Baal

"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).

"Mistress; city. (1.) A city in the south of Judah (Josh. 15:29)," elsewhere called Balah (Josh. 19:3) and Bilhah (1 Chr. 4:29). Now Khurbet Zebalah. "(2.) A city on the northern border of the tribe of Judah (Josh. "15:10), called also Kirjath-jearim, q.v. (15:9; 1 Chr. 13:6)," "now Kuriet-el-Enab, or as some think, `Erma." "(3.) A mountain on the north-western boundary of Judah and Dan (Josh. 15:11).

A town of the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:44). It was fortified by Solomon (1 Kings 9:18; 2 Chr. 8:6). Some have identified it with "Bel'ain, in Wady Deir Balut."

"Baalah of the well, (Josh. 19:8, probably the same as Baal," "mentioned in 1 Chr. 4:33, a city of Simeon."

"Called by the Greeks Heliopolis i.e., "the city of the sun"," "because of its famous Temple of the Sun, has by some been" "supposed to be Solomon's "house of the forest of Lebanon" (1" Kings 7:2; 10:17; 2 Chr. 9:16); by others it is identified with "Baal-gad (q.v.). It was a city of Coele-Syria, on the lowest" "declivity of Anti-Libanus, about 42 miles north-west of" "Damascus. It was one of the most splendid of Syrian cities," existing from a remote antiquity. After sustaining several "sieges under the Moslems and others, it was finally destroyed by" an earthquake in 1759. Its ruins are of great extent.

"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.

"Lords of Judah, a city in the tribe of Judah from which David" brought the ark into Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:2). Elsewhere (1 Chr. 13:6) called Kirjath-jearim. (See [42]BAALAH.)

"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.

"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.

"Lord of grace. (1.) A king of Edom, son of Achbor (Gen. 36:38," "39; 1 Chr. 1:49, 50)." "(2.) An overseer of "the olive trees and sycomore trees in the "low plains" (the Shephelah) under David (1 Chr. 27:28)."

"Having a courtyard, or Baal's village, the place on the borders" of Ephraim and Benjamin where Absalom held the feast of sheep-shearing when Amnon was assassinated (2 Sam. 13:23). "Probably it is the same with Hazor (Neh. 11:33), now Tell' Asur," 5 miles north-east of Bethel.

Lord of Hermon. (1.) A city near Mount Hermon inhabited by the Ephraimites (1 Chr. 5:23). Probably identical with Baal-gad (Josh. 11:17). "(2.) A mountain east of Lebanon (Judg. 3:3). Probably it may be "the same as Mount Hermon, or one of its three peaks."

"My lord, a title the prophet (Hos. 2:16) reproaches the Jewish" "church for applying to Jehovah, instead of the more endearing" "title Ishi, meaning "my husband."

Plural of Baal; images of the god Baal (Judg. 2:11; 1 Sam. 7:4).

King of the Ammonites at the time of the Babylonian captivity (Jer. 40:14). He hired Ishmael to slay Gedaliah who had been appointed governor over the cities of Judah.

"Lord of dwelling, a town of Reuben (Num. 32:38), called also" Beth-meon (Jer. 48:23) and Beth-baal-meon (Josh. 13:17). It is supposed to have been the birth-place of Elisha. It is "identified with the modern M'ain, about 3 miles south-east of" Heshbon.

"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).

"Baal having rents, bursts, or destructions, the scene of a" victory gained by David over the Philistines (2 Sam. 5:20; 1 Chr. 14:11). Called Mount Perazim (Isa. 28:21). It was near the "valley of Rephaim, west of Jerusalem. Identified with the modern" Jebel Aly.

"Lord of Shalisha, a place from which a man came with provisions" "for Elisha, apparently not far from Gilgal (2 Kings 4:42). It" "has been identified with Sirisia, 13 miles north of Lydda."

"Lord of palm trees, a place in the tribe of Benjamin near Gibeah" of Saul (Judg. 20:33). It was one of the sanctuaries or groves of Baal. Probably the palm tree of Deborah (Judg. 4:5) is alluded to in the name.

"Fly-lord, the god of the Philistines at Ekron (2 Kings 1:2, 3," 16). This name was given to the god because he was supposed to be able to avert the plague of flies which in that region was to be feared. He was consulted by Ahaziah as to his recovery.

"Baal of the north, an Egyptian town on the shores of the Gulf of" "Suez (Ex. 14:2; Num. 33:7), over against which the children of" Israel encamped before they crossed the Red Sea. It is probably "to be identified with the modern Jebel Deraj or Kulalah, on the" western shore of the Gulf of Suez. Baal-zapuna of the Egyptians was a place of worship.

Definition of Baal:
"master; lord"