בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן
Beth-Baal-Meon, a place in Palestine
Definition
Beth-Baal-Meon is a proper noun referring to a specific town in the ancient region of Moab, located east of the Dead Sea. The name means 'house of Baal of habitation' or 'house of the habitation of Baal,' indicating it was a settlement dedicated to the Canaanite god Baal. In the Bible, it is listed among the cities allotted to the tribe of Reuben after the Israelite conquest (Joshua 13:17) and later appears in a prophetic oracle against Moab (Jeremiah 48:23). The town is also referenced in other forms, such as Baal-Meon (Numbers 32:38) and Beon (Numbers 32:3), showing its significance in the territorial history of Transjordan.
Biblical Usage
This place name is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times in geographical or prophetic contexts. In Joshua 13:17, it appears in a list of cities given to the tribe of Reuben as part of the land distribution. In Jeremiah 48:23, it is included in a series of Moabite towns mentioned in a prophecy of judgment against Moab. The usage consistently identifies it as a Moabite settlement that came under Israelite control, later reverting to Moabite influence.
Etymology
The name is a compound of three Hebrew elements: 'בֵּית' (bayith, H1004) meaning 'house' or 'household,' 'בַּעַל' (baʿal, H1168) referring to the Canaanite deity Baal or meaning 'lord' or 'master,' and 'מְעוֹן' (məʿôn, H4583) meaning 'habitation' or 'dwelling.' Thus, the full name translates to 'house of Baal of habitation.' It is linguistically related to the shorter forms בַּעַל מְעוֹן (Baʿal Məʿôn, H1186) and בְּעֹן (Bəʿôn, H1194), which refer to the same location.
Semantic Range
Beth-Baal-Meon serves as a tangible reminder of the spiritual conflicts in Israel's history, as its name incorporates 'Baal,' the chief rival deity to Yahweh in Canaanite religion. Its allocation to Reuben (Joshua 13:17) illustrates God's fulfillment of land promises, while its mention in Jeremiah's prophecy (Jeremiah 48:23) underscores God's sovereignty over all nations, including Israel's enemies. Understanding this name enriches reading by highlighting themes of idolatry, territorial judgment, and the ongoing struggle between worship of Yahweh and foreign gods in the biblical narrative.
In its original setting, Beth-Baal-Meon was a Moabite town whose name reflected the widespread worship of Baal, a storm and fertility god, in ancient Canaanite and Moabite cultures. For Israelites, settling in such a place involved confronting pagan religious practices, which often led to syncretism and conflict. The town's economic and strategic importance in Moab is implied by its inclusion in biblical city lists, and its name would have evoked immediate cultural associations with Baal worship for ancient readers.
בַּעַל מְעוֹן (Baʿal Məʿôn, H1186) — A shorter variant name for the same location, used in Numbers 32:38 and Ezekiel 25:9. בְּעֹן (Bəʿôn, H1194) — An abbreviated form of the name, found in Numbers 32:3.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →