NKJV 365 Day Reading PlanНамуна

Covenants of two kinds regulated relations between individuals and between nations in the ancient Near East. Parity covenants were negotiated between equals. In suzerain-vassal covenants, a powerful king set out his terms that were to be obeyed by an underling. The covenant between the Lord and Israel described in Exodus 19–24 and in Deuteronomy has features of a suzerain-vassal treaty, a legal instrument that the Israelites would readily have understood. Such features visible in Exodus include a preamble that identifies the giver of the treaty (Ex. 20:2), a historical prologue stating beneficial actions by the king (v. 4; Ex. 20:2; and in a sense Ex. 1–17), covenant stipulations (Ex. 20–23), requirement of absolute allegiance (Ex. 20:3, 23; 23:13, 24, 25; 34:11–17), formal sealing of the covenant (Ex. 24:9–11), and provisions for preserving the covenant document (Ex. 24:4, 7, 12; 25:16; 34:27, 28). No other ancient Near East treaty exists between a god and people.

Taken from The Woman’s Study Bible