Treaty [nave]
TREATYBetween nations: Israelites and Gibeonites, Josh. 9:3-15; Judah and Syria, 1 Kin. 15:19.
Cession of territory by, 1 Kin. 9:10-14; 20:34.
Sacredness of, Josh. 9:16-21, with Josh. 2:8-21.
Reciprocity, 1 Kin. 5:1-12.
With idolatrous nations forbidden, Ex. 34:12, 15.
TREATY [isbe]
TREATY - tre'-ti (berith, karath berith, "make a covenant," "league," "treaty"): Although the Israelites were forbidden to make treaties, or enter into covenant, with the Canaanites because of the risk thereby involved of religious apostasy and moral contamination (Ex 23:32; 34:12; Dt 7:2; Jdg 2:2), they were so situated in the midst of the nations that treaty relations of some sort with their neighbors were from time to time inevitable. After the rise of the monarchy, treaties were common. David and Solomon had friendly relations with Hiram, king of Tyre (1 Ki 5:15 ff); Asa, to rid himself of the hostile approaches of Baasha, king of Israel, entered into a league with Ben-hadad of Syria, which the prophet Hanani denounced (2 Ch 16:1 ff); Ahab entered into a similar compact with Ben-hadad's son and successor, and set him at liberty when he was his prisoner of war (1 Ki 20:34); and at a later time Jehoshaphat joined Ahab in an expedition against Ben-hadad II to Ramoth-gilead in which Ahab lost his life (1 Ki 22). Sometimes with Syria and neighboring states against the terrible Assyrian power, and sometimes with Egypt against Assyria or Babylon, the kings of Israel and Judah entered into treaty to resist their advances and to preserve their own independence (2 Ki 17:4; Hos 7:11; Isa 30:1). Against such alliances the prophets raised their testimony (Isa 31:1; Jer 27:3 ff).See also WAR, 9; ROME, V, 1.
T. Nicol
TREATY [bridgeway]
Treaties between people or nations were common in Bible times, as they are today. Such treaties were formal agreements that dealt with matters of mutual concern, such as peace, security and trade (Gen 21:25-33; 26:28-30; 1 Kings 9:26-28; 20:34; Isa 7:3; 30:1-5; 31:1).God warned the Israelites of Moses’ time that when they entered Canaan, they were not to make treaties with the former people of the land, but destroy them. In this way Israel would avoid the possibility of moral and religious corruption through adopting Canaanite practices (Exod 34:12-16).
Nevertheless, in the centuries that followed, a number of Israelite kings made treaties with neighbouring nations. One danger of this practice was that it led to the possibility of moral and religious corruption, because the two parties to the treaty usually paid respect to each other’s gods. The treaty was sometimes strengthened by a marriage between members of the two royal families, which gave further opportunity for the introduction of foreign religious practices into Israel (1 Kings 3:1; 11:1-6; 16:30-33).
A treaty may also have been a sign of a lack of faith. This was particularly so when Israel (or Judah) trusted for military victory in an alliance with a foreign nation instead of trusting in God (1 Kings 15:18-20; Isa 30:1-3,15). Such a treaty would lead inevitably to political and religious domination by the foreign nation in whom Israel trusted (2 Kings 16:7-10; Isa 39:3-7; Hosea 7:8-10). By becoming a party to the treaty, Israel broke its covenant with God and so brought God’s judgment upon itself (Hosea 7:11-13; 8:8-10; see COVENANT).
