Baal, the rival of jehovah

BAAL, THE RIVAL OF JEHOVAH
Written and edited By Glenn Pease
In this study I have explored a number of resources to glean information on the god Baal in order
to understand why this god has been such a rival of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. How
can it be that this god, who is no god at all, could be such a rival to Jehovah that God's people
could not be kept from worshiping him, rather than the God who brought them out of Egypt, and
did all kinds of amazing miracles on their behalf? The battles to stop the people from this false
idolatry seem endless as we read the Old Testament. They may succeed for awhile, but soon the
people are back following the worship of this enemy to Jehovah. What is the secret to the power
of this god made up by the minds of pagans? How could the worship of this deity become so
popular that the only way God could eliminate it was to send his people in great judgment out of
the Promised Land that he had led them into? The goal of this study is to make sense of this
mystery.
.AME:
The word Baal means "master" or "owner", or even “lord.” The Catholic Encyclopedia says, “So
in Hebrew, a man is styled baal of a house (Exodus 22:7; Judges 19:22), of a field (Job 21:39), of
cattle (Exodus 21:28; Isaiah 1:3) of wealth (Eccles, v, 12), even of a wife (Exodus 21:3; cf. Genesis
3:16).” Sometimes places were linked to Baal indicating that a temple to him was located there.
Biblical references to baals associated with various places include: Baal Hazor, Baal Hermon,
Baal Heon, Baal Peor, Baal Perazim, Baal Shalisha, Baal Tamar, Baal Zephon and others. Here
are a couple of examples you can look up: Baal Peor (.um 25:3, 5; Deut 4:3; Hos 9:10), Baal
Hermon (Judg 3:3). Sometimes personal names are linked with Baal indicating how popular he
was. .ames like Ethbaal and Jerubbaal, for example. Jerubbaal is none other than the great
judge of Israel Gideon, and it means Baal strives. A descendant of Jacob's firstborn son was
named Baal (I Chron. 5:5). An uncle of King Saul (that is, a brother of Saul's father, Kish) was
also named Baal (I Chron. 9:35-39). One also finds Eshbaal (one of Saul's sons), Meribaal (Saul's
grandson)
The Catholic Encyclopedia suggests that even Jehovah himself is sometimes referred to as Baal
because of its meaning “lord.” It says, “.ames like Esbaal (1 Chronicles 8:33; 9:39), Meribbaal (1
Chronicles 8:34; 9:40), Baaliada (1 Chronicles 14:7), given by Saul, Johnathen, and David to their
sons, suggest that Yahweh was possibly spoken of as Baal. The fact has been disputed; but the
existence of such a name as Baalia (i.e. "Yahweh is Baal", 1 Chronicles 12:5) and the affirmation
of Osee (ii, 16) are arguments that cannot be slighted.”
ORIGI. A.D .ATURE:
Baal was of Canaan. He was the son of El, the high god of Canaan. As time went on he became in
the 14th century BC the chief god of the universe. He was the god that many temples were built
for because he was the god of fertility, and the people depended on him for their crops. He

controlled the rain so essential for their livelihood. This made him popular, and so the Jews also
began to worship him in the hopes that he would bring them prosperity. He was the god of
success in that day, and that always makes for a popular god.
Encyclopedia of Judaism, “The most important of the Canaanite fertility gods, son of El and
brother of Anath. As the god of wind and rain, Baal was related to the productivity of the soil,
and by extension his cult included animal and human fertility as well. Its strong sexual overtones
are attested by the presence of the corresponding female symbol, Ashtoreth. The worship of Baal
was regarded as one of the greatest threats to early Israelite religion, either undermining or
perverting the worship of Israel's God. Many biblical references show the extent of its influence;
Hosea addresses the moral and religious ruin which it brought upon the .orthern Kingdom of
Israel (e.g., Hos. 2:10, 13:1), while Jeremiah describes this abhorrent worship, including child
sacrifice, as occurring at the very gates of Jerusalem (Jer. 19).
WORSHIP:
Alan G. Hefner, “The cult of Baal celebrated annually his death and resurrection as a part of the
Canaanite fertility rituals. These ceremonies often included human sacrifice and temple
prostitution. The religion of the god Baal was widely accepted among the ancient Jews, and
although it was put down at times, it was never permanently stamped out. Kings and other
royalty of the ten Biblical tribes worshiped the god. The ordinary people ardently worshipped
this sun god too because their prosperity depended on the productivity of their crops and
livestock. The god's images were erected on many buildings. Within the religion there appeared
to be numerous priests and various classes of devotees. During the ceremonies they wore
appropriate robes. The ceremonies included burning incense, and offering burnt sacrifices,
occasionally consisting of human victims. The officiating priests danced around the altars,
chanting frantically and cutting themselves with knives to inspire the attention and compassion
of the god.”
Dennis Bratcher, “Ba‘al religion revolved around the cycles of nature necessary for survival and
prosperity in the ancient world, primarily growing crops or raising livestock, as well as the
growth of human populations. .ot surprisingly, in an arid and agriculturally marginal area of
the world the fertility of land and crops played a large role in Canaanite world view. Also as
expected, water was a major element of the myth and its images. Likewise, in an environment
where human existence was often precarious for a variety of reasons human fertility was an
important concern, not only for survival, but also due to the fact that people were one of the most
important resources.........Worship of Ba‘al involved imitative magic, the performance of rituals,
including sacred prostitution, which were understood to bring vitality to Ba‘al in his struggle
with Mot. It takes little imagination to see the connection between the human sexual act and rain
watering the earth to produce fruit. It is interesting to note in passing that the biblical traditions
use these same agrarian images of being fruitful or barren to describe vitality in human
beings.....Ba‘al is often portrayed as "Rider of the Clouds," and described in imagery associated
with storms and meteorological phenomena, including clouds, thunder, lightning, and hail. The
myth gives assurance of some stability in the physical world, assisted by humans in their service
to the gods, that would allow continued human existence.”

Bratcher goes on to point out that the Jews never abandoned the worship of Yahweh, but just
added the worship of Baal to their lives to assure themselves of success. Yahweh had done
marvelous miracles in their lives as the God of power and victory over enemies, but now that they
were settled in the land they felt the need for a god of everyday life that would help them in
raising their crops and livestock. It seemed to be a practical thing to do to add the worship of
Baal to their lives, for he was the popular god among the Canaanite people who were their
neighbors. We have popular idols in our culture, and Christians make them their idols as well.
They may be sports idols, or movie star idols, and believers in Jesus are just as wrapped up in
these people as unbelievers. It almost comes to the level of worship as they are followed and
money is spent in pursuit of them. So it was in ancient Israel as the people chose to get involved
with the popular idols of their day, and Baal was the most popular of all.
Keep in mind the sexual attraction to Baal worship. Sex with a temple prostitute as a part of
worship was a temptation that would be hard to resist for many. How many men would be more
faithful to be in church if there was the chance of having sex as a part of the service? Bratcher
says, “The actual worship of Ba‘al was carried out in terms of imitative magic whereby sexual
acts by both male and female temple prostitutes were understood to arouse Ba‘al who then
brought rain to make Mother Earth fertile (in some forms of the myth, represented by a female
consort, Asherah or Astarte).” Add good crops and extra sex to the mix and you can see why the
worship of Baal was popular and hard to resist. We read in Gen. 38:15-38 that Judah fathered
twin boys through his own daughter-in-law who was posing as a temple prostitute. Here was one
of God's chosen men choosing to have sex with no thought of sinfulness because it was with one
he thought was a sacred prostitute, where sex was just the normal thing to do. “While Israel was
staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who
invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. So
Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the Lord's anger burned against them.”
(.umbers 25:1-3).
Jewish Encyclopedia says, “The noxious elements in such Ba'al-Worship were not simply the
degradation of Yhwh and the enthronement in his place of a baseless superstition. The chief evil
arose from the fact that the Ba'als were more than mere religious fantasies. They were made the
symbols of the reproductive powers of nature, and thus their worship ministered to sexual
indulgences, which it at the same time legalized and encouraged. Further, there was placed side
by side with the Ba'al a corresponding female symbol, the Ashtoreth (Babyl. "Ashtar") and the
relation between the two deities was set forth as the example and the motive of unbridled
sensuality. The evil became all the worse when in the popular view Yhwh himself was regarded as
one of the Ba'als and the chief of them (Hosea ii. 16). It was in northern Israel, where agriculture
was more followed than in the southern kingdom, that Ba'al-Worship was most insidious and
virulent.” You can see why it was hard for God's people to reject Baal worship, and why it
became the primary villain of Jehovah worship. It was stomped on time after time, but it kept
coming back. It was never defeated until God sent Israel into exile for 70 years, and that finally
convinced them to be faithful to Yahweh and forsake Baal worship.
David B Loughran of Stewarton Bible School, Stewarton, Scotland wrote about the female
goddess that was a part of the worship of Baal. He quotes Westminster Dictionary of the Bible
first, “Of the goddess ASTORETH the same dictionary says: "... She was the goddess of sexual
love, maternity and fertility. Prostitution as a religious rite in the service of this goddess under

various names is widely attested. The identification of 'Ashtart with Aphrodite is evidence of her
sexual character." "Ashtaroth (plural of Astoreth). In connection with the plural of Baal, a
general designation for the female divinities of the Canaanites ..." "Asherah refers to a wooden
pole or mast which stood at Canaanite places of worship (Exo.34:13); originally it was, perhaps,
the trunk of a tree with branches chopped off, and was regarded as the wooden symbol of the
goddess Asherah, who like Ashtoreth, was a type of fertility ... It was erected beside the altar of
Baal. (Judg 6:25, 28)" Then he goes on to write, “We can see from these quotes that Baal and
Ashtaroth worship incorporated illegal sexual acts and that the Asherah was nothing but a
phallic symbol. That word lascivious means lewd, lustful, licentious, lecherous, bawdy. In other
words Baal worship was accompanied with sinful sexual acts; behaviour expressly forbidden in
Jehovah's law.”
Jay Johansen describes the Baal worship, “One ritual they practiced was the "sacred orgy". The
people would get together, get very drunk, and engage in promiscuous sex. The stated reason for
this ceremony was to celebrate fertility: By acting out acts of reproduction, they thanked their
gods, Baal and Asherah, for their success at bearing children, breeding animals, and growing
crops, and prayed for more of the same........Excuse me if I'm being cynical, but I find it difficult
to avoid wondering if the orgy's were inspired, not by religious devotion or even a materialistic
desire for more crops and animals, but rather by simple lust. Did these people really see this as
their solemn religious duty? Did teenagers whine, "Oh mom, do I have to go to the orgy? I have
so much homework to do"? Or was the religion a thin excuse for doing what they wanted to do
anyway? Of course, people are complex. It is quite possible that people saw a mystical, religious
significance to sex, and also the fact that the ritual was fun didn't exactly hinder its appeal.”
Jay goes on to explain why they also sacrificed babies in their pagan religion. The orgies would
produce both wanted and unwanted babies, and so they had to have a solution to deal with the
unwanted babies. He wrote, “You have a bunch of people having wild orgies, and inevitably some
number of pregnancies will result. Of course there was no real birth control back then. If the
woman is married and reasonably settled and well off, maybe its no problem. Sure, the baby isn't
her husband's, but they may not even know that for sure, and if they're both practicing this
religion, it would seem likely that neither of them would be too upset by the fine moral niceties.
But what if the pregnant woman is young and single and poor? How is she going to take care of a
baby? Life is hard enough for single mothers in a wealthy, modern country like the United States,
where there are many technological gadgets to ease the burden. Imagine trying to take care of a
baby without disposable diapers, a microwave oven, a washing machine and vacuum cleaner to
clean up messes, etc etc. What would a poor Carthagian girl do with this unwanted child? Child
sacrifice provides an easy, convenient answer: give him to the god. That is, kill him and burn the
body. How neat and tidy! The people wanted cheap sex, so their religion provided a convenient
excuse for it. But then they had a lot of unwanted babies, so their religion provided a convenient
way to dispose of them.”
The bottom line is that the worship of success and sex is still alive and well, and so even if the
word and name Baal is long dead and gone, the essence of his worship is prevalent yet in our
culture, and Christians are caught up in it just as Jews were in the Old Testament. More and
more success, and more and more sex is still the craving of the culture, and of the believers who
live in this culture. God gets an hour on Sunday, and the gods of money and sex get the major
share of the rest of the week. If any unwanted babies are a result, we have an easy solution in the
abortion clinic nearby. Even though everything is different, everything is still the same, for the
ancient gods are still in rivalry with the God of creation and the Lord of our salvation.

The paradox is that great success and good sex are blessings that God wants for us to enjoy. The
Bible is full of the positive success and sex that are what God wants for his people. The problem is
that these good things become obsessions that take over our lives so that God himself has to take
a back seat where he gets a mere fragment of our devotion. That is what leads these good things
to become idols and rivals of our Lord. How can Jesus be Lord of our lives if the majority of our
lives are spent in the pursuit of success and sex, and whatever is left over is devoted to him? Baal
is still master and owner of our lives if he controls the majority of it. He is still a nonexistent god,
but with the same power he had in the Old Testament when we are devoted to his values. Why are
Christian marriages breaking down more than ever? Is it because Christian couples are spending
too much time in Christian service? .ot likely. It is more likely due to their spending too much of
their life in pursuit of more and better sex, and more and better things. Both of which are valid
Biblical pursuits, but believers do not know the Bible, and so they pursue these values from the
world's perspective and become idolaters instead of Bible students. We are constantly reading of
professing believers who are indulging themselves in immoral sex, and all sorts of unethical
business practices that are ripping people off, and robbing them of a secure future. This is Baal
worship even if they never heard of this godless god.
The only way to avoid becoming an idolater is to be ever searching the Word of God for his
wisdom, guidance, and truth. False gods lead by lies, but the God of the Bible leads by truth.
Listen to his Word.
II KI.GS 20:3 "I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in
truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight."
PSA 33:4 "For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth."
PSA 145:18 "The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in
truth."
JOH.3 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
JOH. 4:24 "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in
truth."
JOH. 8:31-32 "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
LUKE 6:46: "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
We cannot server two masters. We have to choose between the Baal master and the Jesus master,
and this means that we have to be students of the Word, seeking to walk daily in the light of the
truth that he reveals. This demands time and focus as we seek to know his will and do it. Most of
the time Christians just let the culture determine their behavior, and this means Baal is still a
major influence in their lives. Success and sex achieved outside of God's revealed will are a form
of Baal worship, but they can be achieved in valid ways that lead us to praise God for these great
blessings. We need God's truth to achieve these values according to his will, and that is why study
of the Bible is so basic to living a life pleasing to God. The rivalry goes on, and every day we are
responding to the challenge, “choose this day whom you will serve.”

I am including in this study a list of over 100 texts that refer to Baal so that you can see what a
major issue he was all through the Old Testament. These are taken from the official .IV site
where you can go and click on the read this chapter and get the full context of each verse. This
list makes it clear that the greatest rival to the God of the Bible was this pagan god Baal. He
seduced God's people over and over, and it led to the greatest judgments upon them, and yet it
was almost impossible to get them to reject this rival god. That is why Christians have linked
Baal to Satan, for he is now the perpetual rival of Jesus, and the lion that goes about seeking to
devour his followers. This battle of good and evil will not end until history ends and Satan is cast
into the lake of fire, and believers are transformed into heavenly and eternal beings in the .ew
Jerusalem of heaven. Read these texts and be aware that the one who inspired the role of Baal is
till alive and well, and still enticing us to put God on the back burner as we pursue the ways of
the world.
Numbers 25:3 NIV • Read this chapter
So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD's anger burned against them.
Numbers 25:5 NIV • Read this chapter
So Moses said to Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death those of your men who have
joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor."
Deuteronomy 4:3 NIV • Read this chapter
You saw with your own eyes what the LORD did at Baal Peor. The LORD your God destroyed
from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor,
Judges 2:11 NIV • Read this chapter
Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals.
because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
[ Othniel ] The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and
served the Baals and the Asherahs.
That same night the LORD said to him, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one
seven years old. [ Or Take a full-grown, mature bull from your father's herd ] Tear down your
father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole [ That is, a symbol of the goddess Asherah;
here and elsewhere in Judges ] beside it.
In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the
Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
The men of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has
broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."
But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are
you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is

a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar."
So that day they called Gideon "Jerub-Baal, [ Jerub-Baal means let Baal contend . ] " saying,
"Let Baal contend with him," because he broke down Baal's altar.
[ Gideon Defeats the Midianites ] Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his
men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the
hill of Moreh.
Jerub-Baal son of Joash went back home to live.
.o sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set
up Baal-Berith as their god and
They also failed to show kindness to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) for all the good
things he had done for them.
[ Jephthah ] Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD. They served the Baals and the
Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the
Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines. And because the Israelites forsook the LORD and no
longer served him,
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, "We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and
serving the Baals."
1 Samuel 7:4 NIV • Read this chapter
So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
1 Samuel 12:10 NIV • Read this chapter
They cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD and served
the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will
serve you.'
1 Kings 16:31 NIV • Read this chapter
He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of .ebat, but he also married
Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.
He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria.
"I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You
have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals.
.ow summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four
hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at
Jezebel's table."

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the
LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.
Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four
hundred and fifty prophets.
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are
so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire."
So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from
morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one
answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They
seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all
whose mouths have not kissed him."
He served and worshiped Baal and provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his
father had done.
.ow Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So
he sent messengers, saying to them, "Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will
recover from this injury."
But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Go up and meet the messengers of the
king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to
consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?'
"A man came to meet us," they replied. "And he said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you
and tell him, "This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are
sending men to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you
are lying on. You will certainly die!" ' "
He told the king, "This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to
consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you
have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!"
He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the
sacred stone of Baal that his father had made.

[ Ministers of Baal Killed ] Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, "Ahab
served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much.
.ow summon all the prophets of Baal, all his ministers and all his priests. See that no one is
missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no
longer live." But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the ministers of Baal.
Jehu said, "Call an assembly in honor of Baal." So they proclaimed it.
Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the ministers of Baal came; not one stayed away.
They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other.
And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, "Bring robes for all the ministers of Baal." So he
brought out robes for them.
Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the ministers
of Baal, "Look around and see that no servants of the LORD are here with you—only ministers
of Baal."
As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: "Go
in and kill them; let no one escape." So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and
officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal.
They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it.
They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have
used it for a latrine to this day.
So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel.
All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars
and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. Then Jehoiada the
priest posted guards at the temple of the LORD.
They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in
the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they
worshiped Baal.
He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and
made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts
and worshiped them.

The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove
from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts.
He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel.
He did away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high
places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal,
to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts.
2 Chronicles 17:3 NIV • Read this chapter
The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father
David had followed. He did not consult the Baals
All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and
killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
.ow the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the temple of God and had used
even its sacred objects for the Baals.
He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and also made cast idols for worshiping the Baals.
He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals
and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them.
Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that
were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles, the idols and the images. These he broke to
pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
Psalm 106:28 NIV • Read this chapter
They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
Jeremiah 2:8 NIV • Read this chapter
The priests did not ask, 'Where is the LORD ?' Those who deal with the law did not know me;
the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.
"How can you say, 'I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals'? See how you behaved in the
valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,
" 'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, [ Or and swear by false gods ] burn
incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known,
Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as
their fathers taught them."
You have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah; and the altars you have set up to burn
incense to that shameful god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.'

The LORD Almighty, who planted you, has decreed disaster for you, because the house of Israel
and the house of Judah have done evil and provoked me to anger by burning incense to Baal.
And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, 'As surely as the
LORD lives'-even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established
among my people.
They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offerings to Baal—
something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind.
"Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led my
people Israel astray.
They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their
fathers forgot my name through Baal worship.
The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down,
along with the houses where the people provoked me to anger by burning incense on the roofs to
Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.
They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters
[ Or to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire ] to Molech, though I never
commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that they should do such a detestable thing and so make
Judah sin.
Hosea 2:8 NIV • Read this chapter
She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who
lavished on her the silver and gold— which they used for Baal.
I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and
jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot," declares the LORD.
I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked.
But the more I [ Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew they ] called Israel, the further they went
from me. [ Septuagint; Hebrew them ] They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to
images.
[ The Lord 's Anger Against Israel ] When Ephraim spoke, men trembled; he was exalted in Israel.
But he became guilty of Baal worship and died.
Zephaniah 1:4 NIV • Read this chapter

[ Against Judah ] "I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagan and the idolatrous
priests-
Romans 11:4 NIV • Read this chapter
And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not
bowed the knee to Baal." [ 1 Kings 19:18]

Baal, the rival of jehovah

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