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בַּעֲלָת

𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤕

Baalat

H1191 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בעל to own, possess, rule, have dominion

Definition

Baʿalath is a feminine place name meaning 'Mistress,' derived from the common noun 'mistress' or 'lady.' In the Hebrew Bible, Baʿalath refers to a city, specifically within the territory allocated to the tribe of Dan and later mentioned as one of Solomon’s fortified cities. The word carries both the literal sense of 'mistress (female owner/sovereign)' and its use as a proper name for a location, possibly linked historically or religiously with a local deity venerated as a female consort or sovereign.

Semantic Range

mistress, female owner, lady, a city named Baʿalath, possibly a reference to a local goddess or a personification of ownership as a feminine principle

Root / Etymology

From the root בעל (b-ʿ-l), meaning 'to own, possess, exercise dominion or lordship.' The ending ־ת (-ath) forms a feminine noun, thus shifting the meaning from 'master, lord, owner' (masculine) to 'mistress, lady, female owner.' The city name reflects this feminine form, likely alluding originally to a local goddess or a conceptual 'lady' of the place.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the biblical context, Baʿalath is most notably identified as a place name in the Hebrew Bible: first, as a town in the territory apportioned to the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:44), and second, as one of the cities fortified by Solomon (1 Kings 9:18; 2 Chronicles 8:6). The word’s form is the feminine counterpart of Baal (בעל), a term used for deities, landowners, or figures of authority and possession; as such, Baʿalath suggests an association with a female figure of prominence or perhaps a local patron deity venerated in that locale. This feminine form diverges from the Semitic tradition of predominantly masculine divine titles but corresponds with archaeological and textual evidence for goddess worship in the Levant. The English translations consistently treat Baʿalath as a place name and do not reflect the word's underlying sense of 'mistress' or 'lady.' Later traditions occasionally identify Baʿalath with Baalbek or other ancient towns, but the biblical referent remains elusive beyond its brief enumerations. Distinction should be made between Baʿalath and Baalah; the latter may refer to either a different city or, sometimes, a variation in vocalization referring back to the same root.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a modification of בַּעֲלָה; mistressship; Baalath, a place in Palestine; Baalath.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בעל (b-ʿ-l) — to own, possess, rule, 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
H1191-01 בַּעֲלָ֛ת baalat HNp Baalath Mistress 2
H1191-02 וּ/בַעֲלָֽת uvaalat HC/Np and Baalath Mistress 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1191-02 Joshua 19:44 וּ/בַעֲלָֽת uvaalat HC/Np and Baalath Mistress
H1191-01 1 Kings 9:18 בַּעֲלָ֛ת baalat HNp Baalath Mistress
H1191-01 2 Chronicles 8:6 בַּעֲלָ֗ת baalat HNp Baalath Mistress
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