neither shown they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [who is] Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
Perhaps the site had been sacred to the Canaanites before the Israelites took it over and "converted" it. Now it was back in Canaanite hands. [Note: Martin Noth, The History of Israel, pp. 98-99.] 