Original Word: בַּעַל זְבוּב
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Ba`al Zbuwb
Pronunciation: bah'-al zeh-voov
Phonetic Spelling: (bah'-al zeb-oob')
KJV: Baal-zebub
NASB: Baal-zebub
Word Origin: [from H1168 (בַּעַל - Baal) and H2070 (זְבוּב - flies)]

1. Baal of (the) Fly
2. Baal-Zebub, a special deity of the Ekronites

Baal-zebub

From Ba'al and zbuwb; Baal of (the) Fly; Baal-Zebub, a special deity of the Ekronites -- Baal-zebub.

see HEBREW Ba'al

see HEBREW zbuwb

Word Origin
from Baal and zebub
Definition
"Baal of flies," a Philistine god
NASB Translation
Baal-zebub (4).

Name and Meaning

Baal Zebub, literally “lord of the flies,” designates a Philistine deity whose shrine was in Ekron, one of the five major cities of Philistia. The title appears only in 2 Kings 1, where it serves both as the proper name of the idol and as a polemical exposure of its impotence.

Biblical Occurrences and Setting

• 2 Kings 1:2 introduces the name when King Ahaziah of Israel, having fallen through a lattice, sends messengers to “inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury”.
• The angel of the LORD directs Elijah to intercept the envoys (2 Kings 1:3), resulting in repeated confrontations that culminate in Ahaziah’s death (2 Kings 1:16-17).
• The four occurrences (verses 2, 3, 6, 16) together highlight a decisive clash between covenant faith in the LORD and pagan superstition.

Historical and Cultural Background

Ekron lay on the southwestern frontier of Israel and Judah, regularly exchanging both trade and religious influence with its neighbors. The Philistines customarily appended the honorific “Baal” (“lord, master”) to local gods. Inscriptions from the area attest to various Baal titles linked with specific locales or functions (e.g., storms, fertility). In this case, the epithet associates the deity with flies—possibly as a supposed controller of pestilence or a guardian against insect-borne diseases common in grain-storage regions. Archaeological finds at Ekron (modern Tel Miqne) confirm an active cultic center during the ninth century B.C., Ahaziah’s era.

Theological Significance in 2 Kings 1

1. Exclusive Covenant Loyalty: Elijah’s rebuke—“Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?” (2 Kings 1:3)—underscores the first commandment’s demand for exclusive worship (Exodus 20:3).
2. Prophetic Authority: Elijah’s word proves true despite royal hostility, vindicating prophetic authority and demonstrating that the God of Israel alone controls life and death.
3. Judgment on Syncretism: Ahaziah, son of Ahab and Jezebel, perpetuates his parents’ syncretism; his demise becomes a case study in the deadly consequences of replacing divine revelation with pagan divination.

Connection to the New Testament

The Greek form “Beelzebul” appears in the Gospels (Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24; Luke 11:15), where opponents of Jesus accuse Him of casting out demons “by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” Jewish tradition had by then reinterpreted the Ekronite idol as a title for Satan. Jesus’ reply—“If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself” (Matthew 12:26)—declares His authority over demonic forces and exposes the absurdity of the charge. The polemic echoes Elijah’s earlier confrontation: both narratives contrast the living God’s power with the impotence of false gods.

Lessons for Ministry Today

• Spiritual Discernment: Modern equivalents of Baal Zebub appear wherever people seek guidance or healing through occult or superstitious means. Scripture urges believers to test every spirit and rely solely on God’s Word (1 John 4:1).
• Courageous Prophetic Witness: Elijah’s readiness to confront royal power models the church’s responsibility to speak truth to culture, even when the message is unpopular.
• Dependence on the Lord for Healing: Ahaziah’s fatal choice warns against turning first to human or spiritual substitutes. James 5:13-16 directs the suffering to pray and seek the elders’ intercession, affirming God as the believer’s healer.

Related Topics

Baal, Philistia, Ekron, Elijah, Ahaziah, Idolatry, Demons, Beelzebul.

זְב֖וּב זְבוּב֙ זְבוּב֮ זבוב zə·ḇūḇ zəḇūḇ zeVuvInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts