Bible Word Study
בַּעַל תָּמָר
Baʻal Tâmâr · Baal-Tamar, a place in Palestine
בַּעַל תָּמָר
Baal-Tamar, a place in Palestine
Definition
Baal-Tamar is a proper noun referring to a specific location in ancient Palestine, mentioned only once in the Old Testament. The name means 'possessor of the palm tree' or 'lord of the palm tree,' likely describing a place known for its palm trees or a Canaanite shrine associated with the god Baal near such trees. It is identified as a site in the territory of Benjamin, near Gibeah and Bethel, where Israelite forces positioned themselves during the civil war against the tribe of Benjamin as described in Judges 20:33.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Judges 20:33. It appears in a military context, specifying a strategic location where the Israelites set an ambush during the conflict with the Benjamites. The usage is purely geographical, identifying a place name without further narrative elaboration or symbolic meaning elsewhere in Scripture.
Etymology
The name Baal-Tamar is a compound of two Hebrew words: 'Baal' (H1167), meaning 'lord,' 'master,' or 'possessor,' often used as a title for the Canaanite storm god, and 'Tamar' (H8558), meaning 'palm tree.' Thus, the name literally translates to 'lord of the palm tree.' This construction is typical of Canaanite place names that incorporate 'Baal,' reflecting local religious practices or geographical features.
Semantic Range
Theologically, Baal-Tamar serves as a reminder of the syncretistic challenges Israel faced in the Promised Land, where Canaanite religious sites bearing the name 'Baal' were part of the landscape. Its mention in Judges 20, during a period of moral and social chaos ('everyone did what was right in his own eyes'), subtly underscores Israel's struggle to remain distinct from surrounding pagan cultures. Understanding this name enriches reading by highlighting the constant biblical tension between faithfulness to Yahweh and the lure of local deities. In its original context, 'Baal-Tamar' likely referred to a Canaanite cultic site or a locality marked by prominent palm trees, associated with fertility worship of the god Baal. For ancient Israelites, such names were commonplace in the land they inhabited, reflecting the pre-Israelite religious culture they were commanded to reject. The name itself would have evoked both a geographical location and, for some, lingering pagan religious connotations. Baal-Perazim (H1188) — another compound place name with 'Baal,' meaning 'lord of breaking through,' associated with a military victory (2 Samuel 5:20). Beth-Tamar — a hypothetical construct meaning 'house of the palm tree,' though not a direct biblical synonym, shares the 'tamar' element for a palm-related location.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]