בַּעַל פְּרָצִים

בַּעַל פְּרָצִים

Baal-Peratsim, a place in Palestine

Definition

Baal-Peratsim is a proper noun referring to a specific location in Palestine, meaning 'Lord of Breakthroughs' or 'Possessor of Breaches.' It is the name David gave to a place where he achieved a decisive military victory over the Philistines, as recorded in 2 Samuel 5:20. The name commemorates God's intervention, where David states, 'The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breakthrough of waters.' The same event and name are recounted in 1 Chronicles 14:11, reinforcing its significance as a site of divine deliverance.

Biblical Usage

This term is used exclusively in two parallel historical accounts describing the same event. It appears in the narrative of King David's early reign, specifically in the context of his battles with the Philistines after capturing Jerusalem. Both occurrences (2 Samuel 5:20 and 1 Chronicles 14:11) are used to name the location of David's victory, serving as a geographical marker and a memorial to God's action. The usage is consistent, denoting a place named for a specific theological reason related to military success.

Etymology

The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'Baal' (H1167, בַּעַל), meaning 'lord,' 'master,' or 'possessor,' and the plural form of 'Perets' (H6556, פֶּרֶץ), meaning 'breach,' 'breakthrough,' or 'bursting forth.' Thus, it literally translates to 'Possessor of Breaches' or 'Lord of Breakthroughs.' In this context, 'Baal' is used not for the Canaanite deity but in its generic sense of 'owner' or 'lord,' applied metaphorically to Yahweh's powerful action.

Semantic Range

This name is theologically significant as it represents a moment where David explicitly attributes his military success to Yahweh's direct intervention, breaking through enemy lines like floodwaters. It underscores the theme of God as the divine warrior who fights for His people and grants victory. Understanding the Hebrew enriches the reading by highlighting that the place's name itself is a declaration of faith and a permanent memorial to God's power and faithfulness in providing a strategic breakthrough for His anointed king. In the ancient Near East, naming a location after a significant event, especially a military victory attributed to a deity, was a common practice to commemorate and claim territorial control. The use of 'Baal' in a name could be ambiguous, as it was also the title of the chief Canaanite storm god. However, in this Israelite context, it is clearly repurposed to refer to Yahweh, demonstrating the subversion of Canaanite religious terminology to testify to the supremacy of the God of Israel. It marks the location as a site of Yahweh's manifest power. No direct synonyms as a proper place name. Conceptually related to terms for victory or divine intervention, such as: yeshuʿah (H3444, יְשׁוּעָה) — a more general term for salvation or deliverance; and netsach (H5331, נֵצַח) — meaning enduring strength, glory, or perpetuity, often associated with victory.

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