בַּעַל חָצוֹר
𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤑𐤅𐤓
Baal Chatsor
H1178 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Baal-Hazor is a compound toponym referring to a specific site known as 'the lord/owner of Hazor' or 'Baal of Hazor,' attested in the Hebrew Bible as the site north of Bethel near Ephraim where Absalom held a sheep-shearing event (2 Samuel 13:23). The name forms part of a wider pattern of place names in ancient West Semitic societies where 'Baal' (lord, owner, master, or patron deity) is joined to a geographic feature or local landmark, and 'Hazor' here likely denotes an enclosure, settlement, or area with enclosures. Thus, Baal-Hazor designates either a place associated with Baal worship at this Hazor, or the prominent/higher enclosure, depending on interpretive nuance. The usage in the Hebrew Bible strongly situates it as a physical locale rather than a personal title.
Semantic Range
owner of Hazor, lord/master of the enclosure, Baal of Hazor (as a deity), a prominent settled/enclosed place named for Baal or a local patron, place name designating a particular locality in the hill country north of Bethel
Root / Etymology
A compound of בַּעַל (baʿal, 'lord, owner') and a form of חָצֵר (ḥāṣēr, 'enclosure, settlement, court'). The phrase literally means 'the Lord of Hazor' or 'owner/master of the enclosure.' The toponym reflects a broader Semitic pattern of Baal place-names indicating either the site's divine patron or an otherwise prominent local feature. Root ב-ע-ל means 'to possess, to master,' and ח-צ-ר means 'to settle, to enclose.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the context of 2 Samuel 13:23, Baal-Hazor is the geographical location near the border of Ephraim where Absalom hosted a sheep-shearing feast, an event of social and economic significance among Israelites in the monarchic period. The existence of multiple sites named Hazor—ranging from major fortified cities to smaller enclosures—means the precise identification is debated, but this Baal-Hazor is distinct from the northern city of Hazor destroyed in Joshua. 'Baal' in toponyms did not always imply cultic activity but could denote lordship or ownership (either by a deity or prominent individual). Later traditions and translations often equated 'Baal' with a pagan deity, but in the biblical period, it sometimes functioned as a title. The site is part of the territorial landscape of ancient Israel, and the English transcription 'Baal-hazor' does not capture the full nuance of lordship or possessorship implied in Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בַּעַל and a modification of חָצֵר; possessor of a village; Baal-Chatsor, a place in Palestine; Baal-hazor.
Bantu Hebrew
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בעל, חצר (b-ʿ-l; ḥ-ṣ-r) — to possess, to master; enclosure, settlement
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1178-01 |
בְּ/בַ֥עַל | bevaal | HR/Np |
in Baal | in Baal-Hazor | 1 |
H1178-02 |
חָצ֖וֹר | chatsor | HNp |
Hazir | Hazor Enclosed-Settlement | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1178-01 |
2 Samuel 13:23 | בְּ/בַ֥עַל | bevaal | HR/Np |
in Baal | in Baal-Hazor |
H1178-02 |
2 Samuel 13:23 | חָצ֖וֹר | chatsor | HNp |
Hazir | Hazor Enclosed-Settlement |