Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BAAL-ZEBUB

(Heb. baʿal zĕḇûḇ)

God of the Philistine city Ekron. The Israelite king Ahaziah consulted Baal-zebub about recovering from a fall, whereupon Elijah announced Ahaziah’s death (2 Kgs. 1:2, 3, 6, 16).

The name suggests a Semitic deity adopted after the Philistines settled in Canaan, although the etymology has been disputed. Whether baʿal means “lord, master, husband” or refers to the Canaanite storm-god depends on the interpretation of zĕḇûḇ (“flies”). The simple meaning “lord of flies” suggests, by extension, control over disease. This parallels the epithet of Zeus the healer, Gk. apomuios (“averter of flies”), and may be supported by Ras Ibn Hani 78.20, in which Baal drives out “demon-flies” (dbbm) from a sick person. However, Ahaziah suffers injury, not disease, casting doubt on Baal-zebub’s connection with disease. It is more likely that the name was originally baʿal-zĕḇûl (cf. Beelzebul in the NT). Although zĕḇûl alone can mean “lofty, exalted place” (thus “lord of heaven”), the fixed phrase zbl bʿl (“prince Baal”) at Ugarit supports taking Baal-zebul as a local manifestation of the storm-god Baal. Baal-zebub would thus be a derogatory pun on the original name.

John L. McLaughlin

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BAAL-ZEBUB

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)