Reference: Alliance
Easton
a treaty between nations, or between individuals, for their mutual advantage.
Abraham formed an alliance with some of the Canaanitish princes (Ge 14:13), also with Abimelech (Ge 21:22-32). Joshua and the elders of Israel entered into an alliance with the Gibeonites (Jos 9:3-27). When the Israelites entered Palestine they were forbidden to enter into alliances with the inhabitants of the country (Le 18:3-4; 20:22-23).
Solomon formed a league with Hiram (1Ki 5:12). This "brotherly covenant" is referred to 250 years afterwards (Am 1:9). He also appears to have entered into an alliance with Pharaoh (1Ki 10:28-29).
In the subsequent history of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel various alliances were formed between them and also with neighbouring nations at different times.
From patriarchal times a covenant of alliance was sealed by the blood of some sacrificial victim. The animal sacrificed was cut in two (except birds), and between these two parts the persons contracting the alliance passed (Ge 15:10). There are frequent allusions to this practice (Jer 34:18). Such alliances were called "covenants of salt" (Nu 18:19; 2Ch 13:5), salt being the symbol of perpetuity. A pillar was set up as a memorial of the alliance between Laban and Jacob (Ge 31:52). The Jews throughout their whole history attached great importance to fidelity to their engagements. Divine wrath fell upon the violators of them (Jos 9:18; 2Sa 21:1-2; Eze 17:16).
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Then came in a fugitive, and told Abram the Hebrew, - he, having his dwelling among the oaks of Mature the Amorite brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, they, also having a covenant with Abram.
So he took for him all these, and divided them, in the midst, and placed each piece over against its fellow, hut the birds, divided he not.
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech, with Phicol chieftain of his host, spake unto Abraham, saying, - God, is with thee in all that, thou art doing. Now, therefore, swear to me by God, here, that thou wilt not deal falsely by me, nor by mine offspring, nor by my descendants, - according to the lovingkindness wherewith I have dealt with thee, shalt thou deal with me, and with the land wherein thou hast sojourned. read more. And Abraham said, I, will swear. But Abraham reproved Abimelech, - on account of the well of water, which the servants of Abimelech had seized. And Abimelech said, I know not, who hath done this thing, - nor hast even thou, ever told me, nor have even I, ever heard, save to-day. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, stud gave to Abimelech, - and they two solemnised a covenant So then Abram set seven young sheep of the flock by them-selves, And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What, then mean these seven young sheep here, which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, The seven young sheep, shalt thou take at my hand, - that they may serve as my witness, that I digged this well. On this account, was the name of that place called Beer-sheba, - because there, had they two sworn. And when they had solemnised a covenant in Beer-sheba, - then arose Abimelech, with Phicol chief of his host, and returned unto the land of the Philistines.
A witness, be this heap, and, a witness, the pillar, - That, I, am not to pass, unto thee, over this heap, And, thou, art not to pass, unto me, over this heap and this pillar for harm.
After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do, - And after the doings of the land of Canaan whither, I, am bringing you in, shall ye not do, And, in their statutes, shall ye not walk: My regulations, shall ye do, And, my statutes, shall ye observe to walk therein, - I - Yahweh, am your God.
Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes and all my regulations, and do them, - So shall the land whereinto I am bringing you to dwell therein, not vomit you forth; So shall ye not walk in the - statutes of the nations, which I am casting out from before you, - For all these things, had they done, Therefore I abhorred them;
all the heave-offerings of the holy things which the sons of Israel shall heave up unto Yahweh, have I given unto thee and unto thy sons and unto thy daughters with thee by a statute age-abiding, - an age-abiding covenant of salt, it is before Yahweh, for thee and for thy seed with thee.
Now, the inhabitants of Gibeon, heard that which Joshua had done unto Jericho and unto Ai; they, however, acted craftily, and went and started, - and took old sacks for their asses, and leathern wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; read more. and sandals, old and patched, upon their feet, and worn-out mantles upon them, - and, all the bread of their provision, was dry and broken. So they took their journey unto Joshua, unto the camp, at Gilgal, - and said unto him, and unto the men of Israel, From a far country, are we come, Now, therefore, solemnise with us a covenant. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, - Peradventure, in our midst, ye are dwelling, how then can we solemnise with you a covenant? And they said unto Joshua: Thy servants, we are. And Joshua said unto them: Who, are ye? And, from whence, come ye? And they said unto him - From a very far country, have thy servants come, because of the name of Yahweh thy God, - because we had heard his fame, and all that he had done in Egypt; and all that he had done unto the two kings of the Amorites who were over the Jordan, - unto Sihon, king of Heshbon, and unto Og, king of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth. So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land spake unto us, saying - Take ye, in your hand, provision for the journey, and go your way to meet them, - then shall ye say unto them, Your servants, we are. Now, therefore, solemnise with us a covenant. This our bread, took we, hot, for our provision, out of our houses, on the day we came forth to journey unto you, - but, now, lo! it is dry, yea it is broken; and, these leathern wine bottles, which we filled new, lo! also, they are rent, - and, as for these our mantles and our sandals, they are worn out, by reason of the very long journey. So the men took of their provision, - but, the bidding of Yahweh, had they not asked. And Joshua made peace with them, and solemnised with them a covenant to let them live, - and the princes of the assembly, entered into an oath with them. And it came to pass, at the end of three days after they had solemnised with them a covenant, that they heard that, near neighbours, they were unto them, and, in their midst, they were dwelling. So the sons of Israel brake up, and came in unto their cities on the third day, - their cities, being Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. And the sons of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Yahweh, God of Israel, - but all the assembly murmured against the princes.
And the sons of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Yahweh, God of Israel, - but all the assembly murmured against the princes. And all the princes said unto all the assembly, We, have sworn unto them, by Yahweh, God of Israel, - now, therefore, we may not touch them. read more. This, will we do unto them, even let them live, - lest there come on us wrath, because of the oath which we have sworn unto them. And the princes said unto them - Let them live. So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the assembly, as the princes spake unto them. And Joshua called for them, and spake unto them, saying, - Wherefore did ye deceive us, saying - We are, very far, from you, whereas, ye, in our midst, are dwelling? Now, therefore, accursed, ye are, - and ye shall not cease to be in bond-service as hewers of wood and drawers of water, for the house of my God. And they responded to Joshua, and said - Because it was, plainly told, thy servants, how that Yahweh thy God had commanded Moses his servant to give unto you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, - therefore feared we greatly, for our lives, because of you, and did this thing. Now, therefore, here we are, in thy hand, - as may be good and right in thine eyes, to do unto us, do. And he did to them so, - and rescued them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, and they slew them not. And Joshua appointed them that day to be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto the assembly, - and unto the altar of Yahweh, as they are until this day, in the place which he should choose.
And, Yahweh, gave wisdom unto Solomon, as he promised him, - and it came to pass that there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and, they two, solemnised a covenant.
And the horses that Solomon had were, an export, out of Egypt, - and, a company of the merchants of the king, used to fetch, a drove, at a price, And a chariot came up and forth out of Egypt, for six hundred shekels of silver and a horse for a hundred and fifty, - and, so, for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means, came they forth.
and will give the men who are transgressing my covenant, in that they have not confirmed the words of the covenant, which they solemnised, before me, when they cut the calf, in twain, and passed between the parts thereof;
As I live, Declareth My Lord Yahweh, Very! in the place where dwelleth the king that made him king, Whose oath he hath despised, And whose covenant he hath broken With him in the midst of Babylon, shall he die.
Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Tyre, and because of four, will I not turn it back, - Because of their delivering up the whole body of exiles to Edom, and they remembered not the brotherly covenant,
Hastings
In the patriarchal age alliances between the Chosen People and foreign nations were frequent. Many of the agreements between individuals recorded in Genesis implied, or really were, treaties between the tribes or clans represented (Ge 21:22 ff; Ge 31:44 ff.). 'During the period of the Judges confederations between the more or less isolated units of which the nation was composed were often made under the pressure of a common danger (Jg 4:10; 6:35). When Israel became consolidated under the monarchy, alliances with foreigners were of a more formal character, e.g. Solomon's treaty with Hiram (1Ki 5; 9). His marriage with Pharaoh's daughter probably had a political significance (1Ki 3:1; 9:16). The policy of alliance between Israel and Ph
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And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech, with Phicol chieftain of his host, spake unto Abraham, saying, - God, is with thee in all that, thou art doing.
Now, therefore, come on! Let us solemnise a covenant, I and thou, - So shall it be a witness betwixt me and thee.
Moreover he shall not multiply to himself horses, neither shall he cause the people to return to Egypt that he may multiply horses, - when, Yahweh, hath said unto you, Ye shall not again return this way any more.
And Barak called together Zebulun and Naphtali, towards Kadesh, and there went up at his feet - ten thousand men, - and Deborah, went up with him.
Messengers also, sent he throughout all Manasseh, and, they also, were gathered after him, - messengers also, sent he throughout Asher, and throughout Zebulun, and throughout Naphtali, and they came up to meet them.
And Solomon contracted an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, - and took the daughter of Pharaoh, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of Yahweh, and the wall of Jerusalem, round about.
Pharaoh king of Egypt, had gone up and captured Gezer, and burned it with fire, the Canaanites also who were dwelling in the city, had he slain, - and had given it as a dowry, to his daughter, wife of Solomon.
Let there be a covenant between me and thee, as between my father and thy father: Lo! I have sent thee a gift, silver and gold, Come break thy covenant with Baasha, king of Israel, that he may go up from against me.
And it come to pass, as though it had been too light a thing that he should walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and bowed down to him.
then, came up Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to make war, - and they laid siege against Ahaz, but could not overcome him .
So Ahaz sent messengers unto Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, Thy servant and thy son, I am, - Come up and save me, out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.
Now, lo! thou dost trust thyself on the support of this bruised cane, on Egypt, whereon, if a man lean, it will enter his hand and lay it open, - so, is Pharaoh king of Egypt, to all who trust upon him.
How then wilt thou turn back the face of one pasha of the least of my lord's servants? Or hast thou, on thy part, trusted to Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
Now, therefore what hast thou to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
How vigorously, thou goest about changing thy way! Even of Egypt, shalt thou be ashamed, just as thou wast ashamed of Assyria:
For, they, have gone up to Assyria, A wild ass going alone for himself, is Ephraim! They have hired lovers!
Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Tyre, and because of four, will I not turn it back, - Because of their delivering up the whole body of exiles to Edom, and they remembered not the brotherly covenant,
Now he was bitterly hostile to them of Tyre and Zidon; but, with one accord, they came unto him, and, persuading Blastus, who was over the bed-chamber of the king, they were suing for peace; because their country was fed by the king's,
Morish
On the Israelites entering into Canaan they were forbidden to make any league with the people of the land, they were not to show them any mercy, nor to make any marriages with them, De 7:2-3; and later, when Joshua was about to die, he said to them, that with the nations that were still left they were to make no marriages, nor to go in unto them. If they did, God would drive out no more of the nations, and they would be snares and traps unto them, and scourges in their sides and thorns in their eyes. Jos 23:12-13. Joshua and the princes of Israel were, alas, deceived by the Gibeonites, and without seeking counsel of God they made a covenant with them. Jos 9:3-21. The failure of the Israelites in this particular (cf. Ezr 9:1; 10:1 ; Neh. 13.) is typical of the church making alliances with the world which have so sadly dimmed and destroyed the testimony which should have been borne by a heavenly people.
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and Yahweh thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them, thou shalt devote them to destruction, thou shalt not solemnise with them a covenant neither shalt thou shew them favour; neither shalt thou intermarry with them, - thy daughter, shalt thou not give unto his son, nor his daughter, shalt thou take for thy son;
Now, the inhabitants of Gibeon, heard that which Joshua had done unto Jericho and unto Ai; they, however, acted craftily, and went and started, - and took old sacks for their asses, and leathern wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; read more. and sandals, old and patched, upon their feet, and worn-out mantles upon them, - and, all the bread of their provision, was dry and broken. So they took their journey unto Joshua, unto the camp, at Gilgal, - and said unto him, and unto the men of Israel, From a far country, are we come, Now, therefore, solemnise with us a covenant. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, - Peradventure, in our midst, ye are dwelling, how then can we solemnise with you a covenant? And they said unto Joshua: Thy servants, we are. And Joshua said unto them: Who, are ye? And, from whence, come ye? And they said unto him - From a very far country, have thy servants come, because of the name of Yahweh thy God, - because we had heard his fame, and all that he had done in Egypt; and all that he had done unto the two kings of the Amorites who were over the Jordan, - unto Sihon, king of Heshbon, and unto Og, king of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth. So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land spake unto us, saying - Take ye, in your hand, provision for the journey, and go your way to meet them, - then shall ye say unto them, Your servants, we are. Now, therefore, solemnise with us a covenant. This our bread, took we, hot, for our provision, out of our houses, on the day we came forth to journey unto you, - but, now, lo! it is dry, yea it is broken; and, these leathern wine bottles, which we filled new, lo! also, they are rent, - and, as for these our mantles and our sandals, they are worn out, by reason of the very long journey. So the men took of their provision, - but, the bidding of Yahweh, had they not asked. And Joshua made peace with them, and solemnised with them a covenant to let them live, - and the princes of the assembly, entered into an oath with them. And it came to pass, at the end of three days after they had solemnised with them a covenant, that they heard that, near neighbours, they were unto them, and, in their midst, they were dwelling. So the sons of Israel brake up, and came in unto their cities on the third day, - their cities, being Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. And the sons of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Yahweh, God of Israel, - but all the assembly murmured against the princes. And all the princes said unto all the assembly, We, have sworn unto them, by Yahweh, God of Israel, - now, therefore, we may not touch them. This, will we do unto them, even let them live, - lest there come on us wrath, because of the oath which we have sworn unto them. And the princes said unto them - Let them live. So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the assembly, as the princes spake unto them.
But, if ye, do in any wise turn back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, these which remain with you, - and intermarry with them, and go in with them, and, they, with you; know, that Yahweh your God will no further drive out these nations from before you, - but they will become unto you a snare and a hook, and a goad in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye have perished from off this goodly soil, which Yahweh your God hath given unto you.
Now, when these things were ended, the rulers drew near unto me, saying, The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not kept themselves separate from the peoples of the lands, - in view of their abominations-even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites;
Now, when Ezra had prayed and when he had made confession, weeping and casting himself down, before the house of God, there gathered unto him out of Israel, an exceeding large convocation - men and women and children, for the people wept with a very bitter weeping.