Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bryant J. Williams III" <bjwvmw AT com-pair.net>]

Dear Michael,

I would first of all look at the contrasting words being used in this passage:

New Covenant versus (Old) Covenant
Put my law in their inward parts vs law that is external (implied).

31:31-34,

1)    A new covenant will be made with Israel and Judah, vs 31.
2)    This covenant is NOT like the covenant that was made with their fathers
that were taken out of Egypt, vs 32.
3)    The covenant that was made with God (YHWH) is the one that they broke, 
vs
32.
4)    This (new) covenant (referring to vs 31) will be put into their hearts, 
vs
33.
5)    This (new) covenant will be written in their hearts, vs 33.

I can think of two possibilities here (although there could be more, but these
are the most probable). First, that the "covenant" and "my law" will refer to
the Book of the Covenant in Exodus 21-24, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy,
i.e. "The Law of Moses." Second, that the "covenant" and "my law" will refer 
to
the Ten Commandments because of the phrase "and I will write it upon their
hearts." It is in parallelism with "I will put my law within them" (NIV), "in
their inward parts" (KJV). There is only one instance of God writing something
found in the Old Testament, The Ten Commandments of Exodus 20, referred to in
Deuteronomy 4:13, upon two tablet of stones. Thus, the contrast is between 
that
which is written upon stone and that which in written upon the heart. The 
phrase
"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers..." is 
paralleled
in Deuteronomy 5:3  referring to the generation that perished in the 
Wilderness
and those who were before the Jordan (those who survived the Wilderness
Wandering). Therefore, the phrase, "my law," must refer to the Ten 
Commandments;
although, the very real possibility of both is not beyond reason.

I will not go into the use made by the author of Hebrews in Hebrews 10, 
because
that is going into an area NOT allowed on this list.

En Xristwi,

Rev. Bryant J. Williams III

NOTE:
I did consider the possibility that the phrase "although I was a husband unto
them" might also refer to the marriage covenant (referred to in the prophecy 
of
Hosea), but I considered that as an aside to the main theme of "Old Covenant"
versus "New Covenant."

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Deborah Millier" <deborahmillier AT yahoo.com>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 9:04 PM
Subject: [b-hebrew] TORATI in Jer 31:33: Is it the Mosaic Torah?


> Dear List Members,
>
> In all other occurrences of TORATI ("my torah") in
> Jeremiah (not to mention most places elsewhere in the
> Hebrew Bible), the phrase demonstrably refers to the
> Mosaic Torah with all its unique commandments and
> statutes (Jer 6:19; 9:13; 16:11; 26:4; 44:10). So,
> from an exegetical (not theological) standpoint, would
> it be safe to assume that TORATI also means the Mosaic
> Torah in the new covenant prophecy of Jer 31:33?
>
> If not, could you please explain your reasoning? Your
> insights are greatly appreciated.
>
> Shalom from Manila, Philippines,
> --Michael Millier
>
> "Only he who cries out for the Jews may sing Gregorian chants."
>                                         -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
>
>
>
>
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