We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Belial
FREE Catholic Classes
Found frequently as a personal name in the Vulgate and various English translations of the Bible , is commonly used as a synonym of Satan, or the personification of evil.
This sense is derived from 2 Corinthians 6:15 , where Belial (or Beliar) as prince of darkness is contrasted with Christ, the light. It is clear in the Vulgate and Douay translations of 1 Kings 21:10 and 13 , where the same Hebrew is rendered once as Belial and twice as "the devil".
In the other instances, too, the translators understood it as a name for the prince of evil, and so it has passed into English. Milton, however, distinguishes Belial from Satan, regarding him as the demon of impurity. In the Hebrew Bible, nevertheless, the word is not a proper name, but a common noun usually signifying "wickedness" or "extreme wickedness". Thus, Moore renders "sons of Belial" as "vile scoundrels" ( Judges 19:22 ); most prefer "worthless fellows".
In some cases belial seems to mean "destruction", "ruin"; thus in Psalm 12:9 , the word is parallel to the thought of utter destruction and seems to mean the same. In Psalm 18:5 , it is parallel to "death" and "Sheol"; some understand it as "destruction", Cheyne as "the abyss" .
The etymology of the word is doubtful ; it is usually taken to be a compound meaning "worthlessness." Cheyne suggest an alternate that means "that from which no one comes up", namely the abyss, Sheol. St. Jerome's etymology "without yoke", which he has even inserted as a gloss in the text of Judges 19:22 , is contrary to Hebrew philology.
Belial, from meaning wickedness or Sheol, could develop into a name for the prince of evil or of darkness; and as such was widely used at the beginning of our era. Under the names Beliar, Berial, he plays a very important rôle in apocryphal literature, in the "Ascension of Isaias", the "Sibylline Oracles", and the "Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs". He is the prince of this world and will come as Antichrist ; his name is sometimes given also to Nero, returning as Antichrist.
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Giants of the Fallen: Unveiling the Mystery of the Nephilim from a Catholic Perspective
-
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Choices: How Ecclesiastes 10:2 Illuminates Today's Political Divide
-
How Do We Know Truth? A Catholic Perspective
-
Veterans Day: Prayer for all veterans to find peace and healing
-
The Power of the Rosary: Why Praying the Rosary Matters for Catholics
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Thursday, November 14, 2024
- St. Lawrence O'Toole: Saint of the Day for Thursday, November 14, 2024
- Prayer for Our Enemies: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, November 14, 2024
- Daily Readings for Wednesday, November 13, 2024
- St. Frances Xavier Cabrini: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, November 13, 2024
- A Prayer for the Faithful Departed: Prayer of the Day for Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.