Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 9:46
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into a hold of the house of the god Berith.
46. the tower of Shechem ] Migdal-Shechem or Tower of Shechem, not the citadel of S., but an unwalled village in the neighbourhood, marked by a tower, cf. Jdg 8:9; Jdg 8:17.
the hold of the house of El-berith) The rendering hold Jdg 9:49, i.e. an underground excavation, suits the only other place where the word ( era) occurs, 1Sa 13:6; in Nabataean Aramaic the word is used for the vault of a grave ( NSI. , pp. 237, 241); it is frequently found in Arabic epitaphs from Egypt with the sense of tomb (Clermont Ganneau, Recueil d’Arch. Or., vii. p. 200). So in Jdg 9:49; they laid the faggots upon the vault, set the vault on fire over the heads of the people within. For El-brth cf. Jdg 9:4, Jdg 8:33 Baal-brth.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
An hold of the house of the god Berith – As combining the advantages of a sanctuary (compare 1Ki 2:28) and a fortress. The word rendered hold occurs elsewhere only in 1Sa 13:6, where it is rendered high-place. Its exact signification is uncertain.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 46. A hold of the house of the god Berith.] This must mean the precincts of the temple, as we find there were a thousand men and women together in that place.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The tower of Shechem; a strong place belonging to the city of Shechem, and made for its defence or security, but without the city. It is thought this was that Milo which was confederate with Shechem in their design for Abimelech, Jdg 9:6, which also Jotham cursed with Shechem, Jdg 9:20, and that curse is noted to have its effect, Jdg 9:57. And this place may be called the tower of Shechem, either because those who possessed and defended it were sent from Shechem, or because it was built and kept for the safeguard of Shechem.
The house of the god Berith; or, Baal-berith, Jdg 9:4. Hither they fled out of the town belonging to it, fearing the same event with Shechem; and here they thought to be secure; partly by the strength of the place, as the temples of idols were ofttimes built in the highest and strongest places, as the capitol at Rome, and the temple at Jerusalem; and such this place seems to have been, because they laid their treasure here, Jdg 9:4, partly by the religion of it, thinking that either their god would protect them there, or that Abimelech would spare them there, if not out of piety to that god, yet out of thankfulness for the benefit which he received thence, Jdg 9:4.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that,…. That the city of Shechem was taken, the inhabitants of it slain, the city beaten down, and sowed with salt; by which it appears that this tower was not within the city, for then the men of it would have seen what was done, and not be said only to hear it; though it was not far from it, and possessed by Shechemites, and whither some of the principal inhabitants had now fled for safety; perhaps it is the same with the house of Millo, and so that part of Jotham’s curse, which respected that, had now its accomplishment, otherwise no account is given of it:
they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith; not thinking themselves safe enough in the tower, they betook themselves to the temple of Baalberith their god, see Jud 9:4 which was a strong fortified place, as temples often were; or however had a strong hold belonging to it, and hither they fled, either because of the greater strength of the place, or because of the sanctity of it, and imagining Abimelech would not destroy it on that account; and the rather, because of the supply he had from it, which enabled him to raise himself to the government of Israel.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When the inhabitants of the castle of Shechem (“lords of the tower of Shechem” = “all the house of Millo,” Jdg 9:6) heard of the fate of the town of Shechem, they betook themselves to the hold of the house (temple) of the covenant god (Baal-berith), evidently not for the purpose of defending themselves there, but to seek safety at the sanctuary of their god from fear of the vengeance of Abimelech, towards whom they also had probably acted treacherously. The meaning of the word , which answers to an Arabic word signifying arx, palatium, omnis structura elatior , cannot be exactly determined, as it only occurs again in 1Sa 13:6 in connection with caves and clefts of the rock. According to v. 49, it had a roof which could be set on fire. The meaning “tower” is only a conjecture founded upon the context, and does not suit, as is distinguished from .
Jdg 9:47-49 As soon as this was announced to Abimelech, he went with all his men to Mount Zalmon, took hatchets in his hand, cut down branches from the trees, and laid them upon his shoulders, and commanded his people to do the same. These branches they laid upon the hold, and set the hold on fire over them (the inhabitants of the tower who had taken refuge there), so that all the people of the tower of Shechem (about one thousand persons) perished, both men and women. Mount Zalmon, which is mentioned again in Psa 68:15, was a dark, thickly-wooded mountain near Shechem, – a kind of “Black Forest,” as Luther has rendered the name. The plural kardumoth , “axes,” may be explained on the ground that Abimelech took axes not only for himself but for his people also. in a relative sense, as in Num 23:3 (see Ewald, 331, b.).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Prophecy Fulfilled,vs. 46-57
The men of Shechem who were defending in the tower, when they saw that the city was being put to the sword, sought refuge in a strong hold of the temple of Baal-berith. Here it seems the enemy could not get to them, but Abimelech hit upon a cruel and heartless scheme. Taking his men into the mountains they gathered branches of evergreen trees which would fire easily and produce dense smoke. Each man returned with his branch on his shoulder, piled them against the temple stronghold and fired it. About a thousand men and women were thus roasted to death in Abimelech’s bonfire.
Next Abimelech went to Thebez. This town lay a little ways northeast of Shechem. The town fell to him, but they had a high, strong tower in which the inhabitants took refuge. Once again Abimelech thought to fire the structure and suffocate the people. But this was the place God had set to bring an end to Abimelech. A woman in the top of the tower dropped a piece of millstone on his head and fractured his skull. Before the concussion rendered him unconscious Abimelech prevailed on his young armor-bearer to slay him with his sword so people could not say Abimelech was killed by a woman.
Thus the Lord ended the tyranny of Abimelech and brought judgment on the city of Shechem for their treatment of the house of Gideon, or Jerubbaal, (Num 32:23).
The events of this long chapter are not as well known as many in the Book of Judges. Nevertheless, they afford several good lessons for our teaching ministry. 1) Proud and ambitious persons, who promote themselves, are seldom the best leadership; 2) it is far more important to serve God and one’s fellow man than to rule as a king; 3) people who scheme and connive for selfish interests will eventually clash with one another; 4) ultimately God will judge all sin and bring its perpetrators to punishment.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(46) The men of the tower of Shechem.Evidently the garrison of the house of Millo (Jdg. 9:6).
Entered into an hold.The word for hold occurs in 1Sa. 13:6 (high place). The LXX. render it a fortress (ochuroma); Luther, Festung. In the thiopic Version of Mar. 16:15 a similar word is used for upper room. The Vulg. has, They entered the fane of their god Berith, where they had made their league with him, and from this the place had received its name, and it was strongly fortified.
Of the house of the god Berith.Similarly. Arcesilas burnt the Cyrenns in a tower (Herod. iv. 164), and in 1Ma. 5:43 the defeated enemy fly for refuge to the temple of Ashtaroth in Karnaim, which Judas takes and burns.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
46. Men of the tower These were the same as the house of Millo. Jdg 9:6; Jdg 9:20. Fire had already come out from Abimelech and devoured the men of Shechem, but the lords of the castle are yet more literally to feel its burnings.
A hold , a pit, a cellar, a hole for concealment, a deep covered place. ( Furst, Lex.) The word occurs again only at 1Sa 13:6. The lords of the tower of Shechem, feeling no longer secure in their citadel, fled for refuge into a covered hold in the sanctuary of their god, but fire came out from Abimelech and devoured them even there.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard about it, they entered into the hold of the house of El-berith.’
Meanwhile the priests of Baal-berith and their attendants saw and learned what was happening and themselves took shelter in the fortified Temple, the house of the covenant with El and Baal. Thus all the men with the responsibility for the worship of El and Baal, the father and main son of the pantheon of Canaanite gods, were gathered together in one place. Possibly they hoped that he would not destroy the Temple or harm the priests of Baal-berith.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The End of Abimelech
v. 46. And when all the men of the tower of Shechem, v. 47. And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
v. 48. And Abimelech gat him up to Mount Zalmon, v. 49. And all the people, v. 50. Then went Abimelech to Thebez, v. 51. But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women and all they of the city, and shut it to them, v. 52. And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire, v. 53. And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone, v. 54. And he called hastily unto the young man, his armor-bearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. v. 55. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place. v. 56. Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto his father in slaying his seventy brethren; v. 57. and all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads; and upon them came the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Jdg 9:46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
Ver. 46. Into an hold of the house of the god Berith. ] This was as if a man should run into a stack of straw or barrel of gunpowder, to secure himself from a raging fire. Their covenant with Baal, that image of jealousy, Eze 8:3 was the cause of their ruin. They looked upon this hold as both a fort and a sanctuary; but it saved them not.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Berith = covenant = a sanctuary.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
an hold: Jdg 9:4, Jdg 9:27, Jdg 8:33, 1Ki 8:26, 2Ki 1:2-4, Psa 115:8, Isa 28:15-18, Isa 37:38
Reciprocal: Jos 10:18 – General 2Ki 9:13 – on the top
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 9:46. When the men of the tower heard Either a strong place belonging to the city of Shechem, and made for its defence without the city, or perhaps a town at some distance from Shechem, but probably inhabited by Shechemites. When these people heard of the fate of the city, they retired to a strong hold adjoining to one of their temples, which used to be built on eminences, and to be fortified by nature as well as art. Hither they fled, fearing the same destruction which had befallen Shechem, and here they hoped to be secure, partly by the strength of the place, and partly by the religion of it, thinking that either their god Baal-berith would protect them there, or that Abimelech would spare them out of regard to that god.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
9:46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into an hold of the house of the god {p} Berith.
(p) That is, of Baniberith, as Jud 8:33.