Who is Baal In The Bible?
Baal is the false, pagan god that the Israelites sinfully worshipped from time to time in the Scriptures.
Quick Facts on Baal from The Bible
- Baal is known as lord of the opening and as the false god of the Moabites (Numbers 25:3; 31:16; Joshua 22:17)
- He is closely tied to the false, and pagan idol/goddess Ashtoreth in the Scriptures
- Baal is translated as ruler, lord, master or owner.
- Baal is also the Canaanite-Phoenician god or idol of fertility and weather, and in particular of rainstorms.
- Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, worshipped Baal and Ashtoreth and led her husband into this idolatry against God.
More on Baal and Asherah
| Topic | Biblical / Historical Data and Patristic Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Relationship of Baal and Asherah | Biblical / Historical: In Ugaritic and Canaanite religion, Asherah (or Athirat) is a mother goddess and sometimes consort to either El or Baal, often associated with fertility, sacred trees, or poles. Patristic Angle: Church Fathers do not discuss Asherah’s mythic identity. They are uninterested in her as a literary or theological figure and treat all pagan deities as demons behind idols. |
| Asherah as Cult Object (“grove” or pole) | Biblical / Historical: In the Hebrew Bible, “Asherah” often refers to a physical object—wooden poles or carved groves set up beside altars. Kings and prophets repeatedly destroy these during religious reforms (e.g., 2 Kings 23:6). Patristic Angle: While not naming Asherah, Fathers like Augustine attack the worship of any image or wood object as demonic idolatry. These “groves” fall under their condemnation of false worship. |
| Scriptural Pairing of Baal and Asherah | Biblical / Historical: In Judges 6:25–26, Gideon is commanded to tear down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah beside it. This pairing recurs in Israel’s apostasy narratives (e.g., 1 Kings 18:19). Patristic Angle: Fathers treat such passages as moral examples of Israel's unfaithfulness and the necessity of purging idolatry. They focus on obedience to God, not on Baal or Asherah’s identities. |
| Theological Critique of Idolatry | Biblical / Historical: The Old Testament consistently warns that idols are not real gods but provoke the Lord’s jealousy. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:20: “What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.” Patristic Angle: Church Fathers, especially Augustine, adopt Paul’s view: idols are not empty but doorways to demonic forces. Baal and Asherah are interpreted not mythologically but spiritually—as demonic powers deceiving people. |
| Use of “Baal” as a Title | Biblical / Historical: “Baal” means “lord” or “master” in Semitic languages. Occasionally, Israel misused the term for Yahweh, but it eventually became associated with Canaanite religion and rejected. Patristic Angle: Fathers treat all use of Baal in worship as idolatrous. Any confusion between Yahweh and Baal is seen as spiritual adultery. The name itself is suspect because of its pagan baggage. |
| Absence of Explicit Patristic Focus on Asherah | Biblical / Historical: Asherah appears in many biblical texts, but her image and function are often obscure, sometimes intentionally so, due to polemics against idolatry. Patristic Angle: The name “Asherah” is rarely, if ever, mentioned directly by Church Fathers. They lump her into broader critiques of female idols or fertility cults, if addressed at all. The lack of treatment suggests disinterest in the myth and a focus instead on the sin of idolatry. |
Scripture on Ahab, Jezebel and Baal in 1 King 16:30-33
- 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.
- 31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
- 32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
- 33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.Find out: Can A Woman Be A Bishop in Church
Want More Biblical content? Click below.
What Next? Read our Bible Verses About Friendship and Brotherhood
Here's a great quiz to try out!
Get More Bible Answers To Your Questions
