a-nul', dis-a-nul': God, as the Supreme Ruler, can disannul His covenant for cause (Isaiah 28:18); man, through willfulness and transgression, as party of the second part, may break the contract and thus release Yahweh, as party of the first part (Job 40:8; Isaiah 14:27), though there are some purposes and laws which the Almighty will carry out in spite of ungodly rage and ravings (Galatians 3:15 the King James Version); or an old law or covenant might be conceived as disannulled by a new one (Galatians 3:17), or because of its becoming obsolete and ineffective (Hebrews 7:18). For the first idea, the Hebrew employs kaphar = "to cover," "to expiate," "condone," "placate," "cancel," "cleanse," "disannul," "purge," "put off" (Isaiah 28:18); and the Greek (Galatians 3:15), atheteo = "to set aside," "disesteem," "neutralize," "violate," "frustrate." One covenant disannulling another by "conflict of laws" is expressed by akuroo, "to invalidate," "disannul," "make of no effect." Atheteo is employed to express also the disannulling through age and disuse (Hebrews 7:18).

Frank E. Hirsch

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

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