Ba'al-Zebub

Ekron's idol

Tunnetaan myös nimellä: Beelzebub, Beelsebul, Ba'al-Zebub, Baal-Sebub, Baal-Zebub, Beelzebul, The Devil, Lucifer, The Evil One, The Tempter

Jakautunut kuningaskunta

Ba'al-Zebub ("lord of the flies") was a Philistine idol worshipped in the city of Ekron. He is best known from the account where King Ahaziah of Israel sent messengers to consult this idol about his illness, which provoked God's anger and the prophet Elijah's condemnation. In the New Testament, the related form Beelzebul is used as a name for the prince of demons.

Avaintapahtumat

King Ahaziah consults Ba'al-Zebub

After King Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper room at Samaria and became ill, he sent messengers to Ekron to consult Ba'al-Zebub about whether he would recover.

1After Ahab's death, Moab rebelled against Israel.
וַיִּפְשַׁ֤ע מוֹאָב֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֥וֹת אַחְאָֽב׃ ‬
2Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers with these orders: "Go and inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this illness."
וַיִּפֹּ֨ל אֲחַזְיָ֜ה בְּעַ֣ד הַשְּׂבָכָ֗ה בַּעֲלִיָּ֛תוֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּשֹׁמְר֖וֹן וַיָּ֑חַל וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאָכִ֗ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ לְכ֣וּ דִרְשׁ֗וּ בְּבַ֤עַל זְבוּב֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְר֔וֹן אִם־אֶחְיֶ֖ה מֵחֳלִ֥י זֶֽה׃ ס ‬

Elijah's condemnation

The angel of the Lord sent the prophet Elijah to meet Ahaziah's messengers and ask if there was no God in Israel that the king should go to consult Ba'al-Zebub, the god of Ekron. Elijah declared that Ahaziah would die.

3But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Get up and go to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and ask them: 'Is there no God in Israel, that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?'
וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה דִּבֶּר֙ אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֣ה הַתִּשְׁבִּ֔י ק֣וּם עֲלֵ֔ה לִקְרַ֖את מַלְאֲכֵ֣י מֶֽלֶךְ־שֹׁמְר֑וֹן וְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתֶּם֙ הֹֽלְכִ֔ים לִדְרֹ֕שׁ בְּבַ֥עַל זְב֖וּב אֱלֹהֵ֥י עֶקְרֽוֹן׃ ‬
4Therefore this is what the LORD says: 'You will not get up from the bed you are lying on. You will surely die.'" So Elijah went.
וְלָכֵן֙ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הַמִּטָּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־עָלִ֥יתָ שָּׁ֛ם לֹֽא־תֵרֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נָּה כִּ֣י מ֣וֹת תָּמ֑וּת וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אֵלִיָּֽה׃ ‬
5When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, "Why have you come back?"
וַיָּשׁ֥וּבוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים אֵלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מַה־זֶּ֥ה שַׁבְתֶּֽם׃ ‬
6They answered, "A man came up to meet us and said, 'Go back to the king who sent you and tell him: This is what the LORD says: Is there no God in Israel, that you are sending men to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed you are lying on. You will surely die.'"
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ ׀ עָלָ֣ה לִקְרָאתֵ֗נוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֵינוּ֮ לְכ֣וּ שׁוּבוּ֮ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֣ח אֶתְכֶם֒ וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֣ם אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתָּ֣ה שֹׁלֵ֔חַ לִדְרֹ֕שׁ בְּבַ֥עַל זְב֖וּב אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְר֑וֹן לָ֠כֵן הַמִּטָּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־עָלִ֥יתָ שָּׁ֛ם לֹֽא־תֵרֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נָּה כִּֽי־מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃ ‬

Ahaziah's repeated attempts and judgment

Ahaziah sent three groups of soldiers to bring Elijah, but the first two groups were consumed by fire from heaven. The prophet's judgment against the king's idolatry of Ba'al-Zebub was confirmed when Ahaziah died.

9Then he sent a captain with his fifty men to Elijah. The captain went up to him, and there he was, sitting on top of the mountain, and he said, "Man of God, the king commands you: Come down!"
וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֵלָ֛יו שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑יו וַיַּ֣עַל אֵלָ֗יו וְהִנֵּה֙ יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֔ר וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אִ֚ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ דִּבֶּ֖ר רֵֽדָה׃ ‬
10Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
וַיַּעֲנֶ֣ה אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיְדַבֵּר֮ אֶל־שַׂ֣ר הַחֲמִשִּׁים֒ וְאִם־אִ֤ישׁ אֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי תֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְךָ֖ וְאֶת־חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתֹּ֥אכַל אֹת֖וֹ וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּֽׁיו׃ ‬
11The king sent another captain with his fifty men to him. He said to Elijah, "Man of God, this is what the king says: Come down at once!"
וַיָּ֜שָׁב וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֵלָ֛יו שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אַחֵ֖ר וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑יו וַיַּ֙עַן֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אִ֚ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מְהֵרָ֥ה רֵֽדָה׃ ‬
12Elijah answered, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
וַיַּ֣עַן אֵלִיָּה֮ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶם֒ אִם־אִ֤ישׁ הֽ͏ָאֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי תֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְךָ֖ וְאֶת־חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ־אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתֹּ֥אכַל אֹת֖וֹ וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּֽׁיו׃ ‬
13So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him: "Man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.
וַיָּ֗שָׁב וַיִּשְׁלַ֛ח שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שְׁלִשִׁ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑יו וַיַּ֡עַל וַיָּבֹא֩ שַׂר־הַחֲמִשִּׁ֨ים הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י וַיִּכְרַ֥ע עַל־בִּרְכָּ֣יו ׀ לְנֶ֣גֶד אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיִּתְחַנֵּ֤ן אֵלָיו֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אִ֚ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים תִּֽיקַר־נָ֣א נַפְשִׁ֗י וְנֶ֨פֶשׁ עֲבָדֶ֥יךָֽ אֵ֛לֶּה חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ ‬
14Fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains with all their men. But now let my life be precious in your sight."
הִ֠נֵּה יָ֤רְדָה אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַ֠תֹּאכַל אֶת־שְׁנֵ֞י שָׂרֵ֧י הַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְאֶת־חֲמִשֵּׁיהֶ֑ם וְעַתָּ֕ה תִּיקַ֥ר נַפְשִׁ֖י בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ ס ‬
15The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.
וַיְדַבֵּ֞ר מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ רֵ֣ד אוֹת֔וֹ אַל־תִּירָ֖א מִפָּנָ֑יו וַיָּ֛קָם וַיֵּ֥רֶד אוֹת֖וֹ אֶל־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ‬
16He said to the king, "This is what the LORD says: Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron—is there no God in Israel whose word you might seek?—therefore you will not get up from the bed you are lying on. You will surely die."
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֵלָ֜יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה יַ֜עַן אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ מַלְאָכִים֮ לִדְרֹשׁ֮ בְּבַ֣עַל זְבוּב֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְרוֹן֒ הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִדְרֹ֖שׁ בִּדְבָר֑וֹ לָ֠כֵן הַמִּטָּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־עָלִ֥יתָ שָּׁ֛ם לֹֽא־תֵרֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נָּה כִּֽי־מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃ ‬
17So he died, according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Since he had no son, Joram succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.
וַיָּ֜מָת כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֣ה ׀ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיִּמְלֹ֤ךְ יְהוֹרָם֙ תַּחְתָּ֔יו פ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שְׁתַּ֔יִם לִיהוֹרָ֥ם בֶּן־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה כִּ֛י לֹֽא־הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ בֵּֽן׃ ‬

The accusation of Beelzebul against Jesus

The Pharisees accused Jesus of driving out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons—a name related to Ba'al-Zebub. Jesus rejected the accusation and showed that Satan cannot drive out Satan.

24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons."
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἀκούσαντες εἶπον· Οὗτος οὐκ ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ Βεελζεβοὺλ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων.
25Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or household divided against itself will stand.
εἰδὼς ⸀δὲ τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πᾶσα βασιλεία μερισθεῖσα καθʼ ἑαυτῆς ἐρημοῦται, καὶ πᾶσα πόλις ἢ οἰκία μερισθεῖσα καθʼ ἑαυτῆς οὐ σταθήσεται.
26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?
καὶ εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφʼ ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη· πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ;
27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? So they will be your judges.
καὶ εἰ ἐγὼ ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσιν; διὰ τοῦτο αὐτοὶ ⸂κριταὶ ἔσονται ὑμῶν⸃.

Jesus warns the disciples about Beelzebul

Jesus told his disciples that if they had called the master of the house Beelzebul, they would have called his household members even more so, and he encouraged them not to fear people.

25It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
ἀρκετὸν τῷ μαθητῇ ἵνα γένηται ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ δοῦλος ὡς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ. εἰ τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην Βεελζεβοὺλ ⸀ἐπεκάλεσαν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τοὺς οἰκιακοὺς αὐτοῦ.

Luke's account of the Beelzebul controversy

Also in the Gospel of Luke, the accusation is reported that Jesus cast out demons by Beelzebul, and Jesus responds with the parable about a divided kingdom that cannot stand.

15But some of them said, "It is by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that he drives out demons."
τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶπον· Ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ⸀τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια·
16Others, to test him, kept demanding a sign from heaven.
ἕτεροι δὲ πειράζοντες σημεῖον ⸂ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐζήτουν παρʼ αὐτοῦ⸃.
17But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.
αὐτὸς δὲ εἰδὼς αὐτῶν τὰ διανοήματα εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πᾶσα βασιλεία ἐφʼ ἑαυτὴν διαμερισθεῖσα ἐρημοῦται, καὶ οἶκος ἐπὶ οἶκον πίπτει.
18If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? For you say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.
εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁ Σατανᾶς ἐφʼ ἑαυτὸν διεμερίσθη, πῶς σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ; ὅτι λέγετε ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλειν με τὰ δαιμόνια.
19And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσιν; διὰ τοῦτο ⸂αὐτοὶ ὑμῶν κριταὶ⸃ ἔσονται.

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