20; הקים ברית establish a covenant Gn 6:18; 9:9, 11, 17; 17:7, 19, 21; Ex 6:4 (P) Ez 16:60, 62, confirm covenant Lv 26:9 (?; H) Dt 8:18; נתן ברית Gn 17:2 (cf. 9:12) Nu 25:12 (P); שׂם ברית 2 S 23:5; עבר בברית Dt 29:11; בא בברית 2 Ch 15:12; Ez 16:8; צוה ברית ψ 111:9; נשׂא ברית על פי ψ 50:16. (Cf. further on these DrJ Ph. xi. 1882, 210 ff.) e.g. Genesis 15:18
- 2. covenant keeping: on the part of man שׁמר ברית 1 K 11:11 Ne 1:5; 9:32 ψ 78:10; 103:18; 132:12 Dn 9:4, נצר ברית Dt 33:9 ψ 25:10, מחזיקים בברית Is 56:4, 6; on the part of God זכר ברית Gn 9:15, 16 Ex 2:24; 6:5 (all P), Lv 26:42(×3) (H; on sf. cf. Di Ges§ 128, 1 R b) v 45 (H) ψ 105:8; 106:45; 111:5 1 Ch 16:15 Ez 16:60. Thus we have נאמנת ψ 89:29; ברית עולם Gn 9:16; 17:7, 13, 18, 19 Ex 31:16 Lv 24:8 Nu 18:19; 25:13 (P) 2 S 23:5 (poet.) 1 Ch 16:17 (= ψ 105:10) Is 24:5; 55:3; 61:8 Je 32:40; 50:5 Ez 16:60; 37:26; ברית מלח Lv 2:13 2 Ch 13:5; 21:7 (a cov’t. with sacrificial meal and salt; on cov’t. with salt in Arabia cf. WeSkizzen iii. 124); ברית שׁלום Nu 25:12 (P) Is 54:10 Ez 34:25; 37:26; הברית והחסד Dt 7:9, 12 1 K 8:23 (= 2 Ch 6:14) Ne 1:5; 9:32; Dn 9:4; ברית קדשׁ Dn 11:28, 30; מסרת הברית Ez 20:27. e.g. 1 Kings 11:11
- 3. covenant violation: עבר ברית Dt 17:2; Jos 7:11, 15; 23:16 (D) Ju 2:20; 2 K 18:12; Ho 6:7; 8:1; הפר ברית Gn 17:14; Lv 26:15, 44 (H) Dt 31:16, 20 (J) Ju 2:1; Is 24:5(×2) Je 11:10; 14:21; 31:32; 33:20, 21; Ez 16:59; 17:18, 19; 44:7; Zc 11:10; עזב ב׳ Dt 29:24 1 K 19:10, 14; Je 22:9 Dn 11:30; מאס ברית 2 K 17:15; נאר ברית ψ 89:39; חלל ברית ψ 89:34 Mal 2:10 (cf. v 4); שׁקר בב׳ ψ 44:18; שׁכח ברית Dt 4:23, 21; Je 50:5. e.g. Deuteronomy 17:2
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
I. n.f. covenant (‖ Aramaic קְיָם, διαθήκη; constitutio)—ב׳ Gn 9:13 + 199 times; sf. בְּרִיתִי Gn 6:18 + 50 times; בְּרִיתְךָ Dt 33:9; בְּרִיתֶ֑ךָ ψ 44:18 + 11 times; בְּרִיתְכֶם Is 28:18; בְּרִיתֵךְ Ez 16:61; בְּרִיתוֹ Ex 2:24 + 18 times;—pact, compact, covenant.
II. v. sub ii. ברה; also ii. אֵל 3, בַּעַל 4.
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from ברה (bârâh) (H1262) — to eat.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
בְּרִית
- prop. circle, ring, chain, hence oath (of fidelity), solemn injunction; covenant treatise. [כרת ב׳ to cut a ring out; to make a covenant; בא בב׳ to enter into the ring, to promise fidelity; הפר ב׳ to break the ring, to break one’s oath &c.] Sabb. 137ᵇ; בריתו של אברהם אבינו (sign of) the covenant of Abraham, circumcision. Ab. III, 11; a. fr. Y. Peah VIII, 21ᵃ מפני ב׳ של א"א on account of the covenant of Abraham (for the sake of human dignity). Num. R. s. 18, a. fr. ב׳ כרותה לשפתים a law is made for the lips, i.e. words are ominous (ref. to לא נעלה, Num. XVI, 12). Gen. R. s. 34, v. אָוִיר; a. fr.—הַבְּ׳ וכ׳ by the covenant (an oath), indeed. Tosef. Ḥall. I, 6 ב׳ וכ׳ (Var. הב׳); Pes. 38ᵇ indeed, those are the very words &c.; (some explain) indeed?, are those the very &c. (is it a tradition for which no reason needs to be given)?; Y. Peah V, 19ᵇ bot. הב׳.—Pl. בְּרִיתוֹת. Ber. 48ᵇ sq. שלש ב׳ three covenants (three times the word b’rith, Deut. XXVIII, 69; XXIX, 8). Tosef. Sot. VIII, 10; 11 ב׳ Var. (ed. Zuck. כְּרִיתוֹת); Sot. 37ᵇ; a. fr. e.g. Numbers 16:12
בֵּרִית
- a ring, band, v. בֵּירִית. [Y. M. Kat. I, 80ᵇ top, v. כְּרִית.]
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 100 distinct written forms H1285 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 40 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H1285, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 6 — not the complete family. 1 of the same-root words is a proper name (a person or place). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 246 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 264 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 6:18
- Exodus 2:24
- Leviticus 2:13
- Numbers 10:33
- Deuteronomy 4:13
- Joshua 3:3
- Judges 2:1
- 1 Samuel 4:3
- 2 Samuel 3:12
- 1 Kings 3:15
- 2 Kings 11:4
- 1 Chronicles 11:3
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
