46 On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.
46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith.
46 When the leaders connected with Shechem's Tower heard this, they went into the fortified God-of-the-Covenant temple.
46 Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.
46 When the leading citizens who lived in the tower of Shechem heard what had happened, they ran and hid in the temple of Baal-berith.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 9:46
Commentary on Judges 9:30-49
(Read Judges 9:30-49)
Abimelech intended to punish the Schechemites for slighting him now, but God punished them for their serving him formerly in the murder of Gideon's sons. When God uses men as instruments in his hand to do his work, he means one thing, and they another. That, which they hoped would have been for their welfare, proved a snare and a trap, as those will certainly find, who run to idols for shelter; such will prove a refuge of lies.