Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online

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Baal-Shamem בעל־שׁמם
(1,534 words)

I. Name

The title ‘Lord of Heavens’, used for the various supreme gods in Syro-Palestine, Anatolia and Mesopotamia during the 2nd millennium bce, later became the name of a specific deity venerated throughout the Semitic world from the 1st millennium bce until the first four centuries of the Christian era. St. Augustin (Quaest. Hept. VII 16) refers to him as dominus coeli.

II. Identity

The earliest Phoenician attestation of Baal-Shamem comes from the building-inscription from the 10th century bce of king Yeḥı…

Cite this page
W. Röllig, “Baal-Shamem בעל־שׁמם”, in: Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online, Edited by: Karel van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter W. van der Horst. Consulted online on 31 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2589-7802_DDDO_DDDO_Baal_Shamem>



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