It is not clear whether this temple of the god Berith was the same as that of Baal-berith mentioned earlier in the chapter (v. 4). The supposition is that they were identical. In antiquity temples were regarded as places of asylum. This was so among the Jews (1 Kings 2:28-34) and the heathen (1 Macc. 5:43). Classical Greek literature abounds with illustrations of men fleeing to the temples for political asylum. The residents in the vicinity could have fought it out in their fortified tower, but they chose to go to the temple and plead for mercy. Had Abimelech not been ruthless, he would probably have respected this ancient custom and spared the people. However, mercy seemed totally foreign to his nature.
An hold.
Heb. ṣeriach. An underground cellar or excavation (see 1 Sam. 13:6, ASV, where it is translated “covert”). In this instance the “hold” was connected with a temple.