was the chief god of the Moabites. (Nu 21:29) As with Baalism generally, grossly licentious rites were probably connected with the worship of Baal of Peor. The Israelites, while encamped at Shittim on the high plains of Moab, were enticed into immorality and idolatry by the female worshipers of this god.​—Nu 25:1-18; De 4:3; Ps 106:28; Ho 9:10; Re 2:14.

Israel’s sin in connection with Baal of Peor resulted in Jehovah’s sending a death-dealing scourge that killed thousands of Israelites. A question arises as to the number of those actually killed by the scourge in view of a seeming discrepancy between Numbers 25:9 and 1 Corinthians 10:8. Apparently 23,000 were directly killed by the scourge, whereas 1,000 “head ones” or ringleaders were killed by the judges of Israel and then hung up, exposed to public view.​—Nu 25:4, 5; see BAAL No. 4.

(Baʹal-pe·raʹzim) [Owner of Breakings Through].

The site of a complete victory by King David over the combined forces of the Philistines, sometime after David’s conquest of the stronghold of Zion. (2Sa 5:9, 17-21) The record states that, upon hearing of the Philistines’ aggressive approach, David and his men “went down to the place hard to approach,” while the Philistines were “tramping about in the low plain of Rephaim.” Receiving assurance from Jehovah of his support, David attacked, and the Philistines fled, leaving their idols behind. Attributing the victory to Jehovah, David said: “Jehovah has broken through my enemies ahead of me, like a gap made by waters”; and for this reason he “called the name of that place Baal-perazim.” The account at 2 Samuel 5:21 says that David and his men ‘took the Philistines’ abandoned idols away.’ The parallel account at 1 Chronicles 14:12 shows the final action taken, stating: “Then David said the word, and so they [the idols] were burned in the fire.”

Mount Perazim referred to by Isaiah (28:21) is considered to be the same location. Its use in his prophecy recalls Jehovah’s victory through David at Baal-perazim, cited as an example of the strange deed due to be effected, in which, Jehovah declares, he will break in upon his enemies like an overflowing flash flood.

The Low Plain of Rephaim is considered to be the Plain of the Baqaʽ to the SW of the Temple Mount, which, after sloping downward for about 1.5 km (1 mi), contracts into a narrow valley, the Wadi el Werd (Nahal Refaʼim). On this basis, some scholars suggest Baal-perazim to be a site in the vicinity of this valley. However, on the basis of the parallel with “the low plain near Gibeon” drawn by Isaiah (28:21), some scholars suggest a site to the NW, possibly Sheikh Bedr, about 4 km (2.5 mi) WNW of the Temple Mount. (Jos 15:8, 9) This would be in harmony with the fact that the escape route of the Philistines who were pursued by David was in the direction of Gibeon and Gezer.​—2Sa 5:22, 25; 1Ch 14:16.

(Baʹal-shalʹi·shah) [Owner of Shalishah].

A place from which a man brought 20 barley loaves of the firstfruits of his harvest and some fresh grain to present to the prophet Elisha. (2Ki 4:42-44) It was a time of famine, and Elisha was at Gilgal. The humble supply proved sufficient for the hundred “sons of the prophets” there, with leftovers.​—2Ki 4:38, 43; compare Mt 14:20; Mr 8:8.

Baal-shalishah is considered to have been near Gilgal and probably in “the land of Shalishah,” through which Saul passed when searching for his father’s she-asses. (1Sa 9:4) There is a reference to Baal-shalishah in the Babylonian Talmud describing it as a place where the fruits ripened especially early. (Sanhedrin 12a) A suggested location is that of Kafr Thulth in the foothills of Ephraim, the name Thulth being the precise equivalent in Arabic of the Hebrew Shalishah. Kafr Thulth is located about 46 km (29 mi) NNW of Jerusalem.

(Baʹal-taʹmar) [Owner of the Palm Tree].

A site near Gibeah where Israelite fighting men drew up in formation against the tribe of Benjamin in a costly battle provoked by a revolting sex crime. Some of Israel’s forces were massed at Baal-tamar, while others were placed as an ambush against the Benjamites. (Jg 19:25-28; 20:33) The location of Baal-tamar is uncertain.

(Baʹal-zeʹbub) [Owner of the Flies].

The Baal worshiped by the Philistines at Ekron. There are indications that it was a common practice among the Hebrews to change the names of false gods to something similar but degrading. Hence, the ending “zebub” may be an alteration of one of the titles of Baal shown in the Ras Shamra texts as “Zabul” (“Prince”), or Zebul. Some scholars, however, suggest that the name was given to the god by his worshipers because of his being viewed as the producer of flies and therefore able to control this common pest of the Middle East. Since the giving of oracles was associated with Baal-zebub, others favor the view that Baal-zebub was a god who was regarded as giving oracles by the flight or buzzing of a fly.​—2Ki 1:2.