בַּעֲלֵי בָּמוֹת
𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤁𐤌𐤅𐤕
Baʻălêy Bâmôwth
H1181
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ba'alei Bamoth is a toponym meaning 'Lords of the High Places,' referring to a geographical location east of the Jordan River associated with elevated places of worship or cultic sites. The phrase is constructed from the plural forms of 'ba'al' (lord, owner, master) and 'bamâ' (high place). In biblical usage, it identifies a specific site likely known for its prominent or multiple cultic platforms or shrines.
Semantic Range
owners of high places, rulers of heights, lords of cultic sites on elevations, geographical place name east of the Jordan with associations to high places
Root / Etymology
The term is a compound of two plural nouns. The first element, בַּעֲלֵי (ba'alei), is the plural of בַּעַל (ba'al), meaning 'lord, owner, master.' The second element, בָּמוֹת (bamoth), is the plural of בָּמָה (bamah), meaning 'high place,' typically used for places of worship or cultic activity. Together, they literally mean 'lords of the high places.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ba'alei Bamoth appears only once in the Hebrew Bible (Numbers 22:41), in the context of the Balaam narrative, where Balak takes Balaam to 'Ba'alei Bamoth' to observe the extent of the Israelite encampment. The term may refer to a site with multiple high places or a locality associated with prominent cultic installations on elevated terrain. While English translations have sometimes rendered the phrase as 'lords of the high places' or as a proper place name, it most likely reflects a geographical location connected to local religious practices in the Moabite region. Later in Israelite history, 'bamah' became a term with negative connotations due to its association with non-Yahwistic worship, but in the earliest contexts—including this one—the term primarily denotes a physical or cultic elevation. Unlike the later, more polemical use of 'ba'al' for specific deities, here 'ba'alei' may imply local or regional lords or patron deities associated with the high places rather than a single named deity. The passage does not describe the inhabitants as 'Baals' but rather identifies the site by its prominent feature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the plural of בַּעַל and the plural of בָּמָה; Baals of (the) heights; Baale-Bamoth, a place East of the Jordan; lords of the high places.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordWord Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.