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בַּעֲלִי

𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤉

Baali

H1180 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בעל to own, possess, rule, be lord over

Definition

Personal or symbolic name meaning 'my lord' or 'my master'; primarily used as a designation in Hosea to indicate a relational title sometimes ascribed to the deity worshipped by the ancient Israelites. The meaning reflects a possessive or intimate relationship articulated through the use of the first person singular suffix ('my').

Semantic Range

my master, my lord, my owner, symbolic title for deity, term of intimate or covenantal relationship

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root בָּעַל (b-ʿ-l), which means 'to own, possess, rule, be lord over.' The form בַּעֲלִי combines the root noun 'baʿal' (lord, owner, master, also a divine title) with the first person singular pronominal suffix –ִי (my), creating the meaning 'my lord' or 'my master.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Hosea 2:16 (Hebrew v. 18), the prophet contrasts calling the national deity 'Baali' ('my lord') versus 'Ishi' ('my husband'), reflecting both the polytheistic associations of 'Baʿal'—which could designate Canaanite deities and was also used generically for 'lord'—and the shift in developing a distinct Israelite religious identity. 'Baali' here is not a personal name but a symbolic one, expressing the relational dynamics between deity and people. While some translations or traditions render the term as 'Lord' or, anachronistically, 'Jehovah,' it is more accurate to understand it as a title rather than a proper name. Later Judean and Jewish tradition avoided use of terms related to 'Baʿal' for the national god, due to their association with Canaanite cults. The usage in Hosea highlights this polemic. English translations often obscure this nuance by rendering it simply as 'my master' or 'my lord.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בַּעַל with pron. suff.; my master; Baali, a symbolical name for Jehovah; Baali.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בעל (b-ʿ-l) — to own, possess, rule, be lord over

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

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1180-01 בַּעְלִֽ/י baeli HNp/Sp1cs my Baal my lord 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1180-01 Hosea 2:18 בַּעְלִֽ/י baeli HNp/Sp1cs my Baal my lord
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