Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Baal"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
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).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Baal \Ba"al\ (b[=a]"al), n.; Heb. pl. {Baalim} (-[i^]m). [Heb.
ba'al lord.]
1. (Myth.) The supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and
Canaanitish nations.
Note: The name of this god occurs in the Old Testament and
elsewhere with qualifying epithets subjoined, answering
to the different ideas of his character; as,
Baal-berith (the Covenant Baal), Baal-zebub (Baal of
the fly).
2. pl. The whole class of divinities to whom the name Baal
was applied. --Judges x. 6.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Bel \Bel\ (b[e^]l), n.
The Babylonian name of the god known among the Hebrews as
{Baal}. See {Baal}. --Baruch vi. 41.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
Baal
n : any of numerous local fertility and nature deities
worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples; the Hebrews
considered Baal a false god [syn: {Baal}]
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