Alliance (Hastings' Dictionary)

The attitude of the Israelites to forci^ nations varied greatly at dieferent periods nthpir history In early times alliances were Lnteed i^^ and treaties deluded without the «liXtest scruple. Even intermixture with alien races was s^ar from being tabooed, that it was one of tife principal means by which the land wes of the Jordan wa^ secured. Thus we are told that Judah married and had children by the daughter of aCanaanite(Gn 38=), the tradition e-f.^-o'lyng t.

he history of the clan in a personal narrative^ A|am the condemnation of Smieon and Levi (On ^54 ) is evidently due to the violation of a treaty previously entered into with Shechem (cf. the story of the ^'^onhTis^ferloTu [hen, it may be held that trwities with Canaanitish clans were frenuent an^ genera On the other hand, they played ^n im^^rUnt part in the internal 1-tory of the Hebrews.

Israel was by no means atjirst so homogeneous as is often supposed: the tnbes, ractically independent of eacl. other, were gradu- X kn it^ ogether by circun.stances. Common dangers led to common action on the part o t^'o or more of them: the leaders conferred together, or Z clUef of the strongest clan, or of the one 'noBt immediately threatened, assuiued the headship, Lnrthe waj' W.

18 prepared for a close confederation The times of the Judges furnish ample evidence of l,ns, and the monarchy had no other founda ion A very curious alliance, and one that proves both ^e Useness of the Heb. confederacy and the readiness with which relations were entered no with foreigners, is th«t between T>tivu\ and Achush, king of Gath (1 S 27'). Under it, David was pre- pared to fight, on behalf of the traditional enemies of his race, against the Benjamite !

<in«''o'n of feauK That he did not, was apparently due sole y to the suspicions of his fidelity entertained by the lords of the Philibtines. , When the monarchy became settled and com- paratively powerful under Solomon, treaties with forVicners, m the stricter sense, became fremunt. '^Sn himself formed an alliance -Uh Jiram king of Tyre (1 K 5). and it is most probable that some of his marriages, and especiaUy that with the daughter of Pharaoh, cemented a political union.

The frequency with which rebels and outlaws sought a refuge in Egypt made such a union de-sfrable. On the other ^land. the memorials of ?he capture of Jerus. by Shishak of Egypt disprove the conjecture that his attack on Kel.

oboam ^yas made in support of Jeroboam After the secession "f the ten tribes, Israel and Judah both sought foreign assistance against each other Asa, onbeing attacked by Baasha, bribed Benhadad of Syria to dissolve the alliance he had previously formed witl Israel and to join him in his war with tliat country t wa^ not uitil the reigns of Jehoshaphat and Ahab that the two countries found t'lemtf '^^^^^ accord, and fought side by side %'a.

nst the heathen Their union was, of course, purely political : t had nothin" to do with religious or sentimental con- sMerattons. Ahab could also form, or maintain an alliance with the king of Pha,nic.a, and build an altar to Baal as the -uardian and avenger of the treaty (1 K 16^'). W th the entrance of the Assirans^'n the scene, a new series of alliances is be4n.

Jehu's tribute to Shalmaneser was that of a vassal rather than an ally, and Menahem seems to have bribed Tiglath-pileser to aid him against his o^^^l subjects (2 K 15'»). At this pomt, how- ei^r!the prophets begin to inveif^ against these alliances (cf. especially Hos 8», Is 30'°), and tue narional exclusi'veness^is finaUy Perfected by Ezra and his school. J- MILLAR. ALLIED (Neh 13' only) has the special meaning of connected by marriage. So Rob.

of Olouc- • And saide, that it waa to hj-m great prow and honour To be in such manage aliea to the '"'Py'"g^g.riNOS.