פְּעוֹר
𐤐𐤏𐤅𐤓
Peor
H6465 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Peor: a specific mountain or high place located east of the Jordan River, noted primarily as a cultic site associated with non-Israelite religious practice; can also refer to the local deity ('the master/lord of Peor,' i.e., Baal Peor) worshipped at that site. The term typically designates a geographical location, but in certain contexts, by extension, names the deity venerated there.
Semantic Range
mountain east of the Jordan (Peor), cultic site, local deity associated with site (Baal Peor), as part of place names (Beth Peor)
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root פער (p-ʽ-r), meaning 'to open wide, gape.' The place name פְּעוֹר (Peor) thus likely refers to the physical geography of the site, perhaps denoting a cleft, opening, or prominent gap in the terrain. Its use as a site name does not necessarily retain the verbal sense but may reflect local topography or an ancient tradition regarding the site’s appearance. The connection to the deity Baal Peor (בַּעַל פְּעוֹר) arises from the common ancient Near Eastern practice of gods being worshipped at named locations, with the god’s epithet reflecting the site.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פְּעוֹר (Peor) is mentioned foremost in narratives regarding Israelite encampments and conflicts during the journey through Transjordanian territories, specifically in the stories found in Numbers 23–25. There, Peor is both the name of a mountain (Numbers 23:28) and the cult center for a deity referred to as Baal Peor, with which non-Israelites (primarily Moabites and Midianites) were associated. The term is often paired with בַּעַל, the West-Semitic title for a local god (thus Baal Peor), illustrating a pattern where Canaanite/Transjordanian deities were worshipped under geographic epithets. In later Jewish tradition and translation, 'Baal Peor' was sometimes rendered without full explanation as a proper name for the deity or the place, and misunderstood as a generic divinity. The English rendering 'Peor' refers both to the mountain and to the deity in specific narrative contexts, but biblical usage shows its function as a toponym and as the basis for deriving the god's title. In post-biblical literature, Peor became strongly associated with idolatrous activity as depicted in Numbers 25. Related place names include בֵּית פְּעוֹר (Beth Peor, 'House of Peor'), further attesting to its significance as a cultic locale.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from פָּעַר; a gap; also בַּעַל פְּעוֹר); Peor, a mountain East of Jordan; Baal Peor, (for a deity worshipped there; Peor. See also בֵּית פְּעוֹר.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פער (p-ʿ-r) — to open wide, gape, split open
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6465-02 |
פְּע֑וֹר | peor | HNp |
Peor | Peor the Gap-Height | 4 |
H6465-01 |
הַ/פְּע֔וֹר | hapeor | HTd/Np |
of Peor | the Peor | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6465-01 |
Numbers 23:28 | הַ/פְּע֔וֹר | hapeor | HTd/Np |
of Peor | the Peor |
H6465-02 |
Numbers 25:18 | פְּע֑וֹר | peor | HNp |
Peor | Peor the Gap-Height |
H6465-02 |
Numbers 25:18 | פְּעֽוֹר | peor-2 | HNp |
Peor | Peor the Gap-Height |
H6465-02 |
Numbers 31:16 | פְּע֑וֹר | peor | HNp |
Peor | Peor the Gap-Height |
H6465-02 |
Joshua 22:17 | פְּע֔וֹר | peor | HNp |
of Peor | Peor the Gap-Height |