Topic
Belial
14 passages cited, from 4 classic reference works.
These works date from 1884–1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- 2 Corinthians 6:15Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave Lawlessness
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
- Deuteronomy 13:13Easton · Nave Lawlessness
Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
- Judges 20:13Easton · ISBE
Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:
- 1 Samuel 1:16Easton · ISBE
Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
- Deuteronomy 15:9Easton
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
- Judges 19:22Easton
¶ Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house,…
- 1 Samuel 2:12Easton
¶ Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
- 1 Samuel 10:27ISBE
But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
- 1 Samuel 30:22ISBE
Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead…
- 2 Samuel 23:6ISBE
¶ But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
- 1 Kings 21:13ISBE
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city,…
- Psalms 41:8Easton
An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
Show 2 more
- Proverbs 6:12 Easton
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ISBE
In the reference works
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · 10 references
Worthlessness, frequently used in the Old Testament as a proper name. It is first used in Deut. 13:13. In the New Testament it is found only in 2 Cor. 6:15, where it is used as a name of Satan, the personification of all that is evil. It is translated “wicked” in Deut. 15:9; Ps. 41:8 (R.V. marg.); 101:3; Prov. 6:12, etc. The expression “son” or “man of Belial” means simply a worthless, lawless person (Judg. 19:22; 20:13; 1 Sam. 1:16; 2:12).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884) · 1 references
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 8 references
be'-li-al, bel'-yal (beliya`al; Beliar): This name, occurring very frequently in the Old Testament, has the sense of "worthlessness" (compare 2Sa 23:6 margin); accordingly in such phrases as "sons of Belial" (Jud 20:13; 1Sa 10:27, etc.), "men of Belial" (1Sa 30:22; 1Ki 21:13, etc.), which the English Revised Version usually retains, the American Standard Revised Version more correctly renders, "base fellows" (so "daughter of Belial" 1Sa 1:16, "wicked woman"). There is here no suggestion a proper name. Afterward, however, "Belial" became a proper name for Satan, or for Antichrist (thus frequently in the Jewish Apocalyptic writings, e.g. in XII the Priestly Code (P), Book Jubilees, Asc Isa, Sib Or). In this sense Paul used the word in 2Co 6:15, "What concord hath Christ with Belial?" (Beliar). Bousset thinks that Paul's "man of sin" in 2Th 2:3, where some authorities read "man of lawlessness," is a translation of this term. The sense at least is similar.
See ANTICHRIST; MAN OF SIN.
James Orr
In the topical indexes
Texts: Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897); Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884); International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915); Nave's Topical Bible (1896), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.