Gods, Demons & Immortals
whose Names Start with 'M'
(Part II)
The immortals of ancient Sumer.
by James W. Bell © 2002-3
Baal (sometimes identified as Hadad)
Baal is the Canaanite equivalent of the Hebrew word, 'ba'al,' which means lord or master. The old testament Baal was originally a West Semitic storm god, worshipped by Canaanites, Phoenicians and some Jews.
Baal was generally accepted as the son of El, the supreme god of the Canaanite pantheon, although another tradition has him the son of Dagan, a West Semitic corn god. He was sometimes identified with the storm god, Hadad.
A stele of Baal (click here) shows him brandishing a mace and a spear, with the tip of the spear sprouting vegetation, an allusion to the beneficial effects of the rain released by the storm. As such, he was also regarded as a god of fertility.
Baal was a young god who became very popular. Sacred prostitution was practiced in chambers of his temples. The licentious behavior of his worshippers had an attraction for Jews and others serving gods with high moral codes.
For more information on Baal, click here.
Bel (the Babylonian Marduk)
Bel is the Akkadian (or East Semitic) equivalent of the Hebrew word, 'ba'al,' meaning lord or master. The Old Testment Bel was the Sumerian (Babylonian) god Marduk.
For a history of how Marduk became the East Semitic supreme god and known as Bel, click here.
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