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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And one came that had escaped and told Abram the Hebrew, who dwelt among the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram.
And he took unto him all these and divided them in the midst and laid each piece one against another, but he did not divide the birds.
And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the prince of his host, spoke unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest. Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son; but according to the mercy that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me and to the land in which thou hast sojourned. read more. And Abraham said, I will swear. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech's slaves had violently taken away. And Abimelech said, I know not who has done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither have I heard of it, but today. And Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand that they may be a witness unto me that I have dug this well. Therefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they swore, both of them. Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba; then Abimelech rose up and Phichol, the prince of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
let this heap be witness and this pillar be witness that I will not pass over this heap against thee and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar against me, for harm.
You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, in which ye dwelt; nor shall you do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I bring you; neither shall ye walk in their statutes. Ye shall comply with my rights and keep my statutes, walking in them. I AM your God.
Keep, therefore, all my statutes and all my rights and do them, and the land where I bring you to dwell therein will not vomit you out. And ye shall not walk in the practices of the Gentiles which I shall cast out before you; for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the sons of Israel offer unto the LORD, I have given for thee and for thy sons and for thy daughters with thee, by a perpetual statute; it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD for thee and for thy seed with thee.
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, they worked with prudence and went and made as if they had been ambassadors and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old and rent and bound up, read more. and old patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. Thus they came unto Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said unto him and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country; now, therefore, make ye a covenant with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us, and how shall we make a covenant with you? And they said unto Joshua, We are thy slaves. And Joshua said unto them, Who are you and where do you come from? And they said unto him, From very far lands thy slaves are come because of the name of the LORD thy God, for we have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side of the Jordan, and to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. Therefore, our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provision with you for the journey and go to meet them and say unto them, We are your slaves; therefore, now make ye a covenant with us. This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to come unto you, but now, behold, it is dry and mouldy. These bottles of wine, we also filled new, and, behold, they are rent, and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. And the men of Israel took of their provision and did not ask counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; also the princes of the congregation swore unto them. At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard how they were their neighbours and that they dwelt among them. And the sons of Israel journeyed and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kirjathjearim. And the sons of Israel did not smite them because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
And the sons of Israel did not smite them because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel; therefore, now we may not touch them. read more. This we will do to them; we will let them live lest wrath come upon us because of the oath which we swore unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, as the princes had said unto them. And Joshua called for them, and spoke unto them saying, Why have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you, when ye dwell among us? Now, therefore, ye are cursed, and ye shall always be slaves and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. And they answered Joshua and said, Because it was certainly told thy slaves how the LORD thy God commanded his slave Moses that he was to give you the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore, we feared greatly of our lives because of you and have done this thing. And now, behold, we are in thy hand; as it seems good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. And so did he unto them; he delivered them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they did not slay them. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which he should choose; which they are even unto this day.
And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two made a covenant together.
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt and linen yarn, for the king's merchants bought the horses and yarn. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty, and so by their hand they supplied all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.
And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts thereof,
As I live, said the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwells that made him king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon, he shall die.
Thus hath the LORD said: For three transgressions of Tyre and for the fourth, I will not convert her because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom and did not remember 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 and Phichol, the prince of his host, spoke unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest.
Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses; for the LORD has said unto you, Ye shall not procure to return any more to that way.
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and he went up with ten thousand men on foot, and Deborah went up with him.
And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh who also joined with him; likewise he sent messengers unto Asher and unto Zebulun and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
And Solomon became a relative of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, for he took Pharaoh's daughter to wife and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the LORD and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
For Pharaoh, king of Egypt, had gone up and taken Gezer and burnt it with fire and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city and given it for a gift unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.
There is a covenant between me and thee and between my father and thy father; behold, I have sent unto thee a bribe of silver and gold; come and break thy covenant with Baasha, king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
for it was as a light thing unto him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and he took to wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal and worshipped him.
Then Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to war; and they besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria, saying, I am thy slave and thy son; 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 have risen up against me.
Now, behold, thou dost trust upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it; so is Pharaoh, king of Egypt unto all that trust in him.
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's slaves, even though thou dost trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt? to drink the waters of the Nile? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria? to drink the waters of the river Eufrates?
Why dost thou talk so much, changing thy ways? Thou shalt also be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass thinking only of himself; Ephraim has hired lovers.
Thus hath the LORD said: For three transgressions of Tyre and for the fourth, I will not convert her because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom and did not remember the brotherly covenant;
And Herod was highly displeased with those of Tyre and Sidon, but they came with one accord to him, and, having bribed Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace because their lands were supplied through those of 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 when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them nor show mercy unto them. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, they worked with prudence and went and made as if they had been ambassadors and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old and rent and bound up, read more. and old patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. Thus they came unto Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said unto him and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country; now, therefore, make ye a covenant with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us, and how shall we make a covenant with you? And they said unto Joshua, We are thy slaves. And Joshua said unto them, Who are you and where do you come from? And they said unto him, From very far lands thy slaves are come because of the name of the LORD thy God, for we have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side of the Jordan, and to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. Therefore, our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provision with you for the journey and go to meet them and say unto them, We are your slaves; therefore, now make ye a covenant with us. This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to come unto you, but now, behold, it is dry and mouldy. These bottles of wine, we also filled new, and, behold, they are rent, and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. And the men of Israel took of their provision and did not ask counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; also the princes of the congregation swore unto them. At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard how they were their neighbours and that they dwelt among them. And the sons of Israel journeyed and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kirjathjearim. And the sons of Israel did not smite them because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel; therefore, now we may not touch them. This we will do to them; we will let them live lest wrath come upon us because of the oath which we swore unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, as the princes had said unto them.
Because if ye do in any wise go back and cleave unto the remnant of these Gentiles that remain among you and shall make marriages with them and go in unto them and they to you, know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no longer drive out any of these Gentiles from before you, but they shall be snares and traps unto you and scourges in your sides and thorns in your eyes until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.
Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites, doing according to their abominations,
Now as Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; and the people wept very sore.