Alexander Balas
Peopleâš¡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)
Alexander Balas was a claimant of uncertain lineage who contested the Seleucid throne against Demetrius I Soter, securing the crown with backing from the Roman Senate and Ptolemy VI of Egypt.
What is the meaning of Alexander Balas in the Bible?
Alexander Balas was a claimant of uncertain lineage who contested the Seleucid throne against Demetrius I Soter, securing the crown with backing from the Roman Senate and Ptolemy VI of Egypt.
SIGNIFICANCE
His political maneuvering involved appointing Jonathan Maccabeus as high priest to secure Jewish military support, an event recorded in 1 Maccabees that illustrates the intersection of Seleucid dynastic struggles and the consolidation of Jewish religious authority during the Hasmonean period.
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Source Attribution & Provenance
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.