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Baail-Berith

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(Hebrews Ba'al Berith', בִּעִל בְּרַית covenant-lord; Sept. Βααλβερίθ v. r. Βάαλ διαθήκης Judges 9:4)is the name of a god worshipped by the people of Shechem (Judges 8:33), who, on account of the signification of the name, has been compared to the Ζεὺς ῞Ορκιος of the Greeks, and the Latin Deus Fidius. Bochart and Creuzer think that this name means "God of Berytus;" but, whether or not the name of that town is to be recognized in the Berothah of Ezekiel 47:16, there is hardly any ground for their opinion. Movers (Phinizer, 1, 169) considers the name equivalent to "Baal in covenant with the idolaters of Israel." The meaning, however, does not seem to be the god who presides over covenants, but the god who comes into covenant with the worshippers. In Judges 9:46, he is called simply "the god Berith" (אֵל בְּרַית ). We know nothing of the particular form of worship paid to this god. (See BAALIM).