caused increased fear. (Compare 2 Chronicles 26:14, 15.) Menahem of Israel bribed the attacking Pul (Tiglath-pileser III) of Assyria. (2 Ki. 15:17-20) Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel formed a conspiratorial alliance against Ahaz of Judah, who, in turn, used the royal treasures and those from the temple to buy protection from Assyrian Tiglath-pileser III, resulting in the fall of Syrian Damascus. (2 Ki. 16:5-9; 2 Chron. 28:16) Hoshea of Israel made a conspiratorial alliance with King So of Egypt in the false hope of throwing off the Assyrian yoke imposed by Shalmaneser, with the consequent fall of Israel in 740 B.C.E. (2 Ki. 17:3-6) Faithful Hezekiah of Judah, however, though falsely accused of trusting in Egypt, relied solely on Jehovah and was saved from the Assyrian Sennacherib’s attack.—2 Ki. 18:19-22, 32-35; 19:14-19, 28, 32-36; compare Isaiah 31:1-3.

In its closing years, the kingdom of Judah fluctuated between Egypt and Babylon, “prostituting” itself with both powers. (Ezek. 16:26-29; 23:14) It came under the dominance of Egypt during Jehoiakim’s reign (2 Ki. 23:34), but was soon made subject to Babylon. (2 Ki. 24:1, 7, 12-17) The last king, Zedekiah, made a futile attempt to free Judah from Babylon by a vain alliance with Egypt. Destruction of Jerusalem resulted. (2 Ki. 24:20; Ezek. 17:1-15) They had failed to accept Isaiah’s inspired advice: “By coming back and resting you people will be saved. Your mightiness will prove to be simply in keeping undisturbed and in trustfulness.”—Isa. 30:15-17.

During the Maccabean period many treaties and alliances were made with the Syrians and the Romans for political advantage, but freedom from bondage did not result for Israel. In a later period the religious Sadducees were especially prominent in favoring political collaboration as a means toward ultimate national independence. Neither they nor the Pharisees accepted the Kingdom message proclaimed by Christ Jesus but allied themselves with Rome declaring: “We have no king but Caesar.” (John 19:12-15) Their religio-political alliance with Rome, however, ended in the disastrous destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E.—Luke 19:41-44; 21:20-24.

Political and religious alliances are indicated in the symbolisms of Revelation 17:1, 2, 10-18; 18:3. (Compare James 4:1-4.) Thus, throughout the Scriptural record the principle stated by Paul is stressed: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what sharing do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? . . . get out from among them, and separate yourselves.”—2 Cor. 6:14-18.

ALLON

(Alʹlon) [big tree].

A Simeonite, descendant of Shemaiah.—1 Chron. 4:37.

The Hebrew word is also used to refer to certain places, as Allon-bacuth, meaning “big tree of weeping,” at Genesis 35:8, and the “big tree” in Zaanannim.—Josh. 19:33; Judg. 4:11; see BIG TREES, MASSIVE TREES.

ALLON-BACUTH

(Alʹlon-bacʹuth) [big tree of weeping].

A big tree at the “foot” of Bethel, below the hill occupied by the city, named thus because under it Jacob buried “Deborah the nursing woman of Rebekah.”—Gen. 35:8; see BIG TREES, MASSIVE TREES.

ALMIGHTY GOD

The word “Almighty” is translated from the Hebrew word Shad·dayʹ and the Greek word Pan·to·kraʹtor. Both words evidently convey the idea of strength or power.

ALMIGHTINESS IN HEBREW SCRIPTURES

In the Hebrew text Shad·dayʹ is used seven times along with ʼEl (God), forming the title “God Almighty.” (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; Ex. 6:3; Ezek. 10:5) In the other forty-one occurrences it stands alone and is translated “the Almighty” or “the Almighty One.” Similar to ʼAdho·nayʹ (Lord) and ʼElo·himʹ (God), Shad·dayʹ is in the plural to denote the plural of excellence.—Gen. 49:25; Num. 24:4; Ps. 68:14.

Root meaning

The exact derivation of the word Shad·dayʹ is a matter of discussion. The translators of the Septuagint used several Greek words in translating it, but did employ the word Pan·to·kraʹtor (all powerful) sixteen times for Shad·dayʹ in translating the book of Job. In a few cases they rendered it by a Greek term (hi·ka·nosʹ) meaning “sufficient” or “fit” (Ruth 1:20, 21; Job 21:15; 31:2; 40:2), and several later Greek translators followed this interpretation, thereby presenting Shad·dayʹ as the “Sufficient (Fit) One.”

The view of some modern critics is expressed in the comment on Genesis 17:1 in the Catholic translation known as The Jerusalem Bible (footnote b), which states: “The usual translation ‘Almighty God’ is inaccurate; ‘Mou[n]tain God’ is the probable meaning.” Such extreme view, however, is based on an imagined linkage of Shad·dayʹ with the Akkadian term shadu (mountain). Unger’s Bible Dictionary (p. 1000) comments: “This view, however, is unacceptable and Shaddai is best taken from the root shadad [sha·dhadhʹ], ‘to be strong or powerful,’ as in Arabic.”—See also The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, by Benjamin Davidson, p. 702.

Sha·dhadhʹ in the Bible text commonly implies violent power, as used in devastating or despoiling. (Compare Psalm 17:9; Proverbs 11:3.) Isaiah 13:6 states: “Howl, you people, for the day of Jehovah is near! As a despoiling [shodh] from the Almighty [Shad·dayʹ] it will come.” While the idea of violent action is basic in the Biblical use of this root word, some authorities suggest that its original sense or primary meaning was simply “to be strong” or “to act strongly.” The Jewish Encyclopedia (1909 ed.; Vol. IX, p. 162) states: “It is possible, however, that the original significance was that of ‘overmastering’ or ‘overpowering strength,’ and that this meaning persists in the divine [title].”

Irresistible power related to divine purpose

Jehovah used this title (ʼEl Shad·dayʹ) when making his promise to Abraham concerning the birth of Isaac, a promise requiring great faith on Abraham’s part in God’s power to carry out his promise. It was thereafter used with reference to Isaac and Jacob as heirs of the Abrahamic covenant.—Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 48:3.

In harmony with this, Jehovah could later say to Moses: “I used to appear to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty [ʼEl Shad·dayʹ], but as respects my name Jehovah I did not make myself known to them.” (Ex. 6:3) This could not mean that the name Jehovah was unknown to these patriarchs since it was frequently used by them, as well as by others before them. (Gen. 4:1, 26; 14:22; 27:27; 28:16) In fact, in the book of Genesis, which relates the lives of the patriarchs, the word “Almighty” occurs only six times, whereas the personal name Jehovah occurs 171 times in the primitive Hebrew Bible text. The names of some of the offspring of Jacob’s sons even included the name of Jehovah, as Jahleel and Jahzeel. (Gen. 46:14, 24) Yet, while these patriarchs had come to appreciate by personal experience God’s right and qualifications for the title of “the Almighty One,” they had not had opportunity to appreciate the full meaning and implications of his personal name, Jehovah. In this regard, after pointing out that ʼEl Shad·dayʹ is not a name, Douglas’ New Bible Dictionary comments (p. 479): “The former revelation, to the Patriarchs, concerned promises belonging to a distant future; it supposed that they should be assured that He, Yahweh, was such a God (ʼel) as was competent (sadday) to fulfill them. The revelation at the bush was greater and more intimate, God’s power and immediate and continuing presence