בַּעַל בְּרִית
𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤕
Baal Berit
H1170 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun designating a local deity worshipped at Shechem, explicitly titled 'Baal of the covenant.' The term refers to a divine figure associated with, or considered lord of, covenants or treaties, likely viewed as the guarantor or patron of binding agreements among the people of Shechem. It may also serve as a cultic title rather than a unique personal name for a deity.
Semantic Range
proper name of a local deity, lord/master of covenants, patron or guarantor of treaties, cultic divine title, specific to Shechemite religion in the Judges period
Root / Etymology
A compound from בַּעַל (baʻal, 'lord, owner, master') and בְּרִית (bᵉrîyth, 'covenant, treaty, compact'). Each element comes from distinct roots: ב-ע-ל meaning 'to own, to rule' and ב-ר-ת meaning 'to bind, to cut (in covenant-making cosa). Thus, the term literally means 'lord/master of the covenant.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Baʻal Bᵉrîyth appears only in Judges 8:33 and 9:4 as a deity worshipped in Shechem during the time of the judges. The title suggests an association with local covenants, which were central to intertribal and inter-clan relationships in the ancient Levant. The term may reflect an adaptation of the broader Baal cult to the specific societal needs of Shechem. This title distinguishes this Baal from other regional Baals by emphasizing function (covenant patronage) over geographic association. In translation tradition, the phrase is sometimes rendered 'lord of the covenant,' but the personal name aspect is often preserved as Baal-berith. Later Jewish sources linked Baal-berith with idolatry, but this anachronistically reads later religious polemic into the earlier source. The use of 'berith' underscores covenantal authority, contrasting with other titles like Baal-zebub (lord of flies). There is no evidence the deity represented a syncretism with Yahweh or with later Israelite conceptions of covenant.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בַּעַל and בְּרִית; Baal of (the) covenant; Baal-Berith, a special deity of the Shechemites; Baal-berith.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
בעל (b-ʿ-l) — to possess, to own, to rule, to have dominion
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1010 | בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן | master |
| H1120 | בָּמוֹת | master |
| H1166 | בָּעַל | I possessed |
| H1167 | בַּעַל | master |
| H1168 | בַּעַל | master |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1170-02 |
בְּרִ֖ית | berit | HNp |
Berith | binding covenant | Baal Berit | 2 |
H1170-01 |
בַּ֥עַל | baal | HNp |
Baal | master | Baal Berit | 1 |
H1170-03 |
בַ֣עַל | vaal | HNp |
Baal | Lord of the Covenant | Baal Berit | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1170-01 |
Judges 8:33 | בַּ֥עַל | baal | HNp |
Baal | master | Baal Berit |
H1170-02 |
Judges 8:33 | בְּרִ֖ית | berit | HNp |
Berith | binding covenant | Baal Berit |
H1170-03 |
Judges 9:4 | בַ֣עַל | vaal | HNp |
Baal | Lord of the Covenant | Baal Berit |
H1170-02 |
Judges 9:4 | בְּרִ֑ית | berit | HNp |
of the covenant | binding covenant | Baal Berit |