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קִרְיַת בַּעַל

𐤒𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤁𐤏𐤋

Qireyat Baal

H7154 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קרי, בעל to call, proclaim, name; to possess, be lord/master

Definition

A proper noun designating a specific city: 'City of Baal.' This toponym refers to a site in the territory of Judah associated with the deity Baal. The name reflects an established civic center or settlement ('city') linked to Baal, either as its dedicated patron deity or as a feature of its identity or cultic significance. The phrase is used exclusively as a place name in biblical texts.

Semantic Range

city/town dedicated to Baal, fortified settlement linked with the deity Baal, specific toponym for a Judahite city; later renamed Kiryath-Yearim

Root / Etymology

Compound of קִרְיָה (qiryah, 'city, town, settlement') and בַּעַל (baʽal, 'Baal,' the name of a prominent Northwest Semitic deity; also commonly meaning 'lord, master, owner'). The word functions as a fused toponym combining these two elements, signifying a locality associated with Baal.

Historical & Contextual Notes

קִרְיַת בַּעַל appears in Joshua 15:60 as a city allotted to the Judahites, specifying its location as 'Kiryath-Baal, that is, Kiryath-Yearim.' The alternate name Kiryath-Yearim suggests a later shift away from explicit association with Baal, reflecting broader trends in Israelite religion towards distancing from non-Yahwistic deities. The use of a theophoric element (Baal) in a city's name indicates that at the time the place name was established, such names were common and did not necessarily imply exclusive devotion to the Canaanite Baal, but broadly designated sites of local significance or older religious associations. English translations sometimes render the term as 'Kirjath-baal' or 'City of Baal,' though the nuance of the underlying theophoric association may be lost. In post-exilic contexts, the name Kiryath-Yearim becomes standard, reflecting religious reform. The term 'Jew' is not appropriate for people inhabiting this city in its biblical context; the inhabitants would have been Judahites during the monarchic or pre-exilic periods.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from קִרְיָה and בַּעַל; city of Baal; Kirjath-Baal, a place in Palestine; Kirjathbaal.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root 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
H7154-02 קִרְיַת qireyat HNp Kiriath Settlement-of 2
H7154-01 בַּ֗עַל baal HNp Baal master 2

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7154-02 Joshua 15:60 קִרְיַת qireyat HNp Kiriath Settlement-of
H7154-01 Joshua 15:60 בַּ֗עַל baal HNp Baal master
H7154-02 Joshua 18:14 קִרְיַת qireyat HNp Kiriath Settlement-of
H7154-01 Joshua 18:14 בַּ֨עַל֙ baal HNp Baal master
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