baal worship practices in the bible baal worship practices in the bible

Indeed, throughout its history, the most important god at Sidon was the storm godknown during the Phoenician period as Baal or Bel. God's pattern is being established. Jer 32:29. One such deity who gripped Israel for a period of time was Baal. Sometimes the leadership of the nation of Israel tolerated and embraced the deities of other nations. At the foundation of every community is a way of life that its people live and teach their children. One of the rooms in this temple had a bench, where offerings would have been placed, and an altar made of piled and unhewn stones, which recalls the Biblical command to make altars of uncut stones (see Exodus 20:25). ; contact address: [emailprotected]. The prophet Amos particularizes the epidemic of social injustice in the Kingdom of Israel. 2008 The Gale Group. There are indications that Baal and other gods and goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon were associated in the minds of their worshipers with certain heavenly bodies. Reuben Alcalay, a famous Hebrew lexicographer, stated that Yehoshua is closely related to Let there be So, lets be intellectually honest and start using the proper English translation: Joshua. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Figs and grapes ripen during the dry season and the grain harvest also takes place before the rains resume. Sacred sex was a key component. Elijah had to take drastic measures to prevent Baal worship from completely eradicating the worship of the true God (I Kings 18:20-40). The name "Baal" shows up seven times in Hosea (2:8, 2:13, 2:16, 2:17 . Today, some evangelicals attempt to prepare the people for what is to come, but their teaching is a mixture of right and wrong. Some extraordinary discoveries from recent excavations have allowed us to partially reconstruct Sidonian religion during the Bronze and Iron Agesshowing that Baal worship at the site had deep roots. The Septuagint (LXX) referred to the latter as a stranger [in the land]. Biblical Sidon is perhaps most infamously known as the birthplace of the Phoenician princess Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31), who became queen of the Israelites during King Ahabs reign in the ninth century B.C.E. Archeological excavations have dated information about Baal back as far as the second millennium BC, and the spread of Baal worship caught fire in Egypt in 1400 BC. It may be, however, that these extra Baalim are Baal's attendants, mentioned as the seven or eight lads whom Baal is ordered to take with him in his descent into the netherworld. The Semitic original of this name has been recognized in one of Baal's names in Ugaritic: (The name is to be connected with the root dmr, "be strong, brave," and is probably the same as that of Abraham's son Zimrn (damarn), the -n afformative being preserved in the genitive case of the Greek form Demarountos). The Sovereign Creator is not a God who allows His favor to be bought with crumbs. The Israelites fell into the worship of this idol(Numbers 25:3,5,18; Deuteronomy 4:3; Psalm 106:28; Hosea 9:10). In addition to Baal still influencing religions and pagan practices today, we must take note of what happened to the Israelites and vigilantly watch our churches. With Baal's functions accredited to YHWH, it was natural and fitting that some of Baal's titles would also be taken over. They believed by their actions they could control and manipulate the Gods. The Devil is behind a. He just goes to sleep as he is freezing to death. The Semitic word "baal" (meaning '"Lord") was also used to refer to various deities of the Levant. No doubt, we cant cover the breadth of verses on Baal here, but we should make a note that Baal becomes a big player in the book of Judges and during the time of the kings when Israel appears to succumb most to the foreign pantheons. What the Bible says about Baal Worship ( From Forerunner Commentary ) 1 Kings 12:26-33 The religion of Israel began with a man, Jeroboam I, who changed the true worship of God. In popular and syncretistic religion in Israel, Yahweh could be equated with both El and Baal. The Israelites "caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger" (verse 17). A series of bad years, which were apparently believed to come in seven-year cycles (cf. In their ignorance, the people do not realize the terrible calamity that is coming soon upon modern Israel. It seemed they couldnt border a single person who didnt try to destroy them or convince them to worship their own gods. While much about Molech's nature and origin are uncertain, the Bible mentions Molech on eight occasions, providing some context regarding the problems associated with this ancient god. Dated to c. 1750 B.C.E., the handle pictures the storm god as a leonine dragon. The Largest Baal Worship Service on the Planet is in America August 27, 2017 by Andy Roman "They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone." Daniel 5:4. (verse 8). Because Baal was neither alive nor a moral force, his worshippers felt they could communicate with him only by ritual actions that portrayed what they were asking him to do. He replaced the Levitical priesthood with men of his own choosing. In Hebrew, it is rendered Yehoshua, and in Aramaic, Yeshua. Hosea exposes the problem between God and Israel. But when heat is applied, and the blood begins rushing into the affected areas, pain immediately occurs. The continued worship of Baal was given as one of the causes for the destruction of Judah (Jer. The Hebrew word suggests "smoothness" or "flattering," describing people who "talk the talk" but do not "walk the walk.". 19:5ff.). Unlike Egypt and Mesopotamia, which depend on irrigation, the Promised Land drinks water from the rain of heaven (Deut. Valimai means strengh, or force or weight. Nevertheless, despite the biblical tendency to avoid the use of the word as a proper name, it is now quite clear that by pre-Israelite times the term had become the usual name of the weather-god of Syria-Palestine. In contrast, the church has had periods of strength and weakness all throughout its historyit goes through cycles of rallying around truth and then gradually letting it slip. because they sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals. Christ's purpose is to cure, not merely to comfort, so pain will be often involved when dealing with a prophet. What the Bible says about This chapter reports on the behavior of the people placed in Israel after Israel's conquest and deportation by Assyria between 722-720 BC. A complaint is made to Bull El, father of the gods, that Baal has no house like other gods. The only trouble is that people like to feel comfortable in moral mediocrity. Before descending to the realm of death, Baal copulates with a heifer and begets a male offspring. The worship of Baal penetrated Jewish religious life during the period of the Judges ( Judges 3:7 ), became common in Israel during the rule of Ahab ( 1 Kings 16:31-33 ), and also influenced Judah ( 2 Chronicles 28:1-2 ). Ashtoreth is mentioned three times in scripture, in 1 Kings 11:5 & 33, 2 Kings 23:13. When religion is ungodly, its power is destructive, and every institution in the nation suffers. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In the El-Amarna letters the logogram for the weather-god is conventionally read Addu, but that it is sometimes to be read Baluis indicated by the addition of the phonetic complement-lu, as well as by the names like Mut dIm written syllabically as mu-ut-ba-a-lum. No one answered; no one paid attention" (v. 29 ESV). These people, who became known as the Samaritans, feared the Lord but worshipped their own gods. They become "settled on their lees," as it says in Zephaniah 1:12. . In Judah the murder of the queen mother, *Athaliah , and of Mattan, priest of Baal, and the smashing of the altars and cult images in the Baal temple (II Kings 11:18) did not wipe out the cult (II Kings 12:34). Sidons Storm God. Adad (the Canaanite Hadad, the Semitic Hadda, the Hurrian Teshub, the Egyptian Resheph, the Phoenician Baal/Bel, the Sumerian Ishkur) is the Mesopotamian storm god, who has special maritime, celestial and meteorological attributes important to the well-being of sailors. "But there was no voice. (NASB). Yet if you asked most people who believe and follow this new morality, I suspect few would have ever heard of Baal. In the Ugaritic mythological texts Balu (bl) is the name of the god which is used more than twice as often as his next most frequent name, Haddu (hd). Photo: Courtesy of Claude Doumet-Serhal. (II Kings 17:35-38). Baal was the god of rain, wind, and fertility. This full-body immersion was required for converts (giyur) to the sect called The Way (HaDerech) in Acts whether a Pharisaic/Saddusaic Jew or a Gentile proselyte (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_to_Judaism). Besides the names Baal and Haddu, the Ugaritic texts furnish a variety of other titles, such as "Mighty Baal" (aliyn bl) and "Prince, Lord of Earth" (zbl bl ars). Even now some ancient Jews (white and black) live in Cochin, Kerala, India. Sidon is the birth place of Jezabel. For instance, Hezekiahs son rebuilds the shrines of Baal and the Canaanite goddess Asherah that Hezekiah had torn down: He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. Only the individual could decide which side he would be on, because Elijah made it clear, "God does not want you the way you are. l /), or Baal (Hebrew: baal), was a title and honorific meaning 'owner', 'lord' in the Northwest Semitic languages spoken in the Levant during antiquity.From its use among people, it came to be applied to gods. Those familiar with the Biblical text will recall that Sidon was an influential, wealthy Phoenician city when the kings of Israel and Judah ruled during the Iron Age. That made God so angry that a plague spread through their ranks; Phinehas stood up and pled their case and the . Like ancient Israel, we can easily fall back into our former ways. FREE ebook: Israel: An Archaeological Journey. In the mythology of Canaan, Baal, the god of life and fertility, locked in mortal combat with Mot, the god of death and sterility. BAAL-WORSHIP AMONG THE GENTILES.The evidence is hardly of such weight as to justify us in speaking of a worship of Baal. They used the name of God frequently, saying they trusted Him, but they filled the nation with stealing, lying, and murder. The god of arts and crafts, Kothar, then proceeded to build for Baal the most beautiful of palaces which spread over an area of 10,000 acres. This is no different from what Israel was doing when Amos wrote back in 760 BC. In the first encounter, Baal is invited to a banquet at which he is to be both guest and main course. For a while, both sidesthe Confederate and the Unionaccepted those turncoats and took their information. Silapadikaram, a Tamil Classic, mentions more than 200 musical instruments. He established a feast in the eighth month to replace the true Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh. Nyberg had restored it in Deuteronomy 33:12; I Samuel 2:10; II Samuel 23:1; Isaiah 59:18, 63:7; and Hosea 7:16. For those early Hebrews, Baal designated the Lord of Israel, just as Baal farther north designated the Lord of Lebanon or of Ugarit. Usually the storm god is illustrated as a striding human figure, but sometimes he is represented by one of his symbols, such as the bull or leonine dragon. An example of Israel going after Baal leads to their loss of direction and, ultimately, scattering at the hands of the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Baal, god worshipped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, especially among the Canaanites, who apparently considered him a fertility deity and one of the most important gods in the pantheon. He describes Israel as a luxuriant grape vine sending runners in every direction, indicating a bountiful crop. They believed in a Creator God, but they worshipped Him at the shrines they erected to the Baals. The variant form Hadad (hdd) is attested to only once in Ugaritic. The Jordan River (Nahar ha-Yarden) qualified as a mikveh as its flowing living waters originated from a natural spring (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_River). Baal was simply the title (literally, Lord) of the pagan god Molech. Baal Worship There is no doubt that prosperity is good, but unless one is properly focused and disciplined, it can also be a demanding master because of its power to distract one into idolatry. After we accept His calling, He commands us to become moral as He is. (From Forerunner Commentary). Since you mentioned John baptizing Jesus. 2:11; 3:7; 8:33), while the singular of the word in combination with other terms apparently designated minor or local gods, such as Baal-Berith, Baal-Gad, Baal-Hamon, Baal-Hazor, Baal-Hermon, or, in the feminine form, a goddess, Baalat-Beer, Baalat-Gebal. 22:816). (the Middle Bronze Age), this impressed handle depicts a ship and a leonine dragon, which is the symbol of the Mesopotamian storm god Adad. Virtually all reference to Baal's consort, the violent "Virgin Anath" with whom Baal copulates by the thousand in one of the Ugaritic mythological fragments has been excluded from the Bible, but the goddesses Ashtart (Judg. In Hosea 10:2, God charges Israel with having a divided heart. Superstitious fear and sexual rites on the one hand fought against faith and loyalty on the other. Baal persuaded Asherah to intercede with her husband El, the head of the pantheon, to authorize the construction of a palace. Tamil is connected with the Phoenician. However, God shows there is a possible harmful, secondary effect: As people become financially secure, their attention is diverted from His purpose to vain and unimportant things. 14:2). Paul is not writing about apostasy in a small group of people that will give rise to an international personality, but an event on the world scene that creates the right environment to catapult this figure, backed by the power of Satan, to the heights of power. A large part of this world's appeal is its offer of financial security. Check out her books at hopebolinger.comfor clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. . Photo: Courtesy of Claude Doumet-Serhal. II Kings 17:5-6 relates the ultimate consequence. Elijah was dealing with the same thing here, albeit spiritually. In the Bible, the followers of the one true God encounter other gods, or previously worshipped idols themselves. For instance, Amos 2:7 describes a deliberate act of ritual prostitution in a pagan temple: "A man and his father go in to the same girl, to defile My holy name." Gen. 41; II Sam. This is exactly what God warns us to flee, and the only way to come out of it is by developing and maturing in our relationship with God. The combined letters o and e is joined to pronounce the sound ye. The Bible tells us that there were dire consequences for Israel worshiping a false god (Judges 2). Canaanite Religions and Baal Worship by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson Audio (12:51) Free E-mail Bible Study Grace: Favor for the Undeserving. The proposition for the concept is as follows: The Latins called the Phoenicians as Poeni. Searching for Israel (Part Six): Israel Is Fallen, Is Fallen. Alan, how said anything about John baptizing Jesus? Prophets and Prophecy (Part 1). People like to feel comfortable. Molech was an ancient god worshiped by the people neighboring Israel during Old Testament times. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). 55:613; Jer. This Bible History Daily Article was first published in 2017, British Museum Excavations at Sidon Expose Millennia of History, The Phoenician Alphabet in Archaeology by Josephine Quinn. Ahab accommodated his wife's idolatry to the point of building a . Learn more about Biblical Sidon and Sidonian religion in Claude Doumet-Serhals article SidonCanaans Firstborn in the July/August 2017 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. He takes something loathsome and vile, something that is a direct affront to almighty God, a pagan idol, and turns it into a cute little children's fairy tale, so that you can buy the book, see the movies, get the cuddly toy, and bingo! Baal & Asherah. Omissions? See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. The prophet turns the heat on, and they become angry with him when he is actually working to make them better. Isai is music in Tamil and Vallavi means an expert. Whoever is missing shall not live.". Christ warned the Pharisees: "For laying aside the commandments of God, you hold the traditions of men." He could, and did, withhold the rain from one city and lavish it on another (Amos 4:7). The Masoretic text has the 4 letters YHWH with a sheva under the Y, pronounced yuh, and a Qamats below the W, i.e. He was considered superior to his father, El, the chief of the deities. Elijah's work was to reveal the true God to Israel in a time of growing national crisis. . 9:20 presents a parallel is mistaken since the Ugaritic text mentions the sea-god and not Death (Mot) in connection with the window.) The written form Moloch (in the Septuagint Greek translation of the Old Testament), or Molech (Hebrew), is the word Melech or king, transformed by interposing the vowels of bosheth or 'shameful thing'. In a normal good year, when the rains come in due season, there is no hiatus in productivity, for the land yields its increase, the trees produce their fruit, the threshing overlaps, the vintage overlaps the sowing, and there is food aplenty, prosperity, and peace (Lev. First was sexual orgies "under every green tree," where promiscuity and perverted sex acts were the norm. The conflict of Yahwism and Baalism reached a crisis with Elijah's challenge to Baal's prophets to settle the question whether it was Baal or YHWH who really supplied the rain (I Kings 18). Verse 15 points out that the people "rejected [God's] statutes and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them." We are seeing the same thing today, but at times, it is harder to recognize because we are accustomed to it, and it is not happening overnight. 29:35, 32:26; Nah. Nevertheless, he was still faithful, and he did his job. Jews nowadays say Ha-Shem [i.e. "Christian" religions of this world have mixed the traditions of paganism with some of the truth of God's Word. This is typical Israeliltish syncretism, but it will not work. 33 Bible Verses about Baal Worship, History So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. l, b . 10:25, 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15, 18). The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. However, God still holds them responsible because the truth is available. BIBLIOGRAPHY: W. Hermann, in: DDD, 13238; M.S. Claude Doumet-Serhal of the British Museum details recent excavations at Sidon in her article SidonCanaans Firstborn, published in the July/August 2017 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. He was to be an aid in getting them from their state of being merely "churched" to that of being truly religious and servants of the Most High God. Fertility was envisaged in terms of seven-year cycles. In the parallel Ugaritic list, which is unfortunately very fragmentary, the "Weather-god, Lord of Mount azi" apparently corresponds to Baal apn, while those following are termed simply Baalim (blm). Alternate titles: Baal Shamen, Baal Shemin, Baalim. Baal was considered the supreme. 13:2) such as Baal himself performed in the Ugaritic myth are depicted in the prophetic tirades. The Jews of Christ's day clearly recognized this putrid blend and despised the Samaritans for it. The Israelites displayed a pandemic failure to love their fellow man. After a sortie against the sea-god, Baal returned to his house and ordered Koshar to install a window; Koshar laughed, reminded Baal of the debate, and complied. The name Baal in the Bible is most commonly associated with the Canaanite and Phoenician god of fertility, the rain, the sun, and the storm. Yet Sidon was a significant site before this period, too. The divine child was named Demarous, one of the cognomens of Zeus-Baal-Hadad. Baal rejoiced and celebrated with a banquet. Because Canaan depended on rain to grow crops and survive, he was numero uno. It was under the Sol Invictus cult that CHRISTIANITY as a religion BEGAN TO BE ACCEPTED AND GROW, but THERE WAS A BIG PRICE THE EARLY ROMAN CHURCH HAD TO PAY. He may have replaced the Sabbath with Sunday worship. . All this was part of his fertility role, which, when fulfilled, meant an abundance of crops and fertility for animals and mankind. Isaiah 29:13 clarifies what God means: "Therefore the LORD said: 'Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.'" The worship of this idol consisted in exposing that part of the body which all persons usually take the utmost care to conceal. Baal was also worshipped by various communities as a local god. Updates? 28:2); Hezekiah attempted to eliminate it; Manasseh his son again gave it royal support (II Kings 21:3); and Josiah in his turn purged the Temple of YHWH of the utensils made for Baal and Asherah (II Kings 23:4). The sequel to this action is furnished by the group of texts which recount Baal's confrontations with Mot. El is praised for his wisdom in granting the request since now it is insured that Baal will give his rain in season. Recall God's wrath when Aaron made a golden calf at the urging of the Israelites in the wilderness and proclaimed a feast to the Lord (Exodus 32:1-5). The practice of Baal worship was wide spread in Bible times and was very evil. In Tamil Nadu, the following words payachi paarai, Peyazhwar, payans, pai (meaning devil) are currently in use. The sum of what Elijah said is actually spiritually dangerous, due to the fact that God is judging. The latest archaeological discoveries shed light on Biblical Sidon and provide a window into the Sidonians polytheistic religion and worship practices during the Bronze and Iron Ages. a little T-shaped mark that stands for the long-A vowel (like a in father). Many of the practices mentioned were most probable common to the worship of all the Baals; a few others are certainly specific. Since Baal was, like almost all ancient deities, a fertility god, the human act of intercourse demonstrated that they wanted Baal to prosper them. But who is Baal? With the help of wonder weapons supplied and blessed by the versatile Koshar (the craftsman god), Baal was able to defeat and rout the sea-god. While they gave lip service to the Creator, they adopted most of the Canaanitish religion with its lewd immorality, and in actual practice, patterned their life after it. A falling away is taking place right now. COPYRIGHT 2023 BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY 5614 Connecticut Ave NW #343, Washington DC 20015-2604. In this regard, Elijah was a type of John the Baptist, and Elisha, a type of Christ. He views them as personally rejecting Him and His Word. The laws given to Moses by God expressly forbade the Jews to do what was done in Egypt or in Canaan. Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Now another presentation that the Phoenicians who are also connected with the Canaanites had traded with the trading mariners of Kerala, India. Ginsberg, Kitvei Ugarit (1936); J. Oberman, Ugaritic Mythology (1948); A.S. Kapelrud, Baal in the Ras Shamra Texts (1952); M. Dahood, in: Studi Semitici, 1 (1958), 7578; N. Habel, Yahweh Versus Baal: A Conflict of Religious Cultures (1964); J. Because such people are drunk through riches' deceptive promise, their judgment is in danger of being radically altered. The Baal-worship so often alluded to and described in Holy Writ might, perhaps, be better styled, id-worship, moon-worship, Melek (Moloch)-worship, or Hadad-worship, according to places and circumstances. 57 Bull Baal. YHWH's victory over the waters is connected either with the rescue of Israel at the Exodus (Ps. And she has taken over many so-called churches. Their reverence for Him was mere intellectual accommodation intended to appease Him. He is a loving Master who only is to be obeyed and servedand only on His terms. Discovered in a farmer's field in northeastern Egypt, this inscribed monument bears the name of one of the few pharaohs actually named in the Old . And Asherah and Baal led the way together (Judges 3:7, 1 Kings 18:19, 2 Kings 23:4). Recall the mention in Hosea 10:1 of increasing and embellishing altars just before Israel fell to Assyria. Sidon's Phoenician Temple. They set up for themselves sacred pillars and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree; and there they burned incense on all the high places, as the nations had done whom the LORD had carried away before them." In the Aztec religion, life existed before humans, and civilization was built after the destruction of the fourth sun. Some become discouraged with the church because we are always being toldto some measure anywaydisturbing things about ourselves. We must understand that our god is not what we say we worship but what we serve. 25:111; Ps. . Of special interest is the designation Aliy (ly) which is twice applied to Baal in the Krt Epic: Before the discovery and recognition of this name in Ugaritic, H.S. Join the BAS Library today. Certainly not those of east Asia. Study the god Baal, Baal worship, and the presentation of Baal in the Bible. According to the Bible, centers of worship for Canaanite gods such as Molech and the Baal's were set up in Judah and Israel by apostate kings. He began to prophesy in a time of immediate crisis, one that would become far worse before it ever improved. The violence and injustice in Israelite society ultimately stemmed from the false teaching proclaimed from the pulpits. Sidon was well connected by trade by the traders of the Pandya kingdom of Tamil Nadu. The basis of all immorality is selfishness, the exact opposite of what God is. Baal's resurrection followed Mot's demise, the good news being transmitted through a dream of El: The fields were still parched from the drought and again Anath and Shapsh set out to find Baal. The word "Baal" derives from the Semitic stem "bel", meaning "lord". You have a cuddly little Baal idol in your child's bedroom without even suspecting it. (Jeremiah 7:8-10). He is often accused of causing their pain. Psalm 68 may have been written, in part, as a polemic against Baal worship wherein it is indicated in verse 4 that YHWH is the one who rides the clouds. The prize of the victory was kingship over the gods and the enthronement ritual guaranteed the natural order of life and the welfare of the society. When we see that our thoughts and ways are not His, we should reform and repent. So it was that, about 250 years after it was established, the ten-tribed northern kingdom became extinct as a sovereign nation. What was the rationale behind this perverse, immoral act? What Is the Significance of Not the Letter but of the Spirit? Indeed, religion flourished, as Amos, Hosea's contemporary, clearly reports (see Amos 5:21-27). Mot refused and boasted how he had mangled Baal. In Ugaritic and Hebrew, Baal's epithet as the storm god was He Who Rides on the Clouds. 106 a ). Evil practices never go away. JezaBel can be respelLt as JezaVel ~ JezaVAl ~ IezaVAL ~ Isaval-lavi ~ an expert in music. The Hebrew scriptures speak frequently of the Baal of a given place or refers to Baalim in the plural, suggesting the evidence of local deities, or lords, of various locales. Actually, there were two gods which were essentially worshiped the same way, Baal and Ashtoreth. Another idea is that it pictures a person shifting his weight from one foot to the other, indicating a degree of lameness. Baal's sister-consort Anath demanded that Mot release her brother. He is the king of the east and governs an army of 66 legions of demons." Did you catch that? They clash violently until both are prostrate and the Sungoddess warns Mot not to fight with Baal lest El hear and overthrow him. 14:2, 9; Num. John W. Ritenbaugh The myths also tell of Baals struggle to obtain a palace comparable in grandeur to those of other gods. In daily life, they conformed to and reflected the Babylonish system just as Israel does today. However, even though their origins were Canaanite, the Phoenicians established their own distinct culture. The handle displays an impression of a ship with the leonine dragon Uumgal, the storm god Adads attendant, next to it.