Baal

In Bible versions:

Baal: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV
Baals: NET NIV
Baal-peor: NET
Baal-Berith: NET NIV TEV
Baal Gad: NET NIV
Baal-Hamon: NET TEV
Bamoth: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV
Bamoth Baal: NET NIV
Peor: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV
Bamoth-Baal: AVS TEV
Baal of Peor: NIV NRSV TEV
Baal Hamon: NIV
Baal-berith: NRSV NASB
Baal-gad: NRSV NASB
Baal-hamon: NRSV NASB
Bamoth-baal: NRSV NASB
Baal-Gad: TEV
Baal-Peor: TEV

a pagan god
a title of a pagan god
a town in the Negeb on the border of Simeon and Judah
son of Reaiah son of Micah; a descendant of Reuben
the forth son of Jeiel, the Benjamite
a pagan god associated with Mount Peor
a pagan god of the Canaanites associated with Shechem
a place in the Valley of Lebanon near Mount Hermon (OS, YC)
a place in Mount Ephraim near Samaria (YC)
a place near Mount Peor where God punished Israel
a place of Israelite encampment in Moab NE of the Dead Sea
a mountain in Moab NW of Mt. Nebo
a place near Mount Peor where God punished Israel for idolatry

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master; lord
idol of the covenant
idol of fortune or felicity
who rules a crowd
master of the opening
hole; opening

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NET Glossary: the supreme male god among the Canaanites and Phoenicians, worshiped as a fertility god and also known as a storm god (in Ugaritic the title "rider of the clouds" was applied to Baal); the name Baal means "lord" and could be compounded with place names (for example Baal Gad in Josh 11:17)

Google Maps: Baal-peor (31° 45´, 35° 43´); Bamoth (31° 45´, 35° 43´); Bamoth-baal (31° 45´, 35° 43´); Peor (31° 45´, 35° 43´)

Arts:

Arts Topics: The Ministers of Baal Killed

Greek

Strongs #896: Baal Baal

Baal = "lord"

1) the supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish
nations, as Ashtoreth was their supreme female divinity

896 Baal bah'-al

of Hebrew origin (1168); Baal, a Phoenician deity (used as a symbol of
idolatry):-Baal.
see HEBREW for 01168

Hebrew

Strongs #01120: twmb Bamowth

Bamoth = "high places" or "great high place"

1) a town on the river Arnon in Moab

1120 Bamowth baw-moth'

plural of 1116; heights; or (fully) Bamowth Bahal {baw-moth'
bah'-al}; from the same and 1168; heights of Baal; Bamoth or
Bamoth-Baal, a place East of the Jordan:-Bamoth, Bamoth-baal.
see HEBREW for 01116
see HEBREW for 01168

Strongs #01168: leb Ba`al

Baal = "lord"

n pr m
1) supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites
2) a Reubenite
3) the son of Jehiel and grandfather of Saul

n pr loc
4) a town of Simeon, probably identical to Baalath-beer

1168 Ba`al bah'-al

the same as 1167; Baal, a Phoenician deity:-Baal, (plural)
Baalim.
see HEBREW for 01167

Strongs #01187: rwep leb Ba`al P@`owr

Baal-peor = "lord of the gap"

1) the deity worshipped at Peor with probable licentious rites

1187 Ba`al P`owr bah'-al peh-ore'

from 1168 and 6465; Baal of Peor; Baal-Peor, a Moabitish
deity:-Baal-peor.
see HEBREW for 01168
see HEBREW for 06465

Strongs #01170: tyrb leb Ba`al B@riyth

Baal-berith = "lord of the covenant"

1) a god of the Philistines

1170 Ba`al Briyth bah'-al ber-eeth'

from 1168 and 1285; Baal of (the) covenant; Baal-Berith, a
special deity of the Shechemites:-Baal-berith.
see HEBREW for 01168
see HEBREW for 01285

Strongs #01171: dg leb Ba`al Gad

Baal-gad = "lord of fortune"

1) a city noted for Baal-worship, located at the most northern
or northwestern point to which Joshua's victories extended

1171 Ba`al Gad bah'-al gawd

from 1168 and 1409; Baal of Fortune; Baal-Gad, a place in
Syria:-Baal-gad.
see HEBREW for 01168
see HEBREW for 01409

Strongs #01174: Nwmh leb Ba`al Hamown

Baal-hamon = "lord (possessor) of abundance"

1) the site of Solomon's vineyard

1174 Ba`al Hamown bah'-al haw-mone'

from 1167 and 1995; possessor of a multitude; Baal-Hamon, a
place in Palestine:-Baal-hamon.
see HEBREW for 01167
see HEBREW for 01995

Strongs #06465: rwep P@`owr

Peor = "cleft"

n pr loc
1) a mountain peak in Moab belonging to the Abarim range and near Pisgah

n pr deity
2) a false god worshipped in Moab; corresponds to Baal

6465 P`owr peh-ore'

from 6473; a gap; Peor, a mountain East of Jordan; also (for
1187) a deity worshipped there:-Peor. See also 1047.
see HEBREW for 06473
see HEBREW for 01187
see HEBREW for 01047

Baal [EBD]

lord. (1.) The name appropriated to the principal male god of the Phoenicians. It is found in several places in the plural BAALIM (Judg. 2:11; 10:10; 1 Kings 18:18; Jer. 2:23; Hos. 2:17). Baal is identified with Molech (Jer. 19:5). It was known to the Israelites as Baal-peor (Num. 25:3; Deut. 4:3), was worshipped till the time of Samuel (1 Sam 7:4), and was afterwards the religion of the ten tribes in the time of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31-33; 18:19, 22). It prevailed also for a time in the kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 8:27; comp. 11:18; 16:3; 2 Chr. 28:2), till finally put an end to by the severe discipline of the Captivity (Zeph. 1:4-6). The priests of Baal were in great numbers (1 Kings 18:19), and of various classes (2 Kings 10:19). Their mode of offering sacrifices is described in 1 Kings 18:25-29. The sun-god, under the general title of Baal, or "lord," was the chief object of worship of the Canaanites. Each locality had its special Baal, and the various local Baals were summed up under the name of Baalim, or "lords." Each Baal had a wife, who was a colourless reflection of himself.

(2.) A Benjamite, son of Jehiel, the progenitor of the Gibeonites (1 Chr. 8:30; 9:36).

(3.) The name of a place inhabited by the Simeonites, the same probably as Baal-ath-beer (1 Chr. 4:33; Josh. 19:8).

Baal-berith [EBD]

covenant lord, the name of the god worshipped in Shechem after the death of Gideon (Judg. 8:33; 9:4). In 9:46 he is called simply "the god Berith." The name denotes the god of the covenant into which the Israelites entered with the Canaanites, contrary to the command of Jehovah (Ex. 34:12), when they began to fall away to the worship of idols.

Baal-gad [EBD]

lord of fortune, or troop of Baal, a Canaanite city in the valley of Lebanon at the foot of Hermon, hence called Baal-hermon (Judge. 3:3; 1 Chr. 5:23), near the source of the Jordan (Josh. 13:5; 11:17; 12:7). It was the most northern point to which Joshua's conquests extended. It probably derived its name from the worship of Baal. Its modern representative is Banias. Some have supposed it to be the same as Baalbec.

Baal-hamon [EBD]

place of a multitude, a place where Solomon had an extensive vineyard (Cant. 8:11). It has been supposed to be identical with Baal-gad, and also with Hammon in the tribe of Asher (Josh. 19:28). Others identify it with Belamon, in Central Palestine, near Dothaim.

Baal-peor [EBD]

lord of the opening, a god of the Moabites (Num. 25:3; 31:16; Josh. 22:17), worshipped by obscene rites. So called from Mount Peor, where this worship was celebrated, the Baal of Peor. The Israelites fell into the worship of this idol (Num. 25:3, 5, 18; Deut. 4:3; Ps. 106:28; Hos. 9:10).

Bamoth [EBD]

heights, the forty-seventh station of the Israelites (Num. 21:19,20) in the territory of the Moabites.

Bamoth-baal [EBD]

heights of Baal, a place on the river Arnon, or in the plains through which it flows, east of Jordan (Josh. 13:17; comp. Num. 21:28). It has been supposed to be the same place as Bamoth.

Peor [EBD]

opening. (1.) A mountain peak (Num. 23:28) to which Balak led Balaam as a last effort to induce him to pronounce a curse upon Israel. When he looked on the tribes encamped in the acacia groves below him, he could not refrain from giving utterance to a remarkable benediction (24:1-9). Balak was more than ever enraged at Balaam, and bade him flee for his life. But before he went he gave expression to that wonderful prediction regarding the future of this mysterious people, whose "goodly tents" were spread out before him, and the coming of a "Star" out of Jacob and a "Sceptre" out of Israel (24:14-17).

(2.) A Moabite divinity, called also "Baal-peor" (Num. 25:3, 5, 18; comp. Deut. 3:29).

Baal [NAVE]

BAAL
1. An idol of the Phoenicians, god of the sun. Wickedly worshiped by the Israelites in the time of the judges, Judg. 2:10-23; 1 Sam. 7:3, 4; by the kingdom of Israel, 2 Kin. 17:16; Jer. 23:13; Hos. 1; 2; 13:1; under Ahab, 1 Kin. 16:31-33; 18:18; 19:18; Jehoram, 2 Kin. 3:2; by the Jews, 2 Kin. 21:3; 2 Chr. 22:2-4; 24:7; 28:2; 33:3.
Jeremiah reasons against the worship of, Jer. 2:8, 23; 7:9.
Altars of, destroyed by Gideon, Judg. 6:25-32; by Jehoiada, 2 Kin. 11:18; by Josiah, 2 Kin. 23:4, 5.
Prophets of, slain by Elijah, 1 Kin. 18:40.
All worshipers of, destroyed by Jehu, 2 Kin. 10:18-25.
2. A Benjamite, 1 Chr. 8:30; 9:36.
3. A Reubenite, 1 Chr. 5:5.
4. A city in the tribe of Simeon, 1 Chr. 4:33.
Called Baalath-beer, Josh. 19:8.

Baal-berith [NAVE]

BAAL-BERITH
A god of the Shechemites, Judg. 9:4.
Worshiped by Israelites, Judg. 8:3.
Called Berith, Judg. 9:46.

Baal-gad [NAVE]

BAAL-GAD
A city of the Canaanites, Josh. 11:17; 12:7; 13:5.
Probably identical with Baal-hermon, Judg. 3:3; 1 Chr. 5:23.

Baal-hamon [NAVE]

BAAL-HAMON
A place in Mount Ephraim, Song 8:11.
Called Hammon, Josh. 19:28.

Baal-peor [NAVE]

BAAL-PEOR, an idol of Moab, Num. 25:3, 5; Deut. 4:3; Psa. 106:28; Hos. 9:10.

Baals [NAVE]

BAALS
See: Baal.

Bamoth [NAVE]

BAMOTH
A camping place of the Israelites, Num. 21:19, 20.
Called Bamoth-baal, a city of Reuben, Josh. 13:17.

Peor [NAVE]

PEOR, a mountain in Moab. Balak builds altars on, Num. 23:28-30.

BAAL [SMITH]

(lord).

1. A Reubenite (1 Chronicles 5:5)
2. The son of Jehiel, and grandfather of Saul. (1 Chronicles 8:30; 9:36)

BAAL [SMITH]

the supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations, as Ashtoreth was their supreme female divinity. Some suppose Baal to correspond to the sun and Ashtoreth to the moon; others that Baal was Jupiter and Ashtoreth Venus. There can be no doubt of the very high antiquity of the worship of Baal. It prevailed in the time of Moses among the Moabites and Midianites, (Numbers 22:41) and through them spread to the Israelites. (Numbers 25:3-18; 4:3) In the times of the kings it became the religion of the court and people of the ten tribes, (1 Kings 16:31-33; 18:19,22) and appears never to have been permanently abolished among them. (2 Kings 17:16) Temples were erected to Baal in Judah, (1 Kings 16:32) and he was worshipped with much ceremony. (1 Kings 18:19,26-28; 2 Kings 10:22) The attractiveness of this worship to the Jews undoubtedly grew out of its licentious character. We find this worship also in Phoenician colonies. The religion of the ancient British islands much resembled this ancient worship of Baal, and may have been derived from it. Nor need we hesitate to regard the Babylonian Bel, (Isaiah 46:1) or Beaus, as essentially identical with Baal, though perhaps under some modified form. The plural, BAALIM, is found frequently, showing that he was probably worshipped under different compounds, among which appear--

1. BAAL-BERITH (the covenant Baal), (Judges 8:33; 9:4) the god who comes into covenant with the worshippers.
2. BAAL-ZEBUB (lord of the fly), and worshipped at Ekron. (2 Kings 1:2,3,16)
3. BAAL-HANAN. a. The name of one of the early kings of Edom. (Genesis 36:38,39; 1 Chronicles 1:49,50) b. The name of one of David?s officers, who had the superintendence of his olive and sycamore plantations. (1 Chronicles 27:28)
4. BAAL-PEOR (lord of the opening , i.e. for others to join in the worship). We have already referred to the worship of this god. The narrative (Numb 25) seems clearly to show that this form of Baal-worship was connected with licentious rites.

BAAL [SMITH]

geographical. This word occurs as the prefix or suffix to the names of several places in Palestine, some of which are as follows:

1. BAAL a town of Simeon, named only in (1 Chronicles 4:33) which from the parallel list in (Joshua 19:8) seems to have been identical with BAALATH-BEER.
2. BAALAH (mistress). A. Another name for KIRJATH-JEARIM, or KIRJATH BAAL, the well-known town now Kuriet el Enab . (Joshua 15:9,10; 1 Chronicles 13:6) b. A town in the south of Judah, (Joshua 15:29) which in Josh 19:3 Is called BALAH, and in the parallel list, (1 Chronicles 4:29) BILHAH.
3. BAALATH (mistress), a town of Dan named with Gibbethon, Gath-rim-mon and other Philistine places. (Joshua 19:44)
4. BAALATH-BEER (lord of the well). BAAL 1, a town among those in the south part of Judah, given to Simeon, which also bore the name of RAMATH-NEGEB, or "the height of the south." (Joshua 19:8)
5. BAAL-GAD (lord of fortune), used to denote the most northern, (Joshua 11:17; 12:7) or perhaps northwestern, (Joshua 13:5) point to which Joshua?s victories extended. It was in all probability a Phoenician or Canaanite sanctuary of Baal under the aspect of Gad or Fortune.
6. BAAL-HAMON (lord of a multitude), a place at which Solomon had a vineyard, evidently of great extent. (Solomon 8:11)
7. BAAL-HAZOR (village of Baal), a place where Absalom appears to have had a sheep-farm, and where Amnon was murdered. (2 Samuel 13:23)
8. MOUNT, MOUNT, MOUNTAIN BAAL-HERMON (Lord of Hermon), (Judges 3:3) and simply Baal-hermon. (1 Chronicles 5:23) This is usually considered as a distinct place from Mount Hermon; but we know that this mountain had at least three names (3:9) and Baal-hermon may have been a fourth in use among the Phoenician worshippers.
9. BAAL-MEON (lord of the house), one of the towns which were built by the Reubenites. (Numbers 32:38) It also occurs in (1 Chronicles 5:8) and on each occasion with Nebo. In the time of Ezekiel it was Moabite, one of the cities which were the "glory of the country." (Ezekiel 25:9)
10. BAAL-PERAZIM (lord of divisions), the scene of a victory of David over the Philistines, and of a great destruction of their images. (2 Samuel 5:20; 1 Chronicles 14:11) See (Isaiah 28:21) where it is called MOUNT, MOUNT, MOUNTAIN PERAZIM.
11. BAAL-SHALISHA (lord of Shalisha), a place named only in (2 Kings 4:42) apparently not far from Gilgal; comp. (2 Kings 4:38)
12. BAAL-TAMAR (lord of the palm tree), a place named only in (Judges 20:33) as near Gibeah of Benjamin. The palm tree (tamar) of Deborah, (Judges 4:5) was situated somewhere in the locality, and is possibly alluded to.
13. BAAL-ZEPHON (lord of the north), a place in Egypt near where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. (Numbers 33:7; Ezekiel 14:2,9) We place Baal-zephon on the western shore of the Gulf of Suez, a little below its head, which at that time was about 30 or 40 miles northward of the Present head.

PEOR [SMITH]

(cleft), a mountain peak in Moab belonging to the Abarim range, and near Pisgah, to which, after having ascended Pisgah, the prophet Balaam was conducted by Balak that he might look upon the whole host of Israel and curse them. (Numbers 23:14,28) In four passages -- (Numbers 25:18) twice; Numb 31:16; Josh 22:17 --Peor occurs as a contraction for Baal-peor. [BAAL.)

BAAL (1) [ISBE]

BAAL (1) - ba'-al: (ba`al; or Baal): The Babylonian Belu or Bel, "Lord," was the title of the supreme god among the Canaanites.

I. NAME AND CHARACTER OF BAAL

II. ATTRIBUTES OF BAAL

III. BAAL-WORSHIP

IV. TEMPLES, ETC.

V. USE OF THE NAME

VI. FORMS OF BAAL

1. Baal-berith

2. Baal-gad

3. Baal-hamon

4. Baal-hermon

5. Baal-peor

6. Baal-zebub

I. Name and Character of Baal:

In Babylonia it was the title specially applied to Merodach of Babylon, which in time came to be used in place of his actual name. As the word in Hebrew also means "possessor," it has been supposed to have originally signified, when used in a religious sense, the god of a particular piece of land or soil. Of this, however, there is no proof, and the sense of "possessor" is derived from that of "lord." The Babylonian Bel-Merodach was a Sun-god, and so too was the Can Baal whose full title was Baal-Shemaim, "lord of heaven." The Phoenician writer Sanchuniathon (Philo Byblius, Fragmenta II) accordingly says that the children of the first generation of mankind "in time of drought stretched forth their hands to heaven toward the sun; for they regarded him as the sole Lord of heaven, and called him Beel-samen, which means `Lord of Heaven' in the Phoenician language and is equivalent to Zeus in Greek" Baal-Shemaim had a temple at Umm el-Awamid between Acre and Tyre, and his name is found in inscriptions from the Phoenician colonies of Sardinia and Carthage.

II. Attributes of Baal:

As the Sun-god, Baal was worshipped under two aspects, beneficent and destructive. On the one hand he gave light and warmth to his worshippers; on the other hand the fierce heats of summer destroyed the vegetation he had himself brought into being. Hence, human victims were sacrificed to him in order to appease his anger in time of plague or other trouble, the victim being usually the first-born of the sacrificer and being burnt alive. In the Old Testament this is euphemistically termed "passing" the victim "through the fire" (2 Ki 16:3; 21:6). The forms under which Baal was worshipped were necessarily as numerous as the communities which worshipped him. Each locality had its own Baal or divine "Lord" who frequently took his name from the city or place to which he belonged. Hence, there was a Baal-Zur, "Baal of Tyre"; Baal-hermon, "Baal of Hermon" (Jdg 3:3); Baal-Lebanon, "Baal of Lebanon"; Baal-Tarz, "Baal of Tarsus." At other times the title was attached to the name of an individual god; thus we have Bel-Merodach, "the Lord Merodach" (or "Bel is Merodach") at Babylon, Baal-Melkarth at Tyre, Baal-gad (Josh 11:17) in the north of Palestine. Occasionally the second element was noun as in Baal-Shemaim, "lord of heaven," Baalzebub (2 Ki 1:2), "Lord of flies," Baal-Hamman, usually interpreted "Lord of heat," but more probably "Lord of the sunpillar," the tutelary deity of Carthage. All these various forms of the Sun-god were collectively known as the Baalim or "Baals" who took their place by the side of the female Ashtaroth and Ashtrim. At Carthage the female consort of Baal was termed Pene-Baal, "the face" or "reflection of Baal."

III. Baal-Worship:

In the earlier days of Hebrew history the title Baal, or "Lord," was applied to the national God of Israel, a usage which was revived in later times, and is familiar to us in the King James Version. Hence both Jonathan and David had sons called Merib-baal (1 Ch 8:31; 9:40) and Beeliada (1 Ch 14:7). After the time of Ahab, however, the name became associated with the worship and rites of the Phoenician deity introduced into Samaria by Jezebel, and its idolatrous associations accordingly caused it to fall into disrepute. Hosea (2:16) declares that henceforth the God of Israel should no longer be called Baali, "my Baal," and personal names like Esh-baal (1 Ch 8:33; 9:39), and Beelinda into which it entered were changed in form, Baal being turned into bosheth which in Heb at any rate conveyed the sense of "shame."

IV. Temples, etc.:

Temples of Baal at Samaria and Jerusalem are mentioned in 1 Ki 1:18; where they had been erected at the time when the Ahab dynasty endeavored to fuse Israelites and Jews and Phoenicians into a single people under the same national Phoenician god. Altars on which incense was burned to Baal were set up in all the streets of Jerusalem according to Jeremiah (11:13), apparently on the flat roofs of the houses (Jer 32:29); and the temple of Baal contained an image of the god in the shape of a pillar or Bethel (2 Ki 10:26,27). In the reign of Ahab, Baal was served in Israel by 450 priests (1 Ki 18:19), as well as by prophets (2 Ki 10:19), and his worshippers wore special vestments when his ritual was performed (2 Ki 10:22). The ordinary offering made to the god consisted of incense (Jer 7:9) and burnt sacrifices; on extraordinary occasions the victim was human (Jer 19:5). At times the priests worked themselves into a state of ecstasy, and dancing round the altar slashed themselves with knives (1 Ki 18:26,28), like certain dervish orders in modern Islam.

V. Use of the Name.

In accordance with its signification the name of Baal is generally used with the definite art.; in the Septuagint this often takes the feminine form, aischane "shame" being intended to be read. We find the same usage in Rom 11:4. The feminine counterpart of Baal was Baalah or Baalath which is found in a good many of the local names (see Baethgen, Beltrage zur semitischen Religionsgeschichte, 1888).

VI. Forms of Baal.

1. Baal-berith:

Baal-berith ba`al berith; Baalberith, "Covenant Baal," was worshipped at Shechem after the death of Gideon (Jdg 8:33; 9:4). In Jdg 9:46 the name is replaced by El-berith, "Covenant-god." The covenant was that made by the god with his worshippers, less probably between the Israelites and the native Canaanites.

2. Baal-gad:

Baal-gad ba`al gadh; Balagada, "Baal [lord] of good luck" (or "Baal is Gad") was the god of a town called after his name in the north of Palestine, which has often been identified with Baalbek. The god is termed simply Gad in Isa 65:11 the Revised Version, margin; where he is associated with Meni, the Assyrian Manu (King James Version "troop" and "number").

3. Baal-hamon:

Baal-hamon ba`al hamon; Beelamon is known only from the fact that Solomon had a garden at a place of that name (Song 8:11). The name is usually explained to mean "Baal of the multitude," but the cuneiform tablets of the Tell el-Amarna age found in Palestine show that the Egyptian god Amon was worshipped in Canaan and identified there with the native Baal. We are therefore justified in reading the name Baal-Amon, a parallel to the Babylonian Bel-Merodach. The name has no connection with that of the Carthaginian deity Baal-hamman.

4. Baal-hermon:

Baal-hermon ba`al chermon; Balaermon is found in the name of "the mountain of Baal-hermon" (Jdg 3:3; compare 1 Ch 5:23), which also bore the names of Hermort, Sirion and Shenir (Saniru in the Assyrian inscriptions), the second name being applied to it by the Phoenicians and the third by the Amorites (Dt 3:9). Baal-hermon will consequently be a formation similar to Baal-Lebanon in an inscription from Cyprus; according to the Phoenician writer Sanchuniathon (Philo Byblius, Fragmenta II) the third generation of men "begat sons of surprising size and stature, whose names were given to the mountains of which they had obtained possession."

5. Baal-peor:

Baal-peor ba`al pe`or; Beelphegor was god of the Moabite mountains, who took his name from Mount Peor (Nu 23:28), the modern Fa`ur, and was probably a form of Chemosh (Jerome, Comm., Isa 15). The sensual rites with which he was worshipped (Nu 25:1-3) indicate his connection with the Phoenician Baal.

6. Baal-zebub:

Baal-zebub ba`al zebhubh; Baalmuia Theos ("Baal the fly god") was worshipped at Ekron where he had famous oracle (2 Ki 1:2,3,16). The name is generally translated "the Lord of flies," the Sun-god being associated with the flies which swarm in Palestine during the earlier summer months. It is met with in Assyrian inscriptions. In the New Testament the name assumes the form of Beelzebul Beelzeboul, in King James Version: BEELZEBUB (which see).

A. H. Sayce

BAAL (2) [ISBE]

BAAL (2) - ba'-al ba`al, "lord," "master," "possessor"):

(1) A descendant of Reuben, Jacob's first-born son, and the father of Beerah, prince of the Reubenitcs, "whom Tiglath-pileser (1 Ch 5:5,6) king of Assyria carried away captive."

(2) The fourth of ten sons of Jeiel (King James Version "Jehiel"), father and founder of Gibeon. His mother was Maacah; his brother Kish father o? Saul (1 Ch 8:29 f; 9:35,36,39; compare 1 Sam 14:50 f). These passages identify Jeiel and Abiel as the father of Kish and thus of Baal. For study of confusions in the genealogical record, in 1 Ch 9:36,39, see KISH; ABIEL; JEIEL.

(3) In composition often the name of a man and not of the heathen god, e.g. Baal-hanan, a king of Edom (Gen 36:38; 1 Ch 1:49); also a royal prefect of the same name (1 Ch 27:28). Gesenius thinks that Baal in compound words rarely refers to the god by that name.

See BAAL (deity).

(4) A city of the tribe of Simeon (1 Ch 4:33).

See BAALATH-BEER.

Dwight M. Pratt

BAAL (3) [ISBE]

BAAL (3) - ba`al; Baal 1 Ch 4:33.

See BAALATH-BEER.

BAAL-BERITH [ISBE]

BAAL-BERITH - ba-al-be'-rith ba`al berith = "Baal of the Covenant"): An idol worshipped by the Shechemites after Gideon's death (Jdg 8:33), as protector and guardian of engagements. His temple is also referred to in Jdg 9:4.

See BAAL. (1).

BAAL-GAD [ISBE]

BAAL-GAD - ba'-al-gad ba`al gadh; Balagada, Balgad: Joshua in his conquest reached as far north as `Baal-gad in the valley' of Lebanon, under Mount Hermon (Josh 11:17). This definitely locates it in the valley between the Lebanons, to the West or Northwest of Hermon. It must not be confused with Baal-hermon. Conder thinks it may be represented by `Ain Jedeideh.

BAAL-HAMON [ISBE]

BAAL-HAMON - ba-al-ha'-mon.

See BAAL. (1).

BAAL-PEOR [ISBE]

BAAL-PEOR - ba-al-pe'-or.

See BAAL. (1).

BAMOTH; BAMOTH-BAAL [ISBE]

BAMOTH; BAMOTH-BAAL - ba'-moth, ba'-moth-ba'-al (bamoth-ba'al, "high places of Baal"): Bamoth is referred to in Nu 21:19,20, as a station in the journeyings of Israel North of the Arnon. It is probably the same place as the Bamoth-baal of Nu 22:41 (Revised Version margin), whither Balak, king of Moab, conducted Balaam to view and to curse Israel. Bamoth-baal is named in Josh 13:17 as one of the cities given to Reuben. Mesha, on the Moabite Stone, speaks of having "rebuilt" Beth-bamoth.

PEOR [ISBE]

PEOR - pe'-or (ha-pe`or; Phogor):

(1) A mountain in the land of Moab, the last of the three heights to which Balaam was guided by Balak in order that he might curse Israel (Nu 23:28). It is placed by Eusebius, Onomasticon on the way between Livias and Heshbon, 7 Roman miles from the latter. Buhl would identify it with Jebel el-Mashaqqar, on which are the ruins of an old town, between Wady A`yun Musa and Wady Chesban.

(2) A town in the Judean uplands added by Septuagint (Phagor) to the list in Josh 15:9. It may be identical with Khirbet Faghur to the South of Bethlehem.

(3) Peor, in Nu 25:18; 31:16; Josh 22:17, is a divine name standing for "Baal-peor."

(4) In Gen 36:39, Septuagint reads Phogor for "Pau" (Massoretic Text), which in 1 Ch 1:50 appears as "Pai."

W. Ewing