Bible Word of the Day

Baal-Berith (Demon Worshiped by the Canaanite City of Schechem)

Meaning
Baal-Berith was another false god of the same family of demons as Baal. The name means lord of the covenant and it was believed that this demon was Schechem’s local manifestation of the Canaanite deity Baal. Like the primary deity Baal, it was associated with fertility, vegetation and the harvest. From Israel’s history we know that shortly after the death of Gideon, who was one of the judges, the Israelites began worshiping Baal-Berith and fell into idolatry. A good point to bring up is that God had instructed the Israelites to completely take possession of the Promised Land.

Because of the idolatry, wickedness, prostitution and child sacrifices the Lord had instructed the children of Jacob to complete remove the inhabitants from the land of Canaan. However the Israelites not only failed to obey God’s commands, but they associated themselves with the Canaanites. As a consequence, it resulted in them falling into the very same idolatry, God had intended for them to remove. And because of their idolatry and failing to follow God’s commands the Northern Kingdom of Israel was taken into captivity by the Assyrians never to return.