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

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.

When all the people of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-be'rith.

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into the hold of the house of El-berith.

And all the masters of the tower of Shechem hear, and go in unto the high place of the house of the god Berith,

Then all the townsmen of the tower of Shechem, hearing of it, went into the inner room of the house of El-berith.

And when those living in the tower of Shechem had heard about this, they entered the temple of their god, Berith, where they had formed a covenant with him. And it was because of this, that the place had taken its name. And it was greatly fortified.

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.

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.

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 (Judges 8:33).

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.

When the inhabitants of the castle of Shechem ("lords of the tower of Shechem" = "all the house of Millo," Judges 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 צריח, which answers to an Arabic word signifying arx, palatium, omnis structura elatior, cannot be exactly determined, as it only occurs again in 1-Samuel 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 צריח is distinguished from מגדּל.

The tower - A strong place belonging to the city of Shechem, made for its defence without the city. Berith - Or, Baal - berith, Judges 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, partly by the religion of it, thinking that either their god would protect them there, or that Abimelech would spare them out of pity to that god.