Βάαλ
Baal
Baal
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Βάαλ (Baal): A Biblical Lexicon Entry The lexical entry for Βάαλ (Baal) identifies this as a Greek transliteration of a Semitic term appearing 76 times throughout the biblical text. The designation as a proper noun with minimal definitional elaboration—simply "Baal"—indicates this word functions as a name rather than a common noun with variable meanings. Its consistent transliteration across Greek biblical manuscripts suggests the term was preserved rather than translated, reflecting its status as a specific deity name rather than a generic religious concept. The high frequency of occurrence (76 instances) signals that Baal held considerable significance within the biblical narrative, sufficient to warrant repeated mention across multiple texts and contexts. This prevalence suggests the concept or entity referred to by this name was important enough to biblical authors and audiences to appear regularly in religious and historical discourse. However, the lexicon entry itself provides no additional semantic information—no etymology, no contextual range, and no theological characterization—which means the full meaning must be derived from examining how the term functions within its biblical contexts rather than from lexical definition alone.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
76 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
All the people went to the house of Baal, broke it down, broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
2 Chronicles 23:17All the people went to the house of Baal, broke it down, broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
2 Chronicles 24:7For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up God’s house; and they also gave all the dedicated things of Yahweh’s house to the Baals.
2 Chronicles 28:2but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also made molten images for the Baals.
2 Chronicles 33:3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he raised up altars for the Baals, made Asheroth, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them.
2 Chronicles 34:4They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and he cut down the incense altars that were on high above them. He broke the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images in pieces, made dust of them, and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
Jeremiah 32:35They built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through fire to Molech, which I didn’t command them. It didn’t even come into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”
Jeremiah 2:8The priests didn’t say, ‘Where is Yahweh?’ and those who handle the law didn’t know me. The rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed things that do not profit.
Jeremiah 2:23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways,
Jeremiah 7:9Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods that you have not known,
Jeremiah 9:14but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them.”
Jeremiah 11:13For according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to Baal.’
Jeremiah 11:17For Yahweh of Armies, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Baal.
Jeremiah 12:16It will happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As Yahweh lives;’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the middle of my people.
Jeremiah 19:5and have built the high places of Baal, to burn their children in the fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I didn’t command, nor speak, which didn’t even enter into my mind.
Jeremiah 19:5and have built the high places of Baal, to burn their children in the fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I didn’t command, nor speak, which didn’t even enter into my mind.
Jeremiah 23:13“I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria. They prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
Jeremiah 23:27They intend to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they each tell his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name because of Baal.
Jeremiah 32:29The Chaldeans, who fight against this city, will come and set this city on fire, and burn it with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.
Hosea 2:8For she didn’t know that I gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil, and multiplied to her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.
Hosea 2:13I will visit on her the days of the Baals, to which she burned incense, when she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and went after her lovers, and forgot me,” says Yahweh.
Hosea 2:17For I will take away the names of the Baals out of her mouth, and they will no longer be mentioned by name.
Hosea 11:2They called to them, so they went from them. They sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to engraved images.
Hosea 13:1When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, but when he became guilty in Baal, he died.
Zephaniah 1:4I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests,
Judges 2:11The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and served the Baals.
Judges 2:13They abandoned Yahweh, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
Judges 3:7The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
Judges 6:25That same night, Yahweh said to him, “Take your father’s bull, even the second bull seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it.
Judges 6:28When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bull was offered on the altar that was built.
Judges 6:30Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.”
Judges 6:31Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!”
Judges 6:32Therefore on that day he named him Jerub-Baal, saying, “Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.”
Judges 8:33As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god.
Judges 10:6The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and served the Baals, the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned Yahweh, and didn’t serve him.
Judges 10:10The children of Israel cried to Yahweh, saying, “We have sinned against you, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baals.”
1 Samuel 7:4Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only.
1 Samuel 12:10They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’
1 Kings 18:26They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.
1 Kings 18:26They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.
1 Kings 16:31As if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him.
1 Kings 16:32He raised up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
1 Kings 16:32He raised up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
1 Kings 18:18He answered, “I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken Yahweh’s commandments, and you have followed the Baals.
1 Kings 18:19Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
1 Kings 18:21Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people didn’t say a word.
1 Kings 18:22Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left as a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men.
1 Kings 18:25Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”
1 Kings 18:40Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let one of them escape!” They seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.
1 Kings 19:18Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel, all the knees of which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.”