Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
[BAAL.]
Concise Bible Dictionary:
The name signifies “master, possessor;” and whether singular or plural it always has the article. The chief male god of the Phoenicians and the Canaanites, as ASHTORETH was the chief female goddess. The Israelites in coming into the land doubtless found temples, groves, altars and high places set apart to Baal: incense was offered and offerings burnt, and children were sacrificed to him, while a great retinue of prophets and priests was maintained in his service, as is manifest by its revival afterward (Num. 22:41; 1 Kings 18:22; Jer. 11:13; Jer. 19:5; Jer. 32:29).
The children of Israel were soon led away to the worship of Baal (Judg. 2:11,13; Judg. 3:7; Judg. 6:31-32; Judg. 8:33; Judg. 10:6,10); and though under Samuel they relinquished it, (1 Sam. 7:4; 1 Sam. 12:10), yet after the division of the kingdom it was by Ahab fully established in Israel (1 Kings 16:32). Elijah however stood for Jehovah, and raised the question with Israel whether Jehovah was God, or whether Baal, and established the rights of Jehovah by fire from heaven. This led to the destruction of all the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:17-40); but his idolatrous worship continued until the days of Jehu, who slew his worshippers and destroyed his house and images (2 Kings 10:18-28). It however revived again in Israel, and under Ahaziah and Athaliah extended also to Judah, and during the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh worshippers of Baal are found there (2 Kings 11:18; 2 Kings 16:3-4; 2 Kings 17:16-17; 2 Kings 21:3). Thus did Satan succeed in leading aside to idolatry God’s favored people for whom He had done so much.
Balaam’s advice was only too successful, the women of Canaan being the snare that led to idolatry.
The word Baal is used in several compounds, at times referring to the god and in other cases to persons or places.
Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:
the lord (as master, owner)
“184. Baal” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:
Numbers 22:41. It came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal.
The word Baal signifies lord, not so much in the sense of ruler, as possessor, or owner. The name was given to the principal male deity of the Phenicians, corresponding to Bel or Bolus of the Babylonians. See note on Isaiah 46:1 (#518). The name of the female deity associated with Baal was Astarte. The worship of Baal was of great antiquity, and was accompanied with splendid ceremonies. Priests and prophets were consecrated to his service (2 Kings 10:19). Incense (Jer. 7:9) and prayers (1 Kings 18:26) were offered. The worshipers prostrated themselves before the idol and kissed it, (1 Kings 19:18) perhaps at the same time kissing the hand toward the sun. See note on Deuteronomy 4:19 (#109). They danced with shouts, and cut themselves with knives (1 Kings 18:26-28). The offerings were sometimes vegetable (Hosea 2:8) and sometimes animal (1 Kings 18:23). Human sacrifices were also offered (Jer. 19:5).
Efforts have been made to identify Baal with one of the gods of classical mythology, but the results are by no means satisfactory. The Greek Zeus, the Roman Jupiter, Cronos or Saturn, Ares or Mars, and Hercules, have each been supposed by different writers to be the same as Baal. In reference to the astrological nature of the worship, the most prevalent opinion is, that Baal represented the sun, while Astarte, his companion, represented the moon; but Gesenius and others assert that the two terms respectively stood for Jupiter and Venus. Baal and Gad are considered by some to be identical. See note on Isaiah 65:11 (#535).
The ordinary symbol of Baal was a bull.
“185. Baal Peor” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:
Numbers 25:3. Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor.
The worship of this special form of Baal is generally supposed to have been accompanied with obscene rites. This seems to be indicated in this chapter. Some consider Baal-peor to be the same as Chemosh.
“232. Baal Berith” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:
Judges 8:33. The children of Israel ... .made Baal-berith their god.
Baal-berith, or the covenant Baal, was one of the numerous Baalim that the Israelites worshiped at different times. We have no definite description of this god. A temple was built for him at Shechem (Judges 9:46), but what were the special ceremonies we do not know. The worship is supposed to have been an imitation of the worship of Jehovah; an adulteration of that worship, in which Baal was put in the place of Jehovah.
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