Meri-ba´al or Merib-baal, a name given to Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, in; [MEPHIBOSHETH]. Of the two the latter seems the more correct form. It means 'contender against Baal.' Some think that the difference has arisen from some corruption of the text; but, from the analogy of Ishbosheth, whose original name was Esh-baal, it seems more like a designed alteration, arising probably from the reluctance of the Israelites to pronounce the name of Baal [ISH-BOSHETH].