) is a northwest Semitic word signifying 'The Lord, master, owner (male), husband' cognate with Akkadian Bēl of the same meanings. The feminine form is Phoenician בעלת Ba ʕ alat , Hebrew בַּעֲלָה Ba ʕ a lah signifying 'lady, mistress, owner (female), wife'. The words themselves had no exclusively religious connotation,