9:46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem 2 heard the news, they went to the stronghold 3 of the temple of El-Berith. 4
1 tn Heb “God did so that night.”
2 sn Perhaps the Tower of Shechem was a nearby town, distinct from Shechem proper, or a tower within the city.
3 tn Apparently this rare word refers here to the most inaccessible area of the temple, perhaps the inner sanctuary or an underground chamber. It appears only here and in 1 Sam 13:6, where it is paired with “cisterns” and refers to subterranean or cave-like hiding places.
4 sn The name El-Berith means “God of the Covenant.” It is probably a reference to the Canaanite high god El.