Original Word: בַּעַל חָצוֹר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Ba`al Chatsowr
Pronunciation: bah-ahl khaw-tsore'
Phonetic Spelling: (bah'-al khaw-tsore')
KJV: Baal-hazor
NASB: Baal-hazor
Word Origin: [from H1167 (בַּעַל - owner) and a modification of H2691 (חָצֵר - Court)]

1. possessor of a village
2. Baal-Chatsor, a place in Israel

Baal-hazor

From ba'al and a modification of chatser; possessor of a village; Baal-Chatsor, a place in Palestine -- Baal-hazor.

see HEBREW ba'al

see HEBREW chatser

Word Origin
from baal and chatser
Definition
"possessor of a court," a city between Ephraim and Benjamin
NASB Translation
Baal-hazor (1).

בַּ֫עַל חָצוֺר proper name, of a location (possessor of a court; or ׳ב proper name, of divinity?) city on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin 2 Samuel 13:23, probably = חצור Nehemiah 11:33; ? modern Tell `Asûr (with ע) Rob^{BR ii. 264 doubtfully}; compare Survey^{ii. 298} (after de Saulcy).

Location and Name

Baal-hazor, literally “lord of Hazor” or “Baal of the enclosure,” designates a high ridge on the border of Benjamin and Ephraim. The identification most widely accepted is modern Tell ‛Asur (Jebel Asur), the loftiest peak of central Israel (about 1,010 m / 3,318 ft). From its summit one surveys the hill-country of Samaria and the wilderness that drops toward the Jordan, making it an ideal site for seasonal pasturing and the large-scale shearing of sheep.

Biblical Occurrence

2 Samuel 13:23 records the single mention:

“Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep shearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king.”

The verse forms the hinge of the Tamar–Amnon–Absalom narrative that spans 2 Samuel 13–15.

Historical Context

1. Sheep-shearing as a social event: Similar to the gathering at Carmel in 1 Samuel 25, the shearing season was a time of festivity, generosity, and public celebration of prosperity (Genesis 38:12; 2 Samuel 13:23).
2. Political maneuvering: Absalom leveraged the feast’s merriment to mask his pre-meditated revenge on Amnon. The remote height of Baal-hazor offered privacy away from royal oversight in Jerusalem.
3. Underlying family fracture: The location becomes the stage on which unresolved sin in David’s household surfaces. The tragedy at Baal-hazor precipitates Absalom’s exile (13:37-38) and ultimately his rebellion (15:1-12).

Theological Significance

• Divine justice and human scheming: Though Absalom’s plot is sinful, it fulfills Nathan’s prophetic word that “the sword shall never depart from your house” (2 Samuel 12:10). Baal-hazor is therefore a geographical testimony to the certainty of God’s word.
• The lure of the high place: The name’s association with “Baal” hints at the lingering Canaanite influence in Israel’s heartland. While nothing in the text suggests overt idolatry at the feast, the nomenclature reminds readers of the danger of syncretism and foreshadows the high-place apostasies condemned later by the prophets.
• Covenant accountability: David’s passivity toward Amnon’s crime leads to further violence. Baal-hazor underscores the principle that neglected discipline breeds greater transgression (Proverbs 19:18; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).

Practical and Ministry Applications

1. Confront sin swiftly: The narrative urges leaders to address wrongdoing directly rather than abdicate responsibility, lest bitterness ferment.
2. Guard times of celebration: Periods of abundance (physical or spiritual) can become occasions for fleshly indulgence or deceit; vigilance is essential.
3. Discern true motives: Absalom cloaked vengeance in hospitality. Wise shepherds learn to test the spirit behind seemingly good invitations (1 John 4:1).

Archaeological and Geographical Notes

• Tell ‛Asur dominates the watershed north of Ramallah. Agricultural terraces and rock-hewn installations attest to long-standing pastoral use.
• The site lies roughly 8 km east of ancient Shiloh, explaining the phrase “near Ephraim.”
• “Hazor” is a common toponym (“enclosed settlement”). Distinguishing Baal-hazor from the northern Hazor of Naphtali avoids conflation.

Intertextual Connections

• Sheep-shearing episodes: Genesis 38 (Judah), 1 Samuel 25 (Nabal), 2 Samuel 13 (Absalom). Each exposes concealed sin and highlights divine providence.
• High-place conflicts: The name aligns it with locations like Baal-shalishah (2 Kings 4:42) and Baal-perazim (2 Samuel 5:20), where allegiance to the LORD over Baal is repeatedly tested.
• Familial intrigue: Parallels with Cain and Abel (Genesis 4) and Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 37) underscore recurring biblical patterns of rivalry and betrayal.

Related Themes and Lessons

• The cost of unresolved grievances.
• The responsibility of covenant heads to protect and guide their households.
• The sovereignty of God working through, and in spite of, human intentions.

חָצ֖וֹר חצור chaTzor ḥā·ṣō·wr ḥāṣōwrInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts