Baal

In ancient Levantine cultures, the term "Baal" (pronounced either as "BAY-ul" or "BAH-ul") served as an honorific title meaning "lord" or "owner" in Northwest Semitic languages. While initially used to address people, the title eventually became associated with deities, particularly Hadad, the god of storms and fertility. Modern scholarship has corrected earlier assumptions that linked Baal primarily with sun worship and various unrelated patron deities.

One of the most significant appearances of Baal is in Ugaritic literature, where he features as the main character in the Baal Cycle, one of the longest surviving epic narratives from the ancient Near East. The god's name in Ugaritic script is written as 𐎁𐎓𐎍.

The concept of Baal took on negative connotations in later religious traditions. The Hebrew Bible portrays various Levantine deities called Baal, especially Hadad, as false gods. This negative association carried forward into Christian and Islamic traditions, where the name sometimes appears as Beelzebub in discussions of demonology.