Alliance: A treaty between nations, or between individuals, for their mutual
advantage. Abraham formed an alliance with some of the Canaanitish
princes
(Genesis 14:13) also with Abimelech
(Genesis 21:22-32) Joshua and the
elders of Israel entered into an alliance with the Gibeonites
(Joshua 9:3-27) When the Israelites entered Palestine they were
forbidden to enter into alliances with the inhabitants of the
country
(Leviticus 18:3,4; 20:22,23) Solomon formed a league with Hiram
(1 Kings 5:12) This "brotherly covenant" is referred to 250 years
afterwards
(Amos 1:9) He also appears to have entered into an
alliance with Pharaoh
(1 Kings 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
(Genesis 15:10) There are frequent
allusions to this practice
(Jeremiah 34:18) Such alliances were called
"covenants of salt"
(Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5) salt being the symbol of
perpetuity. A pillar was set up as a memorial of the alliance
between Laban and Jacob
(Genesis 31:52) The Jews throughout their
whole history attached great importance to fidelity to their
engagements. Divine wrath fell upon the violators of them
(Joshua 9:18; 2 Samuel 21:1,2; Ezekiel 17:16)
