גּוּר־בַּעַל
𐤂𐤅𐤓־𐤁𐤏𐤋
Gur Baal
H1485 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name of a location, meaning 'dwelling place of Baal' or 'abode of a lord', referring to a specific settlement or locality. In biblical context, it designates a place in Arabia inhabited or identified by its association with Baal, a prominent West Semitic deity, or possibly a local leader with the title 'baal' (lord, master). The semantic range focuses on its use as a geographical toponym formed with the components 'to sojourn/dwell' and 'baal/lord'.
Semantic Range
place name, dwelling or settlement associated with Baal, residence or territory of a lord, toponym reflecting religious or political affiliation
Root / Etymology
Compound from the root גּוּר (gûr, 'to sojourn, dwell, reside temporarily') and בַּעַל (baʻal, 'lord, master', also used as the name/title of a regional deity). The construction indicates a place associated or identified with Baal, either as a religious figure or chieftain. The form is a typical place-name compound in biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גּוּר־בַּעַל appears once in the Hebrew Bible (2 Chronicles 26:7), describing a locality in Arabia attacked and subdued in the narrative of King Uzziah's military campaigns. The name is best understood as a toponym highlighting the religious or political association with Baal. In the Israelite monarchic period, 'Baal' most commonly refers to the Canaanite storm god, though it may sometimes denote local rulers or lords. Place-names combining 'gûr' and a deity or chief appear elsewhere in Semitic toponymy. Modern English translations transliterate the name rather than translating it, obscuring the underlying meaning; earlier versions sometimes rendered it 'dwelling of Baal'. It should not be read as reflecting Israelite religious identity but as a geographical and cultural designation in the context of the southern neighbors of the Israelite kingdom. The form follows standard biblical practice of combining a verb or nominal element of locale with the name or title of a deity or leader to indicate a site especially associated with that figure.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גּוּר and בַּעַל; dwelling of Baal; Gur-Baal, a place in Arabia; Gur-baal.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1485-02 |
בְּ/גוּר | begur | HR/Np |
in Gur | Dwelling of Baal | 1 |
H1485-01 |
בָּ֖עַל | baal | HNp |
Baal | master | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1485-02 |
2 Chronicles 26:7 | בְּ/גוּר | begur | HR/Np |
in Gur | Dwelling of Baal |
H1485-01 |
2 Chronicles 26:7 | בָּ֖עַל | baal | HNp |
Baal | master |