In their devotion, the Israelites took on strict rules and regulations. For example, there are dietary traditions that stem back to following God's word. This covenant was solidified by the sign of the tablets which the Ten Commandments were written on. This then defined the nature of both Judaism and Christianity. Finally, the covenant made with David established a physical resting spot for all people of the Jewish faith -- the Kingdom of Israel. As part of the covenant, there was a royal dynasty established through David's descendants (2 Samuel 7:11-16). The first Temple of Jerusalem as God's house, built by David's son as part of his promises in the covenant with God, (2 Samuel 7:4-7). For the devotion of both David and his descendents, "the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house," (2 Samuel 7:11). Thus, David united the Jewish people under one nation (Laughlin 2006). For the devotion of the Jewish people, the Jewish nation was established. Nation is not the exact same meaning in the context of the Hebrew Bible as it would be in terms of political agendas; however, it has come to mean the definition of the Jewish people as a whole, (Barnavi:2). The people of Israel, no matter where they physically live all belong...

They are important for they define the Jewish faith and show God's willingness to reward his people for their devotion. The principles of the covenants between God and His people represent His love for them; "God is one; God is moral in essence; God had elected certain individuals to whom he revealed his will and instructed then to impart his message to the people," (Barnavi:26).
References

Barnavi, Eli. (2002). A historical Atlas of the Jewish People. New York: Schocken Books.

Felix Just, S.J. (2006). Major covenants between God and human beings in the Bible. Covenants, Pillars, and Theologies in Ancient Judaism. Retrieved 28 Nov 2009 from http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Covenants.htm

Laughlin, John C.H. (2006). Fifty Major Cities of the Bible. London: Routledge.

Smith, Ralph Allan. (2009). The Covenantal Structure of the Bible. Berith.org. Retrieved November 27, 2009 at http://www.berith.org/pdf/The-Covenantal-Structure-of-the-Bible.pdf

The Old Testament. The Revised Standard Version.