בֵּל

בֵּל proper name, masculine a chief Babylonian deity (Babylonian Bêlu = בַּעַל, lord; Bêl regarded as older form than בַּעַל by Hpt^{Hebraica. i. 178}; BAS i. 17) = Merodach (compare מרדך), tutelary god of Babylon (to be distinguished from older Bêlu, one of ancient Babylonian triad) Jer 50:2 (|| מְרֹדַךְ) Jer 51:44; Isa 46:1 (|| נְבֹו) — both writers of Babylonian period; — on Bel see COT Gen 11:4; Judg 2:11 Say^Rel. Babylonian 103, 110 Jen^{Kosmologie 24, 134, 307, 391}.