Isaiah 54 · a question people ask
What is the "covenant of peace" of 54:10?
The chapter says what it holds, in the LORD's own words: "but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed," says the LORD who has mercy on you (54:10). It sets it beside an older oath: "for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you" (54:9). In Hebrew covenant of peace is berit shalom, and the Hebrew Bible has the two words together four times: the LORD's word about Phinehas, "Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace" (Numbers 25:12), this verse, and twice in Ezekiel: "I will make with them a covenant of peace" (Ezekiel 34:25), and "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them" (Ezekiel 37:26). No New Testament verse gives the words of 54:10. These notes set the verses side by side and say no more than they say.
The verses
““For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says the LORD who has mercy on you.”
“Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace.”
““‘I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land. They will dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.”
“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will place them, multiply them, and will set my sanctuary among them forever more.”