Lexical Summary baal: To marry, to rule over, to possess, to own Original Word: בָּעַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance have dominion over, be husband, married, wife A primitive root; to be master; hence, (as denominative from ba'al) to marry -- have dominion (over), be husband, marry(-ried, X wife). see HEBREW ba'al NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to marry, rule over NASB Translation gets a husband (1), high (1), husband (3), married (4), married* (2), marries (2), marry (1), marrying* (1), master (1), ruled (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs בָּעַל verb marry, rule over (compare Arabic  = own, possess, especially a wife or concubine; Ethiopic  to be rich, Assyrian bâlu, rule COTGloss, Aramaic בְּעַל take possession of wife or concubine) **Jer 3:14; 31:32 AW JosKi Thes, comparing Arabic  be disguated, derive from II. בָּעַל loathe (followed by בְּ); so Buhl: Gie Du Co in Jeremiah 31:32 read גָּעַלְתִּי (treating Jeremiah 3:14 as I. בָּעַל). — Qal Perfect Malachi 2:11 6t.; Imperfect יִבְעַל Isaiah 62:5 (twice in verse); Participle suffix בֹּעֲלַיִךְ Isaiah 54:5; passive feminine בְּעוּלָה Isaiah 54:1 3t.; — 1 marry Genesis 20:3 (E) Deuteronomy 21:13; Deuteronomy 22:22; Deuteronomy 24:1; Isaiah 54:1,5; Isaiah 62:4,5 (twice in verse); Malachi 2:11; followed by בְּ Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 31:32 be lord (husband) over. 2 rule over 1 Chronicles 4:22 (followed by לְ) Isaiah 26:13. Niph`al Imperfect תִּבָּעֵל Proverbs 30:23; Isaiah 62:4 be married. Topical Lexicon OverviewThe verb בָּעַל (“to own, to marry, to exercise dominion”) intertwines the ideas of covenant lordship and conjugal union. Scripture employs it to describe (1) the legal status of a husband, (2) the de facto control of an overlord, and (3) the covenant relationship between the LORD and His people. Each occurrence reinforces the biblical teaching that covenant love entails rightful authority and exclusive loyalty. Marriage and Legal Standing 1. Covenant Bond. Genesis 20:3 provides the foundational sense: “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.” The term carries the weight of lawful possession; Sarah is under Abraham’s covenant protection, and any intrusion invites divine judgment. 2. Safeguard of Purity. Deuteronomy 22:22 legislates capital punishment for adultery with “another man’s wife,” preserving marriage as a sacred covenant. The severity reflects the verb’s insistence on exclusive belonging. 3. Regulation of Divorce. Deuteronomy 24:1 prescribes orderly procedure when “a man takes a wife and marries her.” The law curbs male caprice, defending the dignity of the woman and limiting grounds for dissolution—anticipating Christ’s restoration of marriage’s original intent (Matthew 19:4–6). 4. Domestic Disharmony. Proverbs 30:23 lists “an unloved woman who is married,” exposing the misery that results when covenant form is present but covenant affection is absent—a caution to honor both the legal and relational aspects of marriage. Tribal and Royal Applications 1 Chronicles 4:22 records that certain sons of Shelah “had dominion (ba‘al) in Moab,” illustrating sociopolitical lordship. The same root links the household headship of a husband with the broader sphere of governance, underscoring a consistent biblical pattern: authority is covenantal, protective, and accountable to God. Spiritual Allegory: Yahweh as Husband 1. Exclusive Devotion. Isaiah 26:13 contrasts false masters with the true: “O LORD our God, other lords besides You have had dominion over us, but Your name alone do we confess.” The verb portrays idolatrous powers as illegitimate husbands whom Israel has wrongly served. 2. Promise of Restoration. Isaiah 54:1, 5 employs marital imagery for Zion’s renewal: “For your Husband is your Maker, the LORD of Hosts is His name.” God binds Himself to His people with the deepest covenant language, securing future fruitfulness. 3. Delight Renewed. Isaiah 62:4–5 repeats the verb four times, climaxing in verse 5: “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.” The oscillation between former desolation (“Forsaken”) and new endearment (“My Delight Is in Her”) reveals the redemptive trajectory of covenant history. Covenant Violations and Calls to Repentance 1. Illicit Unions. Jeremiah 3:14 pleads, “Return, O backsliding children, declares the LORD; for I am your Husband.” The Divine Husband claims His wayward spouse, securing repentance by reaffirming ownership. 2. Broken Covenant. Jeremiah 31:32 recalls the Sinai marriage: “My covenant that they broke, though I was their Husband.” Israel’s breach necessitates the new covenant of verses 33–34, fulfilled in Christ. 3. Syncretistic Betrayal. Malachi 2:11 laments, “Judah has broken faith… and has married the daughter of a foreign god.” The verb exposes covenant infidelity both religiously and matrimonially, preparing for the Messiah who embodies faithful Israel. Patterns and Theological Trajectory • From the Garden to the New Jerusalem, marriage typifies God’s redemptive plan. Ministry Implications 1. Marriage Counseling. Teach that biblical headship mirrors Christ’s sacrificial lordship, calling husbands to protective love and wives to willing partnership. 2. Church Discipline. As adultery breaches covenant, so idolatry corrupts worship. Congregational purity safeguards covenant identity. 3. Preaching the Gospel. Present Christ as the ultimate Bridegroom whose blood secures the bride’s purity. Use Isaiah 62 and Revelation 19 to proclaim eschatological hope. 4. Social Ethics. Uphold marriage as the first social covenant; its protection stabilizes families and reflects the faithfulness of God. Conclusion בָּעַל threads through Scripture as a golden strand of covenant lordship and conjugal love, reaching its fullest expression in the union of Christ and His Church. Recognizing the breadth of its usage equips believers to honor marriage, resist idolatry, and rejoice in the steadfast love of their covenant Lord. Forms and Transliterations בְּעָל֥וּנוּ בְּעֻ֥לַת בְּעוּלָ֑ה בְעֻֽלַת־ בְעוּלָ֖ה בָּעֲל֥וּ בָּעַ֣לְתִּי בָּעַ֥לְתִּי בֹעֲלַ֙יִךְ֙ בעולה בעלו בעלונו בעליך בעלת בעלת־ בעלתי וּבְעָלָ֑הּ וּבָעַ֖ל ובעל ובעלה יִבְעַ֤ל יִבְעָל֖וּךְ יבעל יבעלוך תִּבָּעֵֽל׃ תִבָּעֵ֑ל תבעל תבעל׃ bā‘altî bā‘ălū bā·‘ă·lū bā·‘al·tî baAlti baaLu bə‘ālūnū bə‘ūlāh ḇə‘ūlāh bə‘ulaṯ ḇə‘ulaṯ- bə·‘ā·lū·nū bə·‘ū·lāh ḇə·‘ū·lāh bə·‘u·laṯ ḇə·‘u·laṯ- beaLunu beuLah beUlat ḇō‘ălayiḵ ḇō·‘ă·la·yiḵ tib·bā·‘êl ṯib·bā·‘êl tibbā‘êl ṯibbā‘êl tibbaEl ū·ḇā·‘al ū·ḇə·‘ā·lāh ūḇā‘al ūḇə‘ālāh uvaAl uveaLah veuLah veulat voaLayich yiḇ‘al yiḇ‘ālūḵ yiḇ·‘ā·lūḵ yiḇ·‘al yivAl yivaLuchLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 20:3 HEB: לָקַ֔חְתָּ וְהִ֖וא בְּעֻ֥לַת בָּֽעַל׃ KJV: for she [is] a man's wife. INT: have taken he wife she a man's Deuteronomy 22:22 Deuteronomy 24:1 1 Chronicles 4:22 Proverbs 30:23 Isaiah 26:13 Isaiah 54:1 Isaiah 54:5 Isaiah 62:4 Isaiah 62:4 Isaiah 62:5 Isaiah 62:5 Jeremiah 3:14 Jeremiah 31:32 Malachi 2:11 15 Occurrences |
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