Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction:The term "Baals" refers to the various local deities worshiped in ancient Canaan and surrounding regions, often associated with fertility, weather, and agriculture. The name "Baal" itself means "lord" or "master" and was used to denote the chief god of a particular region or city. The worship of Baals was a significant religious practice among the Canaanites and posed a continual challenge to the Israelites, who were commanded to worship Yahweh alone.
Biblical References:The worship of Baals is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as a recurring issue for the Israelites. The Israelites were often tempted to adopt the religious practices of their neighbors, leading to periods of syncretism and apostasy. The Book of Judges records several instances where the Israelites turned to Baal worship, leading to divine judgment and oppression by foreign powers.
Judges 2:11-13 states, "And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger because they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths."
Cultural and Religious Context:Baal worship was characterized by rituals that included sacrifices, feasts, and sometimes even human sacrifice, as suggested by archaeological findings and biblical texts. The worship of Baal was often conducted on high places, which were elevated sites considered sacred. Baal was believed to control rain and fertility, making him an attractive deity for agrarian societies dependent on successful harvests.
Prophetic Opposition:The prophets of Israel, particularly Elijah and Hosea, strongly opposed the worship of Baals. Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is one of the most dramatic accounts of this opposition. In
1 Kings 18:21 , Elijah challenges the people, saying, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him." This event culminated in a demonstration of Yahweh's power, leading to the execution of the prophets of Baal.
Reforms and Renewals:Throughout Israel's history, several kings and leaders sought to eradicate Baal worship and restore the worship of Yahweh. King Josiah is noted for his extensive religious reforms, which included the destruction of altars and high places dedicated to Baal.
2 Kings 23:4-5 records, "Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and carried their ashes to Bethel."
Theological Significance:The struggle against Baal worship highlights the central biblical theme of monotheism and the exclusive worship of Yahweh. The repeated lapses into idolatry serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of compromising faith and the allure of cultural assimilation. The biblical narrative underscores the importance of covenant faithfulness and the consequences of turning away from God.
Conclusion:The worship of Baals represents a significant challenge to the religious identity and faithfulness of the Israelites. The biblical accounts serve as a reminder of the constant tension between the call to holiness and the temptation to conform to surrounding cultures. The prophets' denunciations and the reforms of faithful leaders illustrate the ongoing battle to maintain the purity of worship and allegiance to the one true God.
Strong's Hebrew
1181. baale bamoth -- lords of (the) high places... From the plural of Ba'al and the plural of bamah;
Baals of (the) heights;
Baale-Bamoth, a place East of the Jordan -- lords of the high places.
...1168a. Baal -- a heathen god
... Word Origin from baal Definition a heathen god NASB Word Usage Baal (58), Baal's
(1),Baals (18), Bamoth-baal* (1). 1168, 1168a. Baal. 1168b ....
Library
His Earliest Oracles. (ii. 2-iv. 4. )
... heap to thee lye, Ingrained is thy guilt before Me, Rede of the Lord, thy God.(156)
How sayest thou, "I'm not defiled, 23 Nor gone after theBaals." Look at...
Canaan
... There were as manyBaals or Baalim as there were states or cults.... Over against
the Baalim orBaals stood the Ashtaroth or Ashtoreths....
The Second Part.
... voyce, odde attires & such like: These know how to rend the garment, hang the head
with the bulrush, to whip and launce their skinnes withBaals Priests; and...
Preface. What is Sanctification?
... The "seven thousand" who have not "bowed the knee" to the modernBaals are insisting
that, if God's Word teaches entire sanctification for the disciple of...
'Fruit which is Death'
... Jehovah. 'All in all, or not at all,' is the law. WhetherBaals or calves
were set beside God, He was equally deposed. Then, with...
Jeremiah
... False to the love she bore Jehovah in the olden time, Israel has turned for help
to Egypt, to Assyria, and to the impotentBaals with their licentious worship...
Oracles on the Edge of Doom. (vii. 16-xviii Passim, xxii, Xlv. )
... My Law which I set before them, and hearkened not to My Voice,(403) [14] but have
walked after the stubbornness of their heart, and after theBaals, as their...
The Prophet --His Youth and his Call.
... It would be easy to remove from the streets of Jerusalem any recently introduced
Baals and possibly, as Assyria's sovereignty relaxed, the worship of the Host...
Jeremiah and Deuteronomy. (Chs. vii, viii. 8, xi. )
... Jeremiah scorns the people's trust in the Temple as utterly as he had scorned their
trust (it is the same word) in theBaals or in Egypt and Assyria....
Of the Three Woe Trumpets.
... who was consecrated a demon after death by his people; from whence it came to pass
afterwards, that powers of this kind were called Baalim orBaals, as Baal...
Thesaurus
Baals (18 Occurrences)...Baals (18 Occurrences). Judges 2:11 The children of Israel did that which was evil
in the sight of Yahweh, and served the
Baals; (WEB BBE NAS NIV).
...Ba'als (19 Occurrences)
Ba'als.Baals, Ba'als. Baal's .... 1 Samuel 7:4 Then the children of Israel did
put away theBaals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only. (See RSV)....
Astartes (5 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:7 And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and put
out of their minds the Lord their God, and became servants to theBaals and the...
Forsaken (110 Occurrences)
... 10:10 The children of Israel cried to Yahweh, saying, "We have sinned against you,
even because we have forsaken our God, and have served theBaals." (WEB KJV...
Ashtaroth (13 Occurrences)
... Judges 10:6 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of
Yahweh, and served theBaals, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and...
Forgot (16 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh,
and forgot Yahweh their God, and served theBaals and the Asheroth....
Asherahs (23 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 33:3 And he built again the high places that Hezekiah his father had
broken down; and he reared up altars to theBaals, and made Asherahs, and...
Asheroth (3 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh,
and forgot Yahweh their God, and served theBaals and the Asheroth....
Ashtoreths (6 Occurrences)
... Philistines. (DBY NIV). 1 Samuel 7:4 And the children of Israel put away the
Baals and the Ashtoreths and served Jehovah only. (DBY NIV)....
Served (182 Occurrences)
... Judges 2:11 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh,
and served theBaals; (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)....
Resources
Who was King Jehoshaphat in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhy was the worship of Baal and Asherah a constant struggle for the Israelites? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is an Asherah pole? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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