<strong>BAAL-BERITH</strong> (bā'ăl-bĭr-īth, <em>lord of covenant</em>). A god Israel worshiped after Gideon’s death (<bibleref ref="Judg.8.33">Judg.8.33</bibleref>). Abimelech was given seventy pieces of silver from the temple of this god, and he used this money “to hire reckless adventurers, who became his followers” (<bibleref ref="Judg.9.4">Judg.9.4</bibleref>).<br /><br />

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<strong>BAAL-BERITH</strong> <strong>bāl bĭr’ ĭth</strong> (<span class="hebrew">בַּ֥עַל בְּרִ֖ית</span>, <em>Lord of covenant</em>). A god worshiped by Israel after Gideon’s death (<bibleref ref="Judg.8.33">Judg 8:33</bibleref>). Abimelech, Gideon’s son, took seventy pieces of silver from the house of this god to hire followers in his time of rebellion (<bibleref ref="Judg.9.4">9:4</bibleref>). It is possible that the term is to be identified with El-berith (<bibleref ref="Judg.9.46">9:46</bibleref>). The meaning is prob. “the god who presides over covenants.” This would then be a god of the Canaanites living in the area of Shechem. The idol was undoubtedly worshiped by the Shechemites during and particularly after Gideon’s time.<br /><br />

<h2>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)</h2>

ba`al berith = ("Baal of the Covenant"): An idol worshipped by the Shechemites after Gideon’s death (<bibleref ref="Judg.8.33">Jud 8:33</bibleref>), as protector and guardian of engagements. His temple is also referred to in <bibleref ref="Judg.9.4">Jud 9:4</bibleref>. See [[Baal]] (1).<br /><br />

Baal-berith