Beelzebub
Ba'al Zebub or Beelzebub (/biːˈɛlzəbʌb, ˈbiːl-/[1] bee-EL-zə-bub, BEEL-; Hebrew: בַּעַל־זְבוּב Baʿal-zəḇūḇ), also spelled Beelzebul or Belzebuth, and occasionally known as the Lord of the Flies, is a name derived from a Philistine god, formerly worshipped in Ekron, and later adopted by some Abrahamic religions as a major demon. The name Beelzebub is associated with the Canaanite god Baal.
In theological sources, predominantly Christian, Beelzebub is another name for Satan. He is known in demonology as one of the seven deadly demons or seven princes of Hell, Beelzebub representing gluttony and envy. The Dictionnaire Infernal describes Beelzebub as a being capable of flying, known as the "Lord of the Flyers", or the "Lord of the Flies".
Hebrew Scriptures
The source for the name Beelzebub is in the Books of Kings (2 Kings 1:2–3, 6, 16), written Baʿal zəvuv, referring to a deity worshipped by the Philistines in the city of Ekron.[2]
This passage notes that King Ahaziah of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, after seriously injuring himself in a fall, sent messengers to inquire of Baʿal-zəvuv, the god of the Philistine city of Ekron, to learn if he would recover.
Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber at Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers, whom he instructed: "Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury."
— "II Kings 1:2". www.sefaria.org.
Elijah then condemned Ahaziah to die by God's words because Ahaziah sought counsel from Baʿal-zəvuv rather than from God.
3 But an angel of
GODsaid to Elijah the Tishbite, "Go and confront the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, 'Is there no God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Assuredly, thus said GOD: You shall not rise from the bed you are lying on, but you shall die.'" And Elijah went.— "II Kings 1:3-4". www.sefaria.org.
The title
According to Francesco Saracino (1982), this series of elements may be inconclusive as evidence, but the fact that in relationship to Baʿal zəvuv, the two constituent terms are here linked, joined by a function (ndy) that is typical of some divinities attested to in the Mediterranean world, is a strong argument in favor of the authenticity of the name of the god of Ekron, and of his possible therapeutic activities, which are implicit in 2 Kings 1:2–3, etc.[8]
Alternatively, the deity's actual name could have been Baʿal zəvul, "lord of the (heavenly) dwelling", and Baʿal zəvuv could have been a derogatory pun used by the Israelites.[9][10][11]
The Septuagint renders the name as Baalzebub (Βααλζεβούβ) and as Baal muian (Βααλ μυῗαν, "Baal of flies"). However, Symmachus may have reflected a tradition of its offensive ancient name when he rendered it as Beelzeboul.[12]
Testament of Solomon
In the
Christian Bible
In
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."
- —Matthew 12:25–28
It is unknown whether
In any case, the form Beelzebub was substituted for Beelzeboul in the Syriac translation and Latin Vulgate translation of the gospels, and this substitution was repeated in the King James Version, the resulting form Beelzeboul being mostly unknown to Western European and descendant cultures until some more recent translations restored it.
Beelzebub is also identified in the New Testament as the Devil, "the prince of demons".[16][17] Biblical scholar Thomas Kelly Cheyne suggested that it might be a derogatory corruption of Ba'al-zəbûl, "Lord of the High Place" (i.e., Heaven) or "High Lord".[18]
In Arabic translations, the name is rendered as Baʿl-zabūl (بعلزبول).[19][20]
Gnostic tradition
Texts of the Gospel of Nicodemus vary; Beelzebul and Beelzebub are used interchangeably. The name is used by Hades as a secondary name for the Devil, but it may vary with each translation of the text; other versions separate Beelzebub from the Devil.
According to the teachings of the Modern Gnostic Movement of Samael Aun Weor, Beelzebub was a prince of demons who rebelled against the Black Lodge during World War II and was converted by Aun Weor to the White Lodge.[21]
Christian tradition
Beelzebub is commonly described as placed high in Hell's hierarchy. According to the stories of the 16th-century occultist Johann Weyer, Beelzebub led a successful revolt against the Devil,[22] is the chief lieutenant of Lucifer, the Emperor of Hell, and presides over the Order of the Fly. Similarly, the 17th-century exorcist Sébastien Michaëlis, in his Admirable History (1612), placed Beelzebub among the three most prominent fallen angels, the other two being Lucifer and Leviathan. John Milton, in his epic poem Paradise Lost, first published in 1667, identified an unholy trinity consisting of Beelzebub, Lucifer, and Astaroth, with Beelzebub as the second-ranking of the many fallen angels. Milton wrote of Beelzebub "than whom, Satan except, none higher sat." Beelzebub is also a character in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, first published in 1678.
In 1409–1410 The Lanterne of Light (an anonymous English
Not only had the
Judaism
Rabbinical literature commentary equates the Baʿal-zəvuv of Ekron as lord of the "fly".[27][28] The word Baʿal-zəvuv in rabbinical texts is a mockery of the worship of Baal, which ancient Hebrews considered to be idol worship.[29]
See also
- Baal Hammon
- Baal-zephon
- Lord of the Flies (1954 novel)
References
- ^ "Beelzebub". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.
- ^ "Beelzebub | Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable – Credo Reference". search.credoreference.com. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
- ISBN 978-0-8028-2491-2.
For etymological reasons, Baal Zebub must be considered a Semitic god; he is taken over by the Philistine Ekronites and incorporated into their local cult.
- ISBN 978-0-226-03933-6.
Βεελζεβούλ, ὁ indecl. (v.l. Βεελζεβούβ and Βεεζεβούλ W-S. § 5, 31, cp. 27 n. 56) Beelzebul, orig. a Philistine deity; the name בַּעַל-זְבוּב means Baal (lord) of those who are capable of flying (4 Km 1:2, 6; Sym. transcribes βεελζεβούβ; Vulgate Beelzebub; TestSol freq. Βεελζεβούλ,-βουέλ).
- ISBN 978-0-8028-2412-7.
1. According to 2 Kgs 1:2–6 the name of the Philistine god of Ekron was Lord of the Flies (Heb. ba'al zeaûḇ), from whom Israel's King Ahaziah requested an oracle.
- ISBN 978-0-300-14001-9.
The etymology of Beelzebul has proceeded in several directions. The variant reading Beelzebub (Syriac translators and Jerome) reflects a long-standing tradition of equating Beelzebul with the Philistine deity of the city of Ekron mentioned in 2 Kgs 1:2, 3, 6, 16. Baalzebub (Heb ba˓al zĕbûb) seems to mean "lord of flies" (HALAT, 250, but cf. LXXB baal muian theon akkarōn, "Baal-Fly, god of Akkaron"; Ant 9:2, 1 theon muian).
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8028-2400-4.
- .
- ISBN 978-0-8028-3785-1.
It is not as probable that b'l-zbl, which can mean "lord of the (heavenly) dwelling" in Ugaritic, was changed to b'l zbb to make the divine name an opprobrius epithet. The reading Beelzebul in Mt. 10:25 would then reflect the right form of the name, a wordplay on "master of the house" (Gk oikodespótēs).
- ISBN 978-0-300-14081-1.
An alternative suggested by many is to connect zĕbûl with a noun meaning "(exalted) abode".
- ISBN 978-0-8308-1439-8.
In contemporary Semitic speech it may have been understood as 'the master of the house'; if so, this phrase could be used in a double sense in Mt. 10:25b.
- ^ Fenlon, John Francis (2021) [1907]. "Beelzebub". Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York City: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ Testament of Solomon 6.2
- ^ Testament of Solomon 6.7
- The University of Pennsylvania Press. October 1898. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- ^ "In NT Gk. beelzeboul, beezeboul (Beelzebub in TR and AV) is the prince of the demons (Mt. 12:24, 27; Mk. 3:22; Lk. 11:15, 18f.), identified with Satan (Mt. 12:26; Mk. 3:23, 26; Lk. 11:18).", Bruce, "Baal-Zebub, Beelzebul", Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed.) (108). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
- ^ "Besides, Matt 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15 use the apposition ἄρχων τῶν δαιμονίων 'head of the →Demons'.", Herrmann, "Baal Zebub", in Toorn, K. v. d., Becking, B., & Horst, P. W. v. d. (1999). Dictionary of deities and demons in the Bible DDD (2nd extensively rev. ed.) (154). Leiden; Boston; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Brill; Eerdmans.
- ISBN 0-312-30741-1.
- ^ Van Dyck Version, Bible Society of Egypt, 1860, retrieved 2015-09-09
- ^ Holy Bible, New Arabic Version (كتاب الحياة — Ketab El Hayat), Biblica (formerly International Bible Society), 1997, retrieved September 9, 2015
- ASIN B007RDMHKE.
- ISBN 0-404-05451-X.
- ^ Milford, Humphrey. "Introduction", The Lanterne of Liȝt. Oxford University Press, 1917
- ^ Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology, by Rosemary Guiley, pp. 28–29, Facts on File, 2009.
- ^ Dictionary of Demons, by Fred Gettings, Guild Publishing, 1998, pp. 55–56
- ^ Mather, Cotton (1693). Of Beelzebub and his Plot. Archived from the original on September 21, 2002.
- ^ The Babylonian Talmud, Vol. 1 of 9: Tract Sabbath – Page 186 "made themselves Baal-berith for a god"; by Baal-berith is meant the Zebub (fly) idol of Ekron, and every idolater (at that time) made an image of his idol in miniature in order to keep it constantly at hand and to be able at any time to take it out, .."
- ^ a b Kohler, Kaufmann (1904). "Beelzebub". Jewish Encyclopedia. New York City: KTAV Publishing House.
- ISBN 978-0-415-34018-2– via Google Books.
- ^ Easton's Bible Dictionary Archived 2011-10-03 at the Wayback Machine