Bible Dictionaries
Bel
Holman Bible Dictionary
(behl) Name of Babylonian god, originally as city patron of Nippur, but then as a second name for the high god Marduk of Babylon. Isaiah mocked Babylon by describing their gods burdening down donkeys in procession out of the city into captivity. People did not bow before them. The idols bowed down to get out of the city gates (Isaiah 46:1 ). Similarly, Jeremiah prophesied shame coming on Bel (Jeremiah 50:2 ). Bel would have to spit out the nations he had swallowed up (Jeremiah 51:44 ). An apocryphal book is called Bel and the Dragon.
Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Bel'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hbd/b/bel.html. 1991.