Fausset Bible Dictionary

("worthlessness": or "recklessness, lawlessness".) Not strictly a proper name, but used so by personification. Beli means "without" and ya'al means "usefulness," i.e. "good for nothing". "A man of Belial" is a worthless, lawless fellow ( Deuteronomy 13:13 ; Judges 19:22 ; 1 Samuel 2:12 ). Latterly "Rake" ("vain fellows" (2 Samuel 6:20 , harekim ), and "Fool" were used instead: Matthew 5:22 . Nabal ("fool") is called "man of Belial" ( 1 Samuel 25:25 .) In the New Testament, "Beliar" is the form in some oldest manuscripts (2 Corinthians 6:15 .) As Satan is opposed to God, Antichrist to Christ, so Belial standing here in contrast to Christ must denote all anti-Christian pollutions personified.