CHAPTER VII
Berith

South-North Point Named Baal-Berith Baal-Berith comes from the Hebrew word “ba’al berit” which means “God of the covenant. A Canaanite god whose temple was at Shechem. If Shechem was a federal society then perhaps Baal was the god of their federal fellowship (berit). Otherwise, he might be the god of the covenant between them and the Israelites. Baal-Berith also has the nickname Baal of Shechem, which the Israelites began to worship after Judge Gideon’s death. The designation “Baal-berit” may indicate that this Baal was believed to have overseen the implementation of the treaty.