Baal

Baal, also known as Ba'al, is the name given to many ancient Semitic gods, who were eventually merged into the single god Baal. The word itself means "master, owner", or more simply "lord". Female deities with this name were known as Baalat, and the gods that were merged into Baal are collectively known as the Baalim.Unknown. (1972). "Baal or ba'al (feminine baalat; plural baalim)", in Leach, M. (ed) Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend. 3rd ed. p.100
As a word, Baal still survives as an element in a number of Yiddish words. 
De Plancy theorises that Baal and Bael are one and the samede Plancy, J. C., (1863). Dictionnaire Infernal. 6ed. pg.71, which, by extension, means he and Belzebub are likely the samede Plancy, J. C., (1863). Dictionnaire Infernal. 6ed. pg.89. He also says that Baalberith was one of the many gods known as "Baal", and lists a few more examples. de Plancy, J. C., (1863). Dictionnaire Infernal. 6ed. pg.69
The Baaltein ceremony, also known as Bellain, was a ritual dedicated to Baal in the hopes that the farmers' flocks would be protected from birds of prey. 
== Myths ==
The baalim were originally fertility deities, either associated with the land, or with domesticated animals. Each baalim had an associated sacred place where they were said to dwell, and there is no evidence of baalim who were not associated with physical places. It is thought that they were originally deified locations that were important to desert agriculture, such as springs and oases. 
Worship of Melkart, the Baal of Tyre, spread to Palestine and reached prominence under Princess Jezebel and her husband Ahab, leading to conflict with Hebrew prophets due to the religion being considered a rival to the worship of Yahweh, as well as its practice of human sacrifice. 
According to de Plancy, Baal is a grand duke of Hell with an extensive domain, with some saying they are the chief general of Hell's armies. In parts of the middle east, they were worshipped as a Sun god. According to Arnobius, Baal did not have a set gender , which fits with the idea of the baalim including goddesses known as Baalat. Baal not having a set gender implies that, in modern terms, they can be considered genderfluid. 
== Known Baalim ==
* Adad - Associated with storms, Baal of Mt. Lebanon.Unknown. (1972). "Adad or Hadad", in Leach, M. (ed) Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend. 3rd ed. p.8
* Baalberith - Associated with oaths
* Baalgad - Associated with wealth
* Baalpharas - Associated with evil
* Baalsemen - Associated with rulership
* Baalzephro - Associated with border protection
* Baël - Associated with rulership
* Belphegor - Associated with invention
* Belzebub/Melkhart - Associated with flies and pestilence
* Melkart - Hero-God
== See Also ==
* Assyrian Mythology
* Astarte
* Babylonian Mythology
* Bel
* Canaanite Mythology
* Israelite Mythology
== References ==
Category:Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend
Category:Gods
Category:Dictionnaire Infernal
Category:Demons