What part of the tamud or tanakh talks about an eternal Covenant between Israel and god

The concept of an eternal covenant (brit olam) between God and Israel appears in multiple places across both Tanakh and Talmud. Most prominently, it is expressed in the covenant of circumcision with Abraham in Genesis 17:7, the covenant at Sinai in Exodus 19:5, and the covenant of Shabbat in Exodus 31:16 — all of which describe a permanent, unbreakable bond between God and the Jewish people across all generations.

Key Takeaways

The phrase brit olam (בְּרִית עוֹלָם) — "eternal covenant" — appears multiple times in Tanakh, spanning Noah, Abraham, and Sinai.
The Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:7) establishes God as the God of Israel and her descendants forever.
The Sinaitic covenant (Exodus 19:5) makes Israel God's segulah (treasured people) among all nations.
The covenant of Shabbat (Exodus 31:16) is described as an eternal sign between God and Israel for all generations.
The Talmud and later authorities teach that this covenant is unconditional in its ultimate fulfillment, even if Israel sins.

The Major Covenants in Tanakh

1. The Noahide Covenant — A Universal Precursor

Before the specific covenant with Israel, God established a brit olam with all of humanity after the flood:

"וְהָיְתָ֥ה הַקֶּ֖שֶׁת בֶּֽעָנָ֑ן וּרְאִיתִ֗יהָ לִזְכֹּר֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם בֵּ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֔ים וּבֵין֙ כׇּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֔ה" "The bow shall be in the clouds, and I will look upon it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature." [Genesis 9:16]

This sets the template — God uses the language of brit olam to signal absolute, unconditional permanence.

2. The Abrahamic Covenant — The Foundation of Israel's Relationship with God

"וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם לִבְרִית עוֹלָם לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ׃" "I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant — to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." [Genesis 17:7]

Rashi explains that the phrase l'dorotam (לְדֹרֹתָם) — "throughout their generations" — emphasizes that this covenant applies to every single generation of Israel, not just the generation of Abraham [Rashi, Genesis 17:7].

Ramban (Nachmanides) adds that the covenant here is not merely relational but ontological — God's identity is, so to speak, bound up with being the God of Israel [Ramban, Genesis 17:7].

3. The Sinaitic Covenant — Israel as God's Treasured Nation

"וְעַתָּ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקֹלִ֔י וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֑י וִהְיִ֨יתֶם לִ֤י סְגֻלָּה֙ מִכׇּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים" "Now, if you will truly listen to My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession (segulah) among all peoples." [Exodus 19:5]

The word segulah (סְגֻלָּה) — "treasured possession" — is a uniquely intimate term. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains it as a personal treasure that a king keeps close to himself, not because of its monetary value but because of its sentimental, irreplaceable importance [Hirsch, Exodus 19:5].

4. The Covenant of Shabbat — An Eternal Sign

"וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם׃" "The children of Israel shall observe the Shabbat, to make the Shabbat an eternal covenant throughout their generations." [Exodus 31:16]

The Talmud in Tractate Shabbat explains that Shabbat is called an ot (אוֹת) — a sign — between God and Israel, distinguishing Israel from all other nations [Shabbat 10b]. The Sfat Emet (Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter) teaches that Shabbat renews the covenant weekly, acting as a living, recurring affirmation of the eternal bond.

The Talmudic Perspective: Is the Covenant Conditional or Unconditional?

This is a major theological question in rabbinic literature.

Conditional view: Exodus 19:5 says "if you listen to My voice" — implying the covenant's blessings depend on Israel's obedience.
Unconditional view: The Talmud in Sanhedrin 44a famously states: "אף על פי שחטא ישראל הוא" — "Even though he sinned, he remains Israel." The covenant cannot be severed by sin.

Maimonides (Rambam) in Hilchot Teshuva resolves this tension by teaching that while consequences may follow from sin, the fundamental covenant relationship remains eternal — God will ultimately redeem Israel [Rambam, Hilchot Teshuva 7:5].

Prophetic Reaffirmations

The eternal covenant is reaffirmed powerfully throughout the prophets:

Isaiah 54:10 — "Though the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed."
Jeremiah 31:30-32 — God promises a brit chadasha (new covenant), not replacing the old but internalizing Torah in the hearts of Israel.
Ezekiel 37:26 — "I will make a covenant of peace with them — it shall be an everlasting covenant."

The eternal covenant is thus one of the most pervasive and foundational themes in all of Torah literature, woven through every era of Jewish history and every dimension of Jewish practice.