Judges 9:46

Translations

Modern

On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

Traditional

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

Literal

And all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard, and they entered into the stronghold of the temple of El-berith.

Latin

Quod cum audissent qui habitabant in turre Sichimorum, ingressi sunt fanum dei sui Berith, ubi fœdus cum eo pepigerant, et ex eo locus nomen acceperat: qui erat munitus valde.

Original

Hebrew

English

On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

Notes

Judges 9:46–49

The leaders (literally lords) of Shechem, who first plotted against Abimelech, gathered in the temple of Baal-berith. The temple then burned around them. Archaeologists have confirmed this destruction at the site.

Judges 9:22–57

Theological statements in Judges 9:23–24 and 9:56–57 frame the story of the civil conflict that caused the destruction of Abimelech and Shechem. This event fulfilled the curse that Jotham declared (Judges 9:19–20).

Judges 9:1–57

Abimelech's reign marked a shift from the relative peace of the early judges (Judges 3:7–8:35) to the decline of the later years (10:1–16:31).

Theme notes and profiles

Gideon Shechem

Events

Usurpation by Abimelechc. 1218 BC

Related verses

Judges 8:33
And as soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals, and they set up Baal-berith as their god.
Judges 9:4
So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.
Psalm 115:8
Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.
Judges 9:27
And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
Isaiah 28:15–18
For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”
Isaiah 37:38
One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.
2 Kings 1:2–4
Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”
1 Kings 8:26
And now, O God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant, my father David.

People

Baal-berith: Canaanite god of fertility and weather

Places

Shechem: City in Canaan, later allotted to Ephraim

Glossary

Abimelech Baal-Berith Beth-Millo Citadel Curse, Cursed El-berith Judges, Book of Shechem (Place) Tower of Shechem Warfare

Topics

Baal-Berith: Called Berith Idolatry: Idols Mentioned in Scripture: Baal-Berith Judge: Abimelech Tower of Shechem Towers: Shechem

Judges 9:46

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