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New Living Translation

Judges 9:46

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Baal-Berith;   Judge;   Tower;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Idolatry;   Towers;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - City;   Jotham;   Shechem;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abimelech;   Shechem;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Destroy, Destruction;   God, Names of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - City;   Gaal;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Baal (2);   Fenced Cities;   Jerusalem;   Meonenim, the Oak of;   Millo;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abimelech;   Castle;   El-Berith;   Hold;   Judges, Book of;   Names of God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Baal-Berith;   Government;   Israel;   Judges (1);   Levi;   Ophrah;   Palestine;   Shalman;   Shechem;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Baalberith ;   Shechem ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Tower;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Gaal;   Obsolete or obscure words in the english av bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Be'rith;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Baal Berith;   Cities;   Government of the Hebrews;   War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abimelech;   Baal (1);   Elberith;   Shechem;   Tower of Shechem;   Zalmon;   Zebul;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Baal;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Baal-Berith;   Covenant;   Fortress;   Tower;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When all the citizens of the Tower of Shechem heard, they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.
Hebrew Names Version
When all the men of the tower of Shekhem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the Beit-El-Berit.
King James Version
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
Lexham English Bible
When all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard, they went to the vault of the temple of El-Berith.
English Standard Version
When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith.
New Century Version
When the leaders who were in the Tower of Shechem heard what had happened to Shechem, they gathered in the safest room of the temple of El Berith.
New English Translation
When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard the news, they went to the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.
Amplified Bible
When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard about it, they entered the inner chamber (stronghold) of the temple of El-berith (the god of a covenant).
New American Standard Bible
When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard about it, they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when all the men of the towre of Shechem heard it, they entred into an holde of the house of the god Berith.
Legacy Standard Bible
Toe al die burgers van die toring van Sigem dit hoor, gaan hulle in die kelder van die tempel van El-Bert in.
Contemporary English Version
Earlier that day, the leaders of the temple of El Berith at Shechem had heard about the attack. So they went into the temple fortress,
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.
Darby Translation
And all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], and they entered into the stronghold of the house of the god Berith.
Easy-to-Read Version
There were some people who lived at the Tower of Shechem. When they heard what had happened to Shechem, they gathered together in the safest room of the temple of the god El Berith.
George Lamsa Translation
And when all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they came to take refuge in the house of the god of the covenant.
Good News Translation
When all the leading men in the fort at Shechem heard about this, they sought safety in the stronghold of the temple of Baal-of-the-Covenant.
Literal Translation
And all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard, and went into the high place of the house of the god Berith.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan all the men of the tower of Sichem herde this, they wente in to a stronge holde of ye house of their God 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.
Bible in Basic English
Then all the townsmen of the tower of Shechem, hearing of it, went into the inner room of the house of El-berith.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when all the men of the towre of Sichem heard that, they entred into an holde of the house of the god Berith.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into the hold of the house of El-berith.
King James Version (1611)
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entred into an holde of the house of the god Berith.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And all the men of the tower of Sychem heard, and came to the gathering of Baethel-berith.
English Revised Version
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into the hold of the house of El-berith.
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne thei, that dwelliden in the tour of Sichem, hadde herd this, thei entriden in to the temple of her god Berith, where thei hadden maad boond of pees with hym; and of that the place took name, which place was ful strong.
Young's Literal Translation
And all the masters of the tower of Shechem hear, and go in unto the high place of the house of the god Berith,
Update Bible Version
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into the stronghold of the house of El-berith.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into a hold of the house of the god Berith.
World English Bible
When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.
New King James Version
Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.
New Life Bible
All the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard about it. And they went into the inside room of the house of the god of El-berith.
New Revised Standard
When all the lords of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the temple of El-berith.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when all the owners of the tower of Shechem heard, they entered into the basement of the house of El-berith.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem, had heard this, they went into the temple of their god Berith, where they had made a covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it was exceeding strong.
Revised Standard Version
When all the people of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-be'rith.
THE MESSAGE
When the leaders connected with Shechem's Tower heard this, they went into the fortified God-of-the-Covenant temple. This was reported to Abimelech that the Shechem's Tower bunch were gathered together. He and his troops climbed Mount Zalmon (Dark Mountain). Abimelech took his ax and chopped a bundle of firewood, picked it up, and put it on his shoulder. He said to his troops, "Do what you've seen me do, and quickly." So each of his men cut his own bundle. They followed Abimelech, piled their bundles against the Tower fortifications, and set the whole structure on fire. Everyone in Shechem's Tower died, about a thousand men and women.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the inner chamber of the temple of El-berith.

Contextual Overview

22 After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years, 23 God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolted. 24 God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon's seventy sons, and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers. 25 The citizens of Shechem set an ambush for Abimelech on the hilltops and robbed everyone who passed that way. But someone warned Abimelech about their plot. 26 One day Gaal son of Ebed moved to Shechem with his brothers and gained the confidence of the leading citizens of Shechem. 27 During the annual harvest festival at Shechem, held in the temple of the local god, the wine flowed freely, and everyone began cursing Abimelech. 28 "Who is Abimelech?" Gaal shouted. "He's not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? He's merely the son of Gideon, and this Zebul is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? 29 If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!'" 30 But when Zebul, the leader of the city, heard what Gaal was saying, he was furious. 31 He sent messengers to Abimelech in Arumah, telling him, "Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to live in Shechem, and now they are inciting the city to rebel against you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

an hold: Judges 9:4, Judges 9:27, Judges 8:33, 1 Kings 8:26, 2 Kings 1:2-4, Psalms 115:8, Isaiah 28:15-18, Isaiah 37:38

Reciprocal: Joshua 10:18 - General 2 Kings 9:13 - on the top

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 Judges 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

An hold of the house of the god Berith - As combining the advantages of a “sanctuary” (compare 1 Kings 2:28) and a fortress. The word rendered “hold” occurs elsewhere only in 1 Samuel 13:6, where it is rendered “high-place.” Its exact signification is uncertain.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 9:46. 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.


 
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