בַּעַל חֶרְמוֹן
𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤓𐤌𐤅𐤍
Baal Cheremon
H1179 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Baal-Hermon is a toponymic designation meaning 'Lord of Hermon,' typically referring to a locality or sanctuary associated with the veneration of the deity Baal at or near Mount Hermon. Its semantic range includes both a specific place (likely a settlement, region, or sanctuary) and the conceptual connection between the divine figure Baal and Mount Hermon. In some biblical passages, it may also signify the area around or on Mount Hermon where Baal-worship was prominent.
Semantic Range
name of a locality associated with Baal-worship on or near Mount Hermon; title of a deity linked to Hermon; possibly a specific highland sanctuary; place inhabited or controlled by non-Israelite groups in the biblical period
Root / Etymology
A compound formed from the noun בַּעַל (Baal, 'lord', 'possessor', or title for various Canaanite deities) and the geographic name חֶרְמוֹן (Hermon, referring to the prominent mountain in the north of ancient Israelite territory). Thus, 'Baal-Hermon' means 'Lord of Hermon' or 'Possessor of Hermon,' designating both the local deity venerated there and the locality itself.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Baal-Hermon occurs as a place name in the Hebrew Bible (Judges 3:3; 1 Chronicles 5:23), marking territory in the northern reaches of historical Israelite land, near or on Mount Hermon. The name reflects the tendency among both Canaanites and Israelites to designate local sanctuaries after deities seen as protectors or guardians of particular places. Baal, as a theophoric element, was commonly associated with local installments (cf. Baal-Peor, Baal-Zebub), often referencing either the principal divine patron of the locale or the generic sense of 'lord' as a landholder. The area around Hermon was known for religious syncretism and may have retained semi-independent religious practices after wider Israelite settlement. The biblical text is sometimes ambiguous if 'Baal-Hermon' refers to a town, region, or cultic center. In English translations, the name is sometimes left untranslated (Baal-hermon), preserving the original theophoric reference; some earlier versions render it as 'possessor of Hermon,' but this loses the rich religious sense of the compound. The name 'Palestine' in the Strong's gloss is anachronistic for the biblical period; a historically accurate description would be northern Transjordan or the Hermon region. Later Jewish and Christian traditions sometimes interpret such names generically as 'pagan' sites, but in the context of the Hebrew Bible, Baal-Hermon reflects local religious geography and power structures.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בַּעַל and חֶרְמוֹן; possessor of Hermon; Baal-Chermon, a place in Palestine; Baal-hermon.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בעל (b-ʿ-l) — to possess, to own, to rule, to have dominion
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1010 | בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן | master |
| H1120 | בָּמוֹת | master |
| H1166 | בָּעַל | I possessed |
| H1167 | בַּעַל | master |
| H1168 | בַּעַל | master |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1179-01 |
בַּ֣עַל | baal | HNp |
Baal | master | 2 |
H1179-02 |
חֶרְמ֔וֹן | cheremon | HNp |
Hermon | Set-Apart Mountain | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1179-01 |
Judges 3:3 | בַּ֣עַל | baal | HNp |
Baal | master |
H1179-02 |
Judges 3:3 | חֶרְמ֔וֹן | cheremon | HNp |
Hermon | Set-Apart Mountain |
H1179-01 |
1 Chronicles 5:23 | בַּ֧עַל | baal | HNp |
Baal | master |
H1179-02 |
1 Chronicles 5:23 | חֶרְמ֛וֹן | cheremon | HNp |
Hermon | Set-Apart Mountain |