Lexicon Bel: Bel Original Word: בֵּל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Bel By contraction for Ba'al; Bel, the Baal of the Babylonians -- Bel. see HEBREW Ba'al NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originshort. form of Baal Definition a chief Bab. deity NASB Translation Bel (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֵּל proper name, masculine a chief Babylonian deity (Babylonian Bêlu = בַּעַל, lord; Bêl regarded as older form than בַּעַל by HptHebraica. i. 178; BAS i. 17) = Merodach (compare מרדך), tutelary god of Babylon (to be distinguished from older Bêlu, one of ancient Babylonian triad) Jeremiah 50:2 ("" מְרֹדַךְ) Jeremiah 51:44; Isaiah 46:1 ("" נְבֹו) — both writers of Babylonian period; — on Bel see COT Genesis 11:4; Judges 2:11; SayRel. Babylonian 103, 110 JenKosmologie 24, 134, 307, 391. Topical Lexicon Word Origin: Derived from the Akkadian word "Bēlu," meaning "lord" or "master."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • Strong's Greek Number 935: Βήλος (Bēlos) • This Greek term corresponds to the Hebrew "Bel" and is used in the Septuagint and other Greek texts to refer to the same Babylonian deity. Usage: The term "Bel" is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a Babylonian god, particularly in the context of idolatry and the futility of worshiping false gods. It appears in prophetic literature, emphasizing the powerlessness of idols compared to the God of Israel. Context: Bel is a prominent deity in the Babylonian pantheon, often equated with Marduk, the chief god of the city of Babylon. In the Hebrew Bible, Bel is mentioned in the context of prophetic denunciations against idolatry and the Babylonian empire. The prophet Isaiah, for instance, speaks of Bel in a context that highlights the impotence of Babylonian gods in the face of the true God of Israel. In Isaiah 46:1 (BSB), it is written: "Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary." This passage underscores the theme of the futility of idol worship and the eventual downfall of Babylonian religious practices. The name Bel, therefore, serves as a symbol of the broader critique of idolatry found throughout the prophetic books. Forms and Transliterations בֵּ֜ל בֵּל֙ בל bel bêlLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 46:1 HEB: כָּרַ֥ע בֵּל֙ קֹרֵ֣ס נְב֔וֹ NAS: Bel has bowed down, Nebo KJV: Bel boweth down, Nebo INT: has bowed Bel stoops Nebo Jeremiah 50:2 Jeremiah 51:44 |
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