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388 Baale

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Baba

BAALE, JUBAH.

BAALIM

"



addicted itself to the cult of such deities, it is altogether probable that the expression designates the local deities to which such worship was paid in various places by the Hebrews in Palestine. Among other passages, Judges viii. 33 is specially instructive on this point. In connection with the lapse of the people of Israel into the worship of the Baalim, it " is there said that " they made Baal-berith their god

Baal-berith).

J. F. McC. King of the Ammonites, who was the leading spirit in the murder of Gedaliah (Jer. xl. 14). While the first element in the name is clearly " Baal, j.

jr.

BAALIS



the second is puzzling and no satisfactory explanation has as yet been suggested.

j.

jr.

HERMAN



American educator born Hanover, Germany. He

in 1826 at Stadthagen, near



and "Adonim." Apart from other objections, it may be urged against this view that such phrases always become proper names, and, unlike "Baalim," are often used without the article. Hence other explanations are more plausible for example, that Baalim are images of the god Baal, or that they are the various forms in which Baal is worshiped. Since, however, there is no evidence of the formal worship in Israel of any Ba'al at a common center, and as the local Canaanitic deities were known as the " baals " of their respective districts, and as Israel notoriously

(see

BAAR,

See Kirjath-Jearim.

Plural of " Baal

occurs in the Bible fifteen times, always used with the article; not found in the Pentateuch nor in the poetical books. Eor a full discussion of the cult, see Ba'al- Worship. The true signification has been a matter of dispute. One of the leading explanations is that the expression is a "plural of majesty," equivalent to " the great god Ba'al, " after the analogy of " Elohim "

388

J.

D. P.

received a preliminary education at the gymnasium of Hanover, and, after graduation, took a course in philology and theology at the University of GotOn the completion of his studies he took tingen. a position as teacher at the celebrated undenominational school at Seesen, Germany, which he held eight years. In 1857 Baar received the ministerial appointment in the Seel street synagogue, Liverpool, Loss of voice in which office he spent ten years. forced him to relinquish this post; and, believing a change of climate advisable, he went to New Orleans, La., where he directed a school. In 1876 he was appointed superintendent of the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, New York city a position he filled with great success till his resignation in 1899. Baar is the author of "Homely and Religious Topics " (two volumes of sermons to children), a Biblical history, (part 1 published 1901), and of

—

numerous magazine

"

articles.

S.

BA'ARAS ("Ba'arah," "hot springs," from-|JJ3, ") A place in the ravine Zerka Ma'in above

burning



the city of Macherus on the northeastern shore of the Dead Sea, where are, according to Josephus ("B. J." vii. 6, § 3), the so-called Iron Mountains. Accord-

ing to Eusebius ("Onomasticon," s.v. napiaSd/i), the place called Baaru was near Baal Meon, nine miles

from Heshbon; similarly Jerome on Num. xxxii. There are many hot springs at the place, some containing sweet and some bitter water, and they are interspersed with cold springs. One spot is especially remarkable, containing a cave overhung by a rock joining two projecting hills, from the one of which issues a very cold spring, from the other a very hot one and the bath composed of these waters as they mingle is used as a remedy against many maladies, and is especially efficacious for strengthening the nerves. In the neighborhood are mines of sulphur and alum. An interesting legend connected with these springs is related in the Midrash (see Epstein, " Beitrage zur Jtidischen Alterthumskunde," pp. 107, 108; and compare Buber's Tan., Wayeze, p. 146, note): Jacob was pursued by Esau on his way along the Jordan, but no sooner did he put his staff into the river than the Jordan divided itself and he passed over. Then Jacob came to Ba'arah (mjD), a place like the hot springs of Tiberias, and there took a bath; again Esau followed him and besieged the place, so that Jacob would have died there in these hot waters had God not opened a way of escape for him in the cold springs whither he went. To these miracles 38.



BAALTIS.

See Astarte.

BA'ANA (NJjn): 1. Son of Ahilud, one of the twelve commissariat officers of Solomon. He had charge of the districts Taanach and Megiddo (I Kings iv. 12). 2. Son of Hushai, another of the commissariat officers of Solomon placed over Asher and Aloth or Bealoth (I Kings iv. 16).

3. The father of Zadok, one of the builders of the wall at Jerusalem (Neh. iii. 4). 4. See Baakaii (3). j. jr. G. B. L.

BA'ANAH(rosn):

1.

Son of Rimmon the Beer-

Benjamin, who, with his brother Bechab, was an officer under Ishbosheth. He killed Ishbosheth and brought his bead to David in the hope of obtaining a reward but instead of this, he and his brother were put to death by David (II Sam. iv. 2, othite, of



when thou walkest through

5, 6, 9).

2. Father of Heleb. one of the thirty men in the body-guard of David (II Sam. xxiii. 29). 3. One of the "children of the province" that returned with Zerubbabel (Ezra ii. 2, and in the paral-

account of Neh. vii. 7). He was among those that sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Neh. x. lel

28 see also I Esd. "Ba'ana").

27,

J.



jr,

the prophet refers when saying of Jacob, "When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee

v. 8,

where the name

is

spelled

G. B. L.

the fire thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee" (Isa. xliii. 2).

Ba'aras of the

is

especially significant for a peculiar plant

same name which grows

there, deriving its

name, "Ba'aras" (the burning one), from its flame-like

which flashes at night like lightning. It was used, says Josephus, " by exorcists to drive out the demons from sick persons possessed by spirits of color,

wicked persons that enter living men and

kill

them