BAAL-BERITH bāl bĭr’ ĭth (בַּ֥עַל בְּרִ֖ית, Lord of covenant). A god worshiped by Israel after Gideon’s death (Judg 8:33). Abimelech, Gideon’s son, took seventy pieces of silver from the house of this god to hire followers in his time of rebellion (9:4). It is possible that the term is to be identified with El-berith (9:46). 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.