ABSTRACT
(Heb. ‘lord’)
The chief god of the Canaanites. Baal was worshipped as the god of the elements who brought rain and made the ground fruitful, and sometimes as the god of war. Temples to Baal were established on high places throughout Israel and many of the Children of Israel worshipped there from the days of the Judges. In the reign of King Ahab, Baal-worship became the court religion and led to Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. The worshippers of Baal were later massacred by King Jehu but the influence of Baal remained throughout the period of the first Temple and brought about frequent strictures by the prophets of Israel and Judah. Bel, Belus, Baalim and Merodach were alternative names for Baal and many places were named in honour of Baal. [Num. 22:41; Judg. 2:11; 6:25; 10:10; 1 Kgs. 16:31–33; 18:18–28; 2 Kgs. 10:22; 17:16; Isa. 46:1; Jer. 50:2; 51:44]
c. 11 century bc. Son of Jeiel of the tribe of Benjamin and a kinsman of King Saul. [1 Chr. 8:30; 9:36]
c. 8 century bc. Son of Reaiah and a leader of the tribe of Reuben, his son Beerah was carried into exile by the Assyrian emperor Tiglath-pileser III. [1 Chr. 5:5]
