בַּעַל זְבוּב
𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤆𐤁𐤅𐤁
Baal Zevuv
H1176 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A title meaning 'lord of the fly(s)' or 'Baʿal of (the) fly', designating a specific deity worshipped in Ekron, a Philistine city. The term functions both as a proper name for a local god and as a polemical epithet in later Israelite and Judahite literature. In its primary context, indicates a divine figure associated either with flies, the control of pests, or potentially with rituals protecting against disease, interpreted through linguistics and comparative ancient Near Eastern religion.
Semantic Range
proper name or title for a Philistine deity, 'Baʿal of the fly', 'lord of the flies', polemical designation for a foreign god, by extension in later literature as a demon or source of disease
Root / Etymology
Compound of the noun בַּעַל (Baʿal, 'lord', 'master', or used as a divine title), and the noun זְבוּב (zevuv, 'fly'). The actual title likely originated in Philistine Ekron as a proper name or title for the local Baʿal deity, emphasizing either the god's control over or association with flies. Some scholars note the absence of זְבוּב in other divine epithets suggests a polemical Israelite reformulation; original Philistine title may have differed (cf. Baal-Zebul).
Historical & Contextual Notes
בַּעַל זְבוּב occurs only in 2 Kings 1, as the god of Ekron whom King Ahaziah of Israel consults. The form is generally understood as an Israelite rendering of a Philistine divine name, possibly as polemic. No direct extrabiblical evidence for a Philistine deity named Baal-zebub exists, but the presence of Baʿal cults in the region is well attested. In the Israelite context (2 Kings), invoking Baal-zebub is portrayed negatively, emphasizing religious conflict and the exclusivity of YHWH. In later Second Temple literature and New Testament sources, the term is transformed (e.g., Beelzebul/Beelzebub as a designation for a demonic figure), but these developments postdate the Hebrew Bible and are not original. The standard translation 'lord of the flies' captures the literal sense but may obscure its polemical or satirical tone in Hebrew literature, contrasting with Baal-Zebul ('lord prince', attested in Phoenician and Ugaritic as a positive divine title).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בַּעַל and זְבוּב; Baal of (the) Fly; Baal-Zebub, a special deity of the Ekronites; Baal-zebub.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בעל, זבב (b-ʿ-l; z-b-b) — to rule, possess, be lord; to fly, to swarm
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1176-02 |
זְבוּב֙ | zevuv | HNp |
-zebub | Baʿal of the Fly | 4 |
H1176-01 |
בְּ/בַ֤עַל | bevaal | HR/Np |
of Baal | in Baʿal-of-the-Fly | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1176-01 |
2 Kings 1:2 | בְּ/בַ֤עַל | bevaal | HR/Np |
of Baal | in Baʿal-of-the-Fly |
H1176-02 |
2 Kings 1:2 | זְבוּב֙ | zevuv | HNp |
Zebub | Baʿal of the Fly |
H1176-01 |
2 Kings 1:3 | בְּ/בַ֥עַל | bevaal | HR/Np |
of Baal | in Baʿal-of-the-Fly |
H1176-02 |
2 Kings 1:3 | זְב֖וּב | zevuv | HNp |
-zebub | Baʿal of the Fly |
H1176-01 |
2 Kings 1:6 | בְּ/בַ֥עַל | bevaal | HR/Np |
of Baal | in Baʿal-of-the-Fly |
H1176-02 |
2 Kings 1:6 | זְב֖וּב | zevuv | HNp |
-zebub | Baʿal of the Fly |
H1176-01 |
2 Kings 1:16 | בְּ/בַ֣עַל | bevaal | HR/Np |
of Baal | in Baʿal-of-the-Fly |
H1176-02 |
2 Kings 1:16 | זְבוּב֮ | zevuv | HNp |
-zebub | Baʿal of the Fly |