How many times is covenant mentioned in the Bible?
The word covenant appears 292 times in the King James Version, in 272 verses. Counting every form (covenant, covenants), it appears 295 times in 275 verses across 32 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses covenant 313 times (317 with every form).
Covenant in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of covenant counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| covenant | 292 | 313 |
| covenants | 3 | 4 |
| Total | 295 | 317 |
Which books mention covenant most
Covenant appears in 32 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Deuteronomy has the most (27), then Genesis (26) and Jeremiah (24).
Also in: Daniel (7), Malachi (6), Numbers (5), Nehemiah (5), Hosea (5), Judges (3), Galatians (3), 2 Samuel (2), Job (2), Zechariah (2), Acts (2), Romans (2), Ezra (1), Proverbs (1), Amos (1), Luke (1), Ephesians (1).
First and last mention of covenant
But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
The verse that uses it most is Leviticus 26:42, 3 times (tied with 2 Kings 23:3):
Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
Where the two translations differ
1 verse matches in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 21 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
1 Samuel 11:2: counted in the KJV only
And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be gouged out. I will make this dishonor all Israel.”
Joshua 9:6: counted in the World English Bible only
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us.”
Joshua 9:7: counted in the World English Bible only
And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “What if you live among us? How could we make a covenant with you?”
Verses with covenant on our topic pages
18 verses that use covenant in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is today.
“I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
On: Lust, Self Control, Purity
Know therefore that Yahweh your God himself is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations,
On: God's Love, Faithfulness
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;
On: Obedience
He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
On: Fasting
He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.
On: Betrayal
to those who keep his covenant, to those who remember to obey his precepts.
On: Family
He has given food to those who fear him. He always remembers his covenant.
On: Provision
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 Yahweh who has mercy on you.
On: God's Love
“As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says Yahweh. “My Spirit who is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your offspring, nor out of the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says Yahweh, “from henceforth and forever.”
On: Christmas
“For I, Yahweh, love justice. I hate robbery and iniquity. I will give them their reward in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
On: Justice
“Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
On: Christmas
Common questions
How many times is covenant in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 272 of the 295 uses are in the Old Testament and 23 in the New Testament. Covenant appears in 32 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Deuteronomy has the most (27), then Genesis (26) and Jeremiah (24).
Where is covenant first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Genesis 6:18: "But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee." The last is Hebrews 13:20.
More word counts: miracle, prophet, baptism, resurrection, grief, anger, sleep, debt, or all 107 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-02.