Baʿal Berith (Hebrew: בעל ברית, lit. 'Baʿal of the Covenant') and El Berith (Hebrew: אל ברית, lit. 'God of the Covenant') are titles of a god or gods worshiped in Shechem, in ancient Canaan, according to the Bible.
The term for "covenant" (Hebrew: ברית, romanized: bərīt) appears also in Ugaritic texts (second millennium BCE) as brt (𐎁𐎗𐎚), in connection with Baʿal, and perhaps as Beruth in Sanchuniathon's work.[1]
Judges is the only Biblical book that mentions Baʿal Berith and El Berith.[1][2][3] It is not clear whether they are actually one god, nor whether they are separate forms of Baʿal and El. Scholars suppose that he or they may have been worshipped for connections to fertility and vegetation, based on Judges 9:27. Also unclear is what covenant or covenants are referred to by the name Berith.
According to Yehezkel Kaufmann, "Baal-berith and El-berith of Judges 9:4,46 is presumably YHWH", as "ba'al was an epithet of YHWH in earlier times".[4]
Elsewhere, some of the Shechemites are called "men of Hamor";[5] this is compared to "sons of Hamor", which in the ancient Middle East referred to people who had entered into a covenant sealed by the sacrifice of a hamor, an ass.[6] "Children of Hamor" or "sons of Hamor" itself appears in the Book of Genesis[7] and the Book of Joshua,[8] in both of which, as in Judges,[5] Hamor is called the father of Shechem. Genesis also[9] features a man named Hamor who ruled in the area of Shechem[10] and had a son named Shechem.
Proposed relation to Berouthedit
In his euhemeristic account of the Phoenician deities, Sanchuniathon says that a certain Elioun, called also "the Most High", and a female named Berouth or Beruth dwelt in the neighbourhood of Byblos, on the coast of present-day Lebanon. They had two children—a male called Epigeius/Autochthon/Sky and a daughter called Earth. Because of the latter pair's beauty, the sky and the earth, respectively, were named after them. According to Sanchuniathon it is from Sky and Earth that El and various other deities are born, though ancient texts refer to El as creator of heaven and earth. A relationship with Hebrew bərīt ("covenant") or with the city name Beirut have both been suggested for Beruth. However, Robert R. Stieglitz showed how Berouth is best connected to bʾrôt, a name for the primordial sea, tehom.[11]
Rabbinic literatureedit
Rabbinic tradition equates Baʿal Berith with Beelzebub, "the lord of flies," the god of PhilistineEkron (2 Kings 1:2).[12] He was worshipped in the shape of a fly; and Jewish tradition states that so addicted were the Jews to his cult that they would carry an image of him in their pockets, producing it, and kissing it from time to time. Baʿal Zebub was called Baʿal Berith because such Jews might be said to make a covenant of devotion with the idol, being unwilling to part with it for a single moment.[13] According to another conception, Baʿal Berith was an obscene article of idolatrous worship, possibly a simulacrumpriapi.[14] This is evidently based on the later use of the word "berit" to refer to circumcision.[12]
Christianityedit
According to the Admirable History written by Father Sebastien Michaelis in 1612, Baʿal Berith once possessed a nun in Aix-en-Provence. In the process of the exorcism, Baʿal Berith volunteered not only his own name and the names of all the other demons possessing her, but the names of the saints who would be most effective in opposing them.
^Stieglitz, Robert R. (1990). "Ebla and the Gods of Canaan". In Cyrus Herzl Gordon; Gary Rendsburg (eds.). Eblaitica: essays on the Ebla archives and Eblaite language. Eisenbrauns. pp. 79–90 (p.88). ISBN978-0-931464-49-2.
baal, berith, other, uses, berith, baʿal, berith, hebrew, בעל, ברית, baʿal, covenant, berith, hebrew, אל, ברית, covenant, titles, gods, worshiped, shechem, ancient, canaan, according, bible, term, covenant, hebrew, ברית, romanized, bərīt, appears, also, ugarit. For other uses see Berith Baʿal Berith Hebrew בעל ברית lit Baʿal of the Covenant and El Berith Hebrew אל ברית lit God of the Covenant are titles of a god or gods worshiped in Shechem in ancient Canaan according to the Bible The term for covenant Hebrew ברית romanized berit appears also in Ugaritic texts second millennium BCE as brt 𐎁𐎗𐎚 in connection with Baʿal and perhaps as Beruth in Sanchuniathon s work 1 Contents 1 In the Bible 2 Proposed relation to Berouth 3 Rabbinic literature 4 Christianity 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksIn the Bible editJudges is the only Biblical book that mentions Baʿal Berith and El Berith 1 2 3 It is not clear whether they are actually one god nor whether they are separate forms of Baʿal and El Scholars suppose that he or they may have been worshipped for connections to fertility and vegetation based on Judges 9 27 Also unclear is what covenant or covenants are referred to by the name Berith According to Yehezkel Kaufmann Baal berith and El berith of Judges 9 4 46 is presumably YHWH as ba al was an epithet of YHWH in earlier times 4 Elsewhere some of the Shechemites are called men of Hamor 5 this is compared to sons of Hamor which in the ancient Middle East referred to people who had entered into a covenant sealed by the sacrifice of a hamor an ass 6 Children of Hamor or sons of Hamor itself appears in the Book of Genesis 7 and the Book of Joshua 8 in both of which as in Judges 5 Hamor is called the father of Shechem Genesis also 9 features a man named Hamor who ruled in the area of Shechem 10 and had a son named Shechem Proposed relation to Berouth editIn his euhemeristic account of the Phoenician deities Sanchuniathon says that a certain Elioun called also the Most High and a female named Berouth or Beruth dwelt in the neighbourhood of Byblos on the coast of present day Lebanon They had two children a male called Epigeius Autochthon Sky and a daughter called Earth Because of the latter pair s beauty the sky and the earth respectively were named after them According to Sanchuniathon it is from Sky and Earth that El and various other deities are born though ancient texts refer to El as creator of heaven and earth A relationship with Hebrew berit covenant or with the city name Beirut have both been suggested for Beruth However Robert R Stieglitz showed how Berouth is best connected to bʾrot a name for the primordial sea tehom 11 Rabbinic literature editRabbinic tradition equates Baʿal Berith with Beelzebub the lord of flies the god of Philistine Ekron 2 Kings 1 2 12 He was worshipped in the shape of a fly and Jewish tradition states that so addicted were the Jews to his cult that they would carry an image of him in their pockets producing it and kissing it from time to time Baʿal Zebub was called Baʿal Berith because such Jews might be said to make a covenant of devotion with the idol being unwilling to part with it for a single moment 13 According to another conception Baʿal Berith was an obscene article of idolatrous worship possibly a simulacrum priapi 14 This is evidently based on the later use of the word berit to refer to circumcision 12 Christianity editAccording to the Admirable History written by Father Sebastien Michaelis in 1612 Baʿal Berith once possessed a nun in Aix en Provence In the process of the exorcism Baʿal Berith volunteered not only his own name and the names of all the other demons possessing her but the names of the saints who would be most effective in opposing them See also edit nbsp Mythology portal nbsp Asia portal Other uses of berith References edit a b Judges 8 33 Judges 9 4 Judges 9 46 Yehezkel Kaufmann The Religion of Israel From Its Beginnings to the Babylonian Exile 1972 p 138 a b Judges 9 28 Mulder M J 1999 Baal berith Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Wm B Eerdmans Publishing pp 141 144 ISBN 978 90 04 11119 6 Gen 33 19 Joshua 24 32 Gen 34 Gen 33 18 Stieglitz Robert R 1990 Ebla and the Gods of Canaan In Cyrus Herzl Gordon Gary Rendsburg eds Eblaitica essays on the Ebla archives and Eblaite language Eisenbrauns pp 79 90 p 88 ISBN 978 0 931464 49 2 a b JewishEncyclopedia com BAAL BERITH Retrieved 2010 04 06 Shabbat 83b compare also Sanhedrin 63b Yerushalmi Shabbat 9 11d Avodah Zarah 3 43a Further reading editJ C DeMoor בעל Theologisches Worterbuch zum Alten Testament hrsg G J Botterweck H Ringgren Bd 1 Col 706 718 S L MacGregor Mathers A Crowley The Goetia The Lesser Key of Solomon the King 1904 1995 reprint ISBN 0 87728 847 X Berith Goetia the Lesser Key of Solomon the King Lemegeton DeliriumsRealm com Demonology Fallen Angels and the Philosophy of Good and Evil 30 Apr 2009 lt http www deliriumsrealm com delirium articleview asp Post 120 gt External links edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Singer Isidore et al eds 1901 1906 Baal berith The Jewish Encyclopedia New York Funk amp Wagnalls Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Baal Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 3 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 88 89 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Baal Berith amp oldid 1220151071, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
