What does בְּרִית · διαθήκη mean in the Bible?
בְּרִית · διαθήκη is a Hebrew phrase meaning "covenant, agreement".
Hebrew · H1285, G1242
Berit
A compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh) · covenant
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
בְּרִית H1285 a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)
Pronunciation berit
Covenant sealed through ritual blood sacrifice; God's binding commitment to His people, foundational to redemptive history
Open lexicon entry →
διαθήκη G1242 covenant
Pronunciation diathḗkē
God's unilateral binding arrangement with his people, not a mutual contract between equals.
Open lexicon entry →
What does berit (berit) mean in the Bible?
בְּרִית · διαθήκη is a Hebrew phrase meaning "covenant, agreement".
Full entry for berit (H1285, G1242) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H1285, G1242?
H1285, G1242 is connected to 284 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. covenant, agreement
Strong's H1285, G1242
Lexical occurrences 284 verses Source Gloss
covenant, agreement
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
berit is built from these roots:
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain