BEL or Belus, the first King of Babylon, who after his death received divine honours in this City, and throughout all Chaldæa. We do not know exactly whether it were Nimrod, or Belus the Father of Ninus, or some other of their Kings, whom they worshipped under the name of Belus; or whether it were the Sun, or Saturn, or Jupiter. See above the Jerem. 1. 2.Article Baal. Jeremiah speaking of the Destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces, her Idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces. The same Prophet in another Id. 1. 44.place says, And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up, and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him; yea the wall of Babylon shall fall. This was seen to be executed under Cyrus, Darius the Son of Hystaspes, and the Princes who succeeded them. See Babylon.
The Babylonians worshipped Bel as a living God; they attributed to him the gift of healing diseases, and believed he Baruch vi. 40.eat and drank like a living person. Baruch says, that one dumb was presented to him, that he might restore him to the use of speech, as tho’ he were able to understand. Dan. xiv. 2.And Daniel relates in what manner he discovered the cheat of Bel’s Priests, who came every night through private doors, to eat what was offered to this false Deity.
Herodotus1 describes the Temple of Belus at Babylon, as one of the most wonderful works in the World. It was a prodigious Tower, the basis whereof was a square, every side of which was a Furlong or an hundred twenty five Paces, and consequently an hundred Paces in circuit; it consisted of eight Towers built one upon another. Strabo2 in his description of it, calls it a Pyramid, because it decreased as it rose higher, and says it was a Furlong or an hundred twenty five Paces in height. People went up it by stairs which were carried round about the outside of it. The eight Towers were as it were so many stages, wherein several large Chambers were contrived, supported by Pillars. Upon the very top of the Tower was the Temple of Belus, wherein were many Statues of massy Gold; one among the rest forty foot high. This Temple3 with its riches was in being till the time of Xerxes; who returning from his unfortunate expedition into Egypt, demolished the Temple, and carried off the immense wealth, which was inclosed in it; consisting not only in golden Statues, but in furniture and instruments appointed for the worship of them. See above Babel, Tower of Babel.
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