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You are here: Home / 101Study Help / Who is / Who was Beelzebul?

Who was Beelzebul?

October 18, 2022 by Krisan Marotta

Who was Beelzebul? - Bible Study Tools | WednesdayintheWord.com

Jews of New Testament times used ‘Beelzebul’ as a name for Satan, the prince of demons (Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24-27).

The name Baal-zebub or Beel-zebul comes from a Phoenician god worshiped at Ekron in Old Testament times (2 Kings 1:2-16 ). While the original meaning of the name is unknown, the Old Testament form (Baal-zebub) means “Lord of the flies,” probably because the locals believed this god could protect them from disease-carrying flies.

In Jesus’ day, this god is derisively called Beel-zebul meaning “lord of dung.” Satan was called Beelzebul, because he was lord of unclean spirits or demons.

Jesus’ enemies accused him of casting out demons by invoking Beelzebul (Mark 3:22) and even of being his embodiment (Matthew 10:25). Jesus, rejecting this calumny, pointed out that the expulsion of demons was Satan’s defeat, heralding the arrival of God’s kingdom (Luke 11:20-22 ).

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New Testament Usage

Mat 10:25; Mat 12:24; Mat 12:27; Mar 3:22; Luk 11:15; Luk 11:18; Luk 11:19.

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Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology: Beelzebub ; Gods and Goddesses, Pagan

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Beelzebul

Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Beelzebub

Fausset Bible Dictionary: Beelzebul

Holman Bible Dictionary: Beelzebub

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Beelzebub or Beelzebul

Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Beelzebul

Morrish Bible Dictionary: Beelzebub

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Beelzebub

McClintock and Strong: Beelzebub

The Jewish Encyclopedia: Beelzebub

Gotquestions: Who was Beelzebub?

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Photo by Guillaume Bourdages on Unsplash

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