annulled. It had been “broken” so that it was no longer in force. This radical breach is given force by the introduction of the analogy of a broken marriage (v. 32). (3) In this promise of the new covenant the concepts of “law” and “covenant” are treated as virtually synonymous, which is also the case elsewhere in the Deuteronomistic usage. (4) A measure of uncertainty is left over what exactly the new covenant will amount to. A new law is not properly envisaged at all, but only a new way of Israel’s
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