Between the Lord on one side and the king and the people on the other. It was a renewal of the covenants of old, whereby the people accepted Jehovah as their Lord and promised that they would be obedient to His laws. No longer would they give recognition to Baal, whom Athaliah had endeavored to substitute as lord of the land instead of Jehovah.

Such a covenant was desperately needed. Under the last three reigns the rights of the people had been sadly abused. The rulers had no scruples and did what they wished, regardless the rights of the people. Now that a new king was beginning to reign, a solemn agreement was made under the terms of which the king was bound to govern according to the laws of justice and the ways of the Lord and the people were to give their allegiance to the house of David and Jehovah their King.