Beel-Zebub

BEEL-ZEBUB, or Belzebub. The God Fly, a Deity adored by those of Ekron. There are disputes concerning the form and quality of this ridiculous God. We have treated at large on this matter in our Dissertation concerning the Gods of the Philistines, printed before our Comment on the first book of Kings, p. 27. Beel-zebub, or as he is often called in Greek and Latin, Beel-zebul or Beel-zebut, had a celebrated Temple and Oracle at Ekron. Ahaziah King of Israel, having fallen from the terrass of his house into the dining 2 Kings i. 2, 3, &c.-room, and received thereby some dangerous hurts, sent to consult Beel-zebub to know if he should be cured of his wounds. Matt. xii. 24. Luke xi. 15. Mark iii. 22.In the New Testament Beel-zebub is often called the Prince of the Devils.

Some Commentators will have it, that the name of Beel-zebub is not the true name of this Deity, but Bel-samin the God of Heaven, whom the Hebrews in derision called Beel-zebub, the God Fly, or Beelzebul the God of Ordure. Others are of opinion, that this Deity of the Ekronites was called the God of Flies, because he defended people from the Flies, in like manner as the Eleans adored Jupiter the Driver away of Flies¹, under which quality the Romans too worshipped him². Lastly, others³ believe that the fly or beetle, and the figure of this Insect was adored. Pliny⁴ assures us, that the Egyptians, who lay so near to the Philistines in whose country Ekron was, paid divine honours to the Beetle. It is observed that there are Beetles in the picture of Isis, on which Pignorius has made a Comment. The Author of the book of Wisdom, having Wisd. xii. 8.said that God sent flies and wasps to drive the Canaanites and Ammonites by degrees out of their country, adds, that God made those very things, to which they paid divine honours, the instruments of their punishment; they therefore adored Flies and Wasps. There are said to be medals and old seals, on which Flies and Beetles are represented. Why the Jews in Jesus Christ’s time should call Beel-zebub the Prince of the Devils we do not very well know.

Some Authors are of opinion, that the name of Achor⁵ the God invoked at Cyrene against Flies, comes from Accaron, the City where Beel-zebub was worshipped. Others think, that the true name which the Philistines gave their Deity was Beelzeback, God of Sacrifice, or Beel-zebaoth, God of Hosts, or Beelzebul, God of the Habitation or of Heaven; and that the Jews, who delighted in disfiguring the names of false Gods, and were scrupulous of calling them by their proper appellations, gave them in derision that of God Ps. xvi. 4. Exod. xxiii. 13.Fly, or God of Ordure. The name of Beelzebuth is not very different from that of Beelzebaoth, God of Hosts. The worship of this false God must have been in reputation in our Saviour’s time, since the Jews accused him with driving out Devils in the name of Belzebub Prince of the Devils, that is to say, of Satan, Lucifer, or Chief of the rebellious Angels, whom the Jews of our Saviour’s time called Belzebut or Belzebub. This appears clearly by our Lord’s answer and way of Matth. xii. 24. Ibid. verf. 26, 27. 2 Kings i. 12.arguing; If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself, how then can this kingdom stand?

It is a question which is the true reading of S. Matthew’s Text, xii. 24. whether Belzebub, as we find in the Vulgate; or Belzebul, as the old Greek Copies, and the Oriental Translations from the Greek read it; or Belzebuth, as the French pronounce it. It is certain that in the Hebrew books of the Old Testament we always read Belzebub v, that is to say, the God Fly, or the God of the Fly. The⁶ Septuagint translate it Baal the Fly, and consequently they read Belzebub. Some think that the originals of the New Testament had the same reading, and that the Copiers through ignorance or derision substituted Belzebul in the room of it, which signifies the God of Ordure ; but of this there is no proof. As for Belzebuth, some would justify it by saying that it is the Plural of Sebub, and that at first the name was Beelsebuboth, God of Flies, and in the way of abbreviation Beelsebuth ; but there is no other passage to be produced, wherein we find Beelsebuboth instead of Beelsebub. See Bochart. de Animal. Sacr. P. 2. l. iv. c. 9. & Selden, De Diis Syriis. Syntag. 1. c. 6.

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