H1078 H1078
Bel, chief Babylonian deity identified with Marduk; god of Babylon defeated in prophetic oracles
The Babylonian god Bel (meaning 'lord'), identified with Marduk, the patron deity of Babylon. Prophetic oracles mock Bel's impotence: 'Bel bows down, Nebo stoops' (Isaiah 46:1) as idols are carted off by beasts—gods unable to save themselves. Jeremiah declares Babylon's fall: 'Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed' (Jeremiah 50:2) and 'I will punish Bel in Babylon' (Jeremiah 51:44). The prophets' anti-idol polemic targets Babylon's chief god as a symbol of imperial pride destined for humiliation. The name Bel parallels the Semitic 'Baal' (lord).
Senses
1. sense 1 — The chief Babylonian deity, mocked by Israel's prophets as powerless. Isaiah pictures Bel bowing and stooping as his idol is loaded onto animals (Isaiah 46:1). Jeremiah announces judgment: 'Declare among the nations... Bel is put to shame' (Jeremiah 50:2) and 'I will punish Bel' who must disgorge what he swallowed (Jeremiah 51:44). The collapse of Bel symbolizes Babylon's fall—even their mightiest god cannot save the empire. 3×
AR["بِيلَ", "بِيلُ"]·ben["বেল", "বেলের"]·DE["nicht"]·EN["Bel"]·FR["ne...pas"]·heb["בל"]·HI["बेल"]·ID["Bel"]·IT["non"]·jav["Bèl", "Bél"]·KO["벨을", "벨이"]·PT["Bel"]·RU["Бел", "Бела", "Бэль"]·ES["Bel"]·SW["Beli"]·TR["Bel", "Bel'i"]·urd["بیل"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† בֵּל n.pr.m. a chief Babylonian deity (Bab. Bêlu = בַּעַל, lord; Bêl regarded as older form than בַּעַל by HptHbr i. 178; BAS i. 17) = Merodach (cf. מרדך), tutelary god of Babylon (to be distinguished from older Bêlu, one of ancient Babylonian triad) Je 50:2 (‖ מְרֹדַךְ) 51:44; Is 46:1 (‖ נְבֹו)—both writers of Babylonian period;—on Bel v. COT Gn 11:4 Ju 2:11; SayRel.Bab. 103, 110 JenKosmologie 24, 134, 307, 391.