Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <Yigal.Levin AT biu.ac.il>]

Dear Philip,

You are partially correct. As a common noun, "baal" simply means "lord", 
"master", "owner", "possessor", and the like, and in the patriarchal society 
of the biblical world, also "husband". It is used as a common noun dozens of 
times in the Bible. It is not really the name of any deity, but rather an 
epithet of the Northwestern Semitic storm-god, often know by the name of 
Hadad (also Haddu, Adad and the like). "Baal" was also used as a title for 
other deities with similar properties. In the Bible, it is sometimes used in 
the construct, such as Baal-peor, Baal-gad, Baal-hermon etc., usually assumed 
to be local manifestations of the deity, and sometimes becoming place-names. 
Because it is a title and not a proper name, in Hebrew, if the deity is 
meant, it is usually preceded by the article, "Ha-Baal", "The Baal"m (proper 
names, such as YHWH, Chemosh etc. do not receive the article). In English 
this is unnecessary because just the use of the transliteration, especially 
with a capital initial letter, "Baal", makes it clear that this refers to the 
deity, and not just to "a master". 

Hope that clarifies things.

Yigal Levin 

-----Original Message-----
From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org 
[mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Philip Hardy
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2012 7:54 AM
To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [b-hebrew] יהוה vs הבעל

Hello.
 My Name is Philip A. Hardy. I have noticed that in most instance in the King 
James Bible where The word BAAL is or any english word(s) that derived from 
the same Hebrew word that BAAL derived from, namley בעל, the original Hebrew 
almost always has "הבעל". This I believe is best conveyed or rendered in 
Enlish as "the owner", "the husband", "the master", or "the lord". Now where 
is found היהוה only once and possibly could be be tranlated "he the life", 
conversley is found הבעל thirty eight times. Now if הבעל can be translated 
"the lord" and the name "יהוה" is not transliterated as is "בעל" but is 
(mis)translated as "The Lord" and Certain persons choose not to "proclaim the 
name" or "Publish the name" as the word says we should, then could it be that 
This is a fulfillment of the prophecy found in JER 23:26-27 "Jer 23:26 How 
long shall [this] be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, 
[they are] prophets of the deceit of their own heart;Jer 23:27 Which think to 
cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man 
to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. wherein 
BAAL is really הבעל "The Lord" or "...as their fathers have forgotten my name 
for "The Lord"."

Any insight, conveyed musings, or constructive criticisms would be welcome.

 Good Day
 Philip Hardy
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