Bible Dictionary
TREATY
A treaty is a formal covenant or alliance between peoples or rulers. Israel was forbidden to make treaties with the Canaanites, yet later kings entered political alliances with neighboring nations, often receiving prophetic warnings against trusting them.
Biblical Usage
Israel was forbidden to covenant with the Canaanites because of the danger of religious apostasy and moral contamination. After the monarchy arose, Israelite and Judean kings entered alliances with Tyre, Syria, Egypt, and other powers, though prophets condemned reliance on such arrangements.