Original Word: בּעֲלֵי בָּמוֹת
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Ba`aley Bamowth
Pronunciation: bah-ah-LAY bah-MOTH
Phonetic Spelling: (bah-al-ay' baw-moth')
KJV: lords of the high places
NASB: heights
Word Origin: [from the plural of H1168 (בַּעַל - Baal) and the plural of H1116 (בָּמָה - high places)]

1. Baals of (the) heights
2. Baale-Bamoth, a place East of the Jordan

lords of the high places

From the plural of Ba'al and the plural of bamah; Baals of (the) heights; Baale-Bamoth, a place East of the Jordan -- lords of the high places.

see HEBREW Ba'al

see HEBREW bamah

Word Origin
from Baal and bamah
Definition
lords of (the) high places
NASB Translation
heights (1).

Meaning and Conceptual Background

Baale Bamoth (“lords of the high places”) encapsulates two ideas that appear repeatedly in Scripture: the figure of the baal—any ruling master or false deity usurping the place that belongs to the LORD—and the bamah, an elevated site used for worship. Although this exact compound does not surface in the Masoretic text, its components frame key episodes in Israel’s journey, revealing the conflict between covenant fidelity and the seductive pull of pagan ritual on conspicuous heights.

Probable Location within Moab

The name is tied to the plateau of Moab east of the Dead Sea, in proximity to sites listed in Joshua 13:17 and Numbers 22:41 where Bamoth-baal appears. That ridge commands a sweeping view of the Jordan Valley—precisely the vantage Balak selected when he urged Balaam to curse Israel. The archaeology of Moabite sanctuaries confirms the strategic placement of shrines on promontories for visibility, processions, and political symbolism. Baale Bamoth therefore likely stood among a constellation of cultic stations stretching from Dibon northward toward Mount Nebo.

Association with High-Place Worship

High places feature prominently as a spiritual battleground. In Numbers 22:41, Balak “brought [Balaam] up to Bamoth-baal,” spotlighting a Moabite expectation that territorial deities could be manipulated from such sites. Centuries later, Israelite kings repeatedly tolerated or re-established high places, even when other reforms were enacted (for example, 2 Kings 14:4; 2 Kings 15:35). The conceptual world behind Baale Bamoth thus exposes the perennial temptation to combine the worship of the LORD with practices He forbids. Deuteronomy 12 enjoins Israel to destroy these altars and seek the one place the LORD would choose, underscoring His exclusive claim.

Interplay with the Balaam Narratives

The mountains of Moab supplied Balaam with three vantage points (Numbers 22–24). Each ascent culminated not in a curse but in blessing: “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!” (Numbers 24:5). The episode demonstrates that no matter how imposing the high place or how determined the adversary, covenant promises stand. Baale Bamoth therefore becomes an ironic witness: a locale designed for idolatrous leverage ends up amplifying the sovereignty of God.

Prophetic Echoes

Later prophets recall Moab’s pride from loftiness (Isaiah 15–16; Jeremiah 48). Isaiah 15:2 pictures Moabite weeping “at the high places,” while Jeremiah 48:35 declares, “I will bring to an end in Moab the one who offers sacrifices on the high place and burns incense to his gods.” The judgment language suggests that Baale Bamoth and its sister sanctuaries would be silenced, reinforcing the message that human elevation cannot shield rebellion from divine scrutiny.

Ministry Implications

1. Spiritual altitude does not guarantee spiritual authenticity. Platforms, visibility, and influence belong to God and must be surrendered to Him.
2. The lure of syncretism persists. Modern “high places” may take cultural or ideological forms, but the call is the same: “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10).
3. God can overrule hostile settings for His glory. Just as blessing burst forth from a Moabite summit, the gospel flourishes in unlikely contexts today.
4. Vigilance in leadership is crucial. Repeated notices that good kings “did not remove the high places” (for example, 2 Kings 12:3) warn pastors and parents alike to address entrenched compromises rather than celebrate partial victories.

Summary

Though never named in extant Hebrew verses, Baale Bamoth stands conceptually at the crossroads of geography, idolatry, and redemptive history. Its memory urges believers to forsake every rival altar and to trust the LORD who cannot be manipulated yet delights to bless His covenant people from the heights and the depths alike.

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