Baal-Gad
1:
BAAL-GAD (PLACE) [Heb ba˓al gād (בַּעַל גָּד)]. A Canaanite city in the valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon (Josh 11:17). It was the N point of the territory conquered by Joshua, beyond which lay the land that remained unconquered (Josh 13:5). When describing this same region, Judges uses the name Mount Baal-Hermon in place of Baal-gad (Judg 3:3).
According to the descriptions in the Bible, Baal-gad must be located in the region of Laish, a beautiful, lush area which has been hallowed ground from time immemorial. In fact, it is possible that the present-day Banias could be the ancient Baal-gad. It would be no wonder that such a fertile region would be a major seat of Baalism. In later times, the Greeks worshiped Pan in a cavern there, and called the sanctuary-town Paneion and the district Paneas. Later, Philip the Tetrarch beautified the town and called it Caesarea Philippi, while Agrippa II renamed it Neronias.
Baal-gad may have had an important theological function in the biblical text. The Deuteronomistic theologian, by referring to it, shows that a significant part of Yahweh’s promise to Israel (Josh 1:4; 11:23) was fulfilled. Moreover, just as the land from Mount Halak in the S to Baal-gad in the N was given by the Lord to Israel under the leadership of Joshua, who observed all the words of the commandment, the land from Baal-gad to Lebo-hamath was also subsequently given to Israel under the leadership of David (2 Sam 8:9–10), yet another obedient leader according to the Deuteronomist (1 Kings 11:38). For further discussion see GB.
Paul Benjamin
Freedman, D. N. (1996, c1992). The Anchor Bible Dictionary (1:551). New York: Doubleday.
2:
Baal-Gad — lord of fortune, or troop of Baal, a Canaanite city in the valley of Lebanon at the foot of Hermon, hence called Baal-hermon (Judge. 3:3; 1 Chr. 5:23), near the source of the Jordan (Josh. 13:5; 11:17; 12:7). It was the most northern point to which Joshua’s conquests extended. It probably derived its name from the worship of Baal. Its modern representative is Banias. Some have supposed it to be the same as Baalbec.
Easton, M. (1996, c1897). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
3:
BAAL-GAD Site in the valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mt Hermon marking the northern border of Joshua’s conquest of Canaan (Jos 11:17; 12:7; 13:5). See Hermon, Mount.
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (135). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
4:
BA´AL-GAD (bāʹal gad; “lord of fortune”). A Canaanite city (Josh. 11:17; 12:7) at the foot of Mt. Hermon, hence called Baal-hermon (Judg. 3:3; 1 Chron. 5:23). Location uncertain.
Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., & Unger, M. F. (1988). The new Unger's Bible dictionary. Revision of: Unger's Bible dictionary. 3rd ed. c1966. (Rev. and updated ed.). Chicago: Moody Press.
5:
BAAL-GAD. The N limit of Israelite conquest lying at the foot of and to the W of Mt Hermon (Jos. 11:17; 13:5; 21:7). It may be Hasbeiyah (so F. M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, 2, 1938, p. 258) or Tell Hauš (so GTT, 509), 19 km farther N, both in the Wadi et-Teim. Archaeological evidence favours the latter. a.r.m.
Wood, D. R. W., Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996, c1982, c1962). New Bible Dictionary. Includes index. (electronic ed. of 3rd ed.) (108). Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.
6:
Baal-gad (bayʹuhl-gad), probably modern Hasbaiya in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley (Josh. 11:17; 12:7; 13:5).
Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (85). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
7:
Baal-Gad (Heb. ba˓al gāḏ)
A Canaanite town marking the northern boundary of Joshua’s conquests (Josh. 11:17; 12:7; 13:5). The king list in Josh. 12 implicitly includes Baal-gad within the territory of Og, king of Bashan. The town is located “below Mt. Hermon” and may have occupied the site of modern Banias. Permanent water sources are by their nature sacred sites, and the name of the town may reflect the permanent spring at Banias (2112.2949).
Thomas W. Davis
Freedman, D. N., Myers, A. C., & Beck, A. B. (2000). Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (136). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans.
