Judges 9:46 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith.

NIV: On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.

NASB: When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard about it, they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

CSB: When all the citizens of the Tower of Shechem heard, they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

NLT: When the leading citizens who lived in the tower of Shechem heard what had happened, they ran and hid in the temple of Baal-berith.

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

NKJV: Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.

Abimelech is systematically destroying the city of Shechem and its people. The leaders of the city, the ones who put him in office as king (Judges 9:1–6), rebelled against him (Judges 9:22–25). They aligned themselves with a man named Gaal and planned to remove Abimelech from the throne by force (Judges 9:26–29).

Instead, at the advice of an officer of the city, Abimelech ambushed Gaal and the city's leaders, chasing them off or eliminating them completely (Judges 9:30–41). The next day, he and his men killed all the citizens who came out to the fields to work (Judges 9:42–44). Then they captured the lower part of the city, killed the people, tore down the buildings, and even salted the ground (Judges 9:45).

All that remains after these atrocities is the upper part of the city. This is the location of the tower of Shechem and a temple to El-berith. Scholars disagree whether El-berith and Baal-berith are different names for the same deity (Judges 8:33; 9:4). It's possible El-berith was a version of the God of Israel, and that both were worshiped at this time even by the people of Israel. The tower and the large temple appear to be a single integrated structure.

Most of the leaders of Shechem have already been disposed of. Those responsible for the tower remain, along with hundreds of other men and women. They know Abimelech has destroyed the rest of the city. They know he is coming for them. So, they enter the temple stronghold to escape Abimelech's wrath.

Archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of what was likely this temple on the acropolis at Shechem. It was roughly square, approximately 100 feet, or 30 meters, on each side. This was an exceptionally large structure in that era. More importantly to those hiding inside, it included some kind of "stronghold," possibly an underground area like a modern-day bunker. The Hebrew word describing this location is also used in connection with "cisterns," meaning underground water stores.

The people hoped Abimelech could not find a way inside. As it happens, he won't need to (Judges 9:47–49).

Judges 9:22–57 describes the brutal fulfillment of Jotham's curse against his brother, Abimelech, and the leaders of the city of Shechem. God allows the two sides to be split by an evil spirit. First, Shechem's leaders attempt to kill Abimelech. Then they plot with a man named Gaal to overthrow him. Helped by his officer in the city, Abimelech and his men ambush Gaal and Shechem. They kill all the people and destroy the city. They then move on to the town of Thebez to do the same, but Abimelech is killed. Jotham's prediction of divine vengeance (Judges 9:19–20) comes true.

Shechem's leaders conspire with a concubine's son to kill Gideon's other seventy sons. They make this man, Abimelech, their ruler. Gideon's youngest son survives, however, and delivers a curse. Using a fable, he says Abimelech and Shechem's leaders will destroy each other. God causes a division between Shechem's leaders and Abimelech. The noblemen attempt to kill Abimelech and unite behind a new leader. Abimelech discovers the plot and kills everyone in Shechem, destroying the city. When attacking a tower in a nearby town, however, Abimelech's skull is crushed by a thrown millstone. The curse is fulfilled.

Gideon successfully defeated Midianite raiders but declined to become Israel's official king. His sons, however, were held in high esteem during his remaining years (Judges 8). After Gideon's death, ambitious men conspire to kill almost all those heirs. This results in a series of bloody events. Eventually, judgment comes on those responsible. Israel fails to learn from the tragedies. Chapter 10 explains further idolatry and sin, before introducing the next major judge, Jephthah, in chapter 11.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).