King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
Complete Jewish Bible:
When all the men in the fortress at Sh'khem heard about this, they took refuge in the stronghold of the temple of El-B'rit.
Berean Standard Bible:
On hearing of this, all the leaders in the tower of Shechem entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.
American Standard Version:
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And when all the men{H1167} of the tower{H4026} of Shechem{H7927} heard{H8085} that, they entered{H935} into an hold{H6877} of the house{H1004} of the god{H410} Berith{H1286}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Judges 8:33
- And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
Judges 9:4
- And they gave him threescore and ten [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
Isaiah 28:15
- Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Isaiah 28:18
- And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
2 Kings 1:2
- And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that [was] in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
2 Kings 1:4
- Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
Judges 9:27
- And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode [the grapes], and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
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Commentary for Judges 9:46
Judges 9:46 is a verse set within the turbulent narrative of Abimelech's reign over Shechem, which is part of the larger story of the Israelite judges. The verse specifically reads: "And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith." This event occurs after Abimelech, with the support of the citizens of Shechem and the influence of his mother's family, has murdered his seventy brothers to secure his power (Judges 9:1-5). The reference to "the tower of Shechem" and "the house of the god Berith" indicates that the people are seeking refuge in a fortified temple dedicated to a Canaanite deity, likely a vestige of the local religion prior to the Israelite conquest.
The historical context of this verse is the period of the Judges, which followed the initial conquest of Canaan by the Israelites under Joshua. This era was characterized by a cycle of apostasy, oppression, repentance, and deliverance among the Israelites. The story of Abimelech is unique in that it focuses on internal Israelite conflict and power struggles rather than external threats.
The themes present in this verse include the consequences of betrayal and the rejection of God's authority in favor of human ambition and local deities. Abimelech's rise to power is marked by treachery, and the people's flight to the temple of Berith reflects their allegiance to a pagan god rather than to Yahweh, the God of Israel. This choice to seek refuge in a pagan sanctuary rather than trusting in Yahweh's protection underscores the spiritual confusion and moral decay of the Israelites during this time.
In summary, Judges 9:46 captures a moment of crisis in the tumultuous reign of Abimelech, highlighting the Israelites' disregard for God's covenant and their reliance on a Canaanite god for safety. This verse is emblematic of the broader themes of the book of Judges, illustrating the dangers of leadership without divine guidance and the consequences of spiritual infidelity.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1167
There are 78 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּעַל
Transliteration: baʻal
Pronunciation: bah'-al
Description: from בָּעַל; a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense); [phrase] archer, [phrase] babbler, [phrase] bird, captain, chief man, [phrase] confederate, [phrase] have to do, [phrase] dreamer, those to whom it is due, [phrase] furious, those that are given to it, great, [phrase] hairy, he that hath it, have, [phrase] horseman, husband, lord, man, [phrase] married, master, person, [phrase] sworn, they of. - Strong's Number: H4026
There are 45 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִגְדָּל
Transliteration: migdâl
Pronunciation: mig-dawl'
Description: also (in plural) feminine מִגְדָּלָה; from גָּדַל; a tower (from its size or height); by analogy, a rostrum; figuratively, a (pyramidal) bed of flowers; castle, flower, tower. Compare the names following. - Strong's Number: H7927
There are 54 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁכֶם
Transliteration: Shᵉkem
Pronunciation: shek-em'
Description: the same as שְׁכֶם; ridge; Shekem, a place in Palestine; Shechem. - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. - Strong's Number: H6877
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צְרִיחַ
Transliteration: tsᵉrîyach
Pronunciation: tser-ee'-akh
Description: from צָרַח in the sense of clearness of vision; a citadel; high place, hold. - Strong's Number: H1004
There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּיִת
Transliteration: bayith
Pronunciation: bah'-yith
Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). - Strong's Number: H410
There are 307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֵל
Transliteration: ʼêl
Pronunciation: ale
Description: shortened from אַיִל; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity); God (god), [idiom] goodly, [idiom] great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in '-el.' - Strong's Number: H1286
There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּרִית
Transliteration: Bᵉrîyth
Pronunciation: ber-eeth'
Description: the same as בְּרִית; Berith, a Shechemitish deity; Berith.