Judges 9:46

9:46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem ¹  heard the news, they went to the stronghold ²  of the temple of El-Berith. ³ 

Judges 18:18

18:18 When these men broke into Micah’s house and stole ⁴  the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

[9:46]  ¹ sn Perhaps the Tower of Shechem was a nearby town, distinct from Shechem proper, or a tower within the city.

[9:46]  ² 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.

[9:46]  ³ sn The name El-Berith means “God of the Covenant.” It is probably a reference to the Canaanite high god El.

[18:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “These went into Micah’s house and took.”