Baal-Meon

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

BAAL-MEON . A city of Moah assigned to Reuhen. The name occurs in Numbers 32:38 as Baal-meon , but in Joshua 13:17 as Beth-baal-meon; both forms being found also on the Moahite Stone; cf. Ezekiel 25:9 , 1 Chronicles 5:8; also Beth-meon of Jeremiah 48:23 . It is to be identified with the modern Ma’in , about 5 miles S.W. of Medeba.

G. L. Robinson.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In Reuben beyond the Jordan, Numbers 32:38; called also Bethmeon, Jeremiah 48:23 , and Beth-baal-meon, Joshua 13:17 . Its ruins are found two miles southeast of Heshbon. Ezekiel 25:9 , speaks of it as then a Moabitish town.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

This was the idol of Beth-jesimoth, and is rendered, "the Lord of the house." (Ezekiel 25:9)

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Numbers 32:38Jeremiah 48:23Joshua 13:17

Holman Bible Dictionary

Numbers 32:36Ezekiel 25:9

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrews Ba'al Miieon/,בִּעִל מְעוֹן , lord of dwelling; Sept. ἡ Βεελμεών, but in Chron. Βεελμαών v. r. Βεελμασσών, and in Ezekiel omits; otherwise BETH-MEON, Jeremiah 48:23, and BETH-BAALMEON, Joshua 13:17), a town in the tribe of Reuben beyond the Jordan, or at least one of the towns which were "built" by the Reubenites (Numbers 32:38), and to which they "gave other names." Possibly the "Beth-" (q.v.), which is added to the name in its mention elsewhere, and which sometimes superseded the "Baal-" (q.v.) of the original name, is one of the changes referred to. (See Baalim).' It is also named in 1 Chronicles 5:8, and on each occasion with Nebo. In the time of Ezekiel it was in the possession of the Moabites, and under that prosperous dominion had evidently become a place of distinction, being noticed as one of the cities which are the ‘ glory of the country" (Ezekiel 25:9). In the days of Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast. s.v. Βεελμαούς, Balmen) it was still a very large village called Balmano, 9 miles distant from Heshbon (Ι᾿έβους, Esbus), near the "mountain of the hot springs," and reputed to be the native place of Elisha. At the distance of two miles south-east of Heshbon, Burckhardt (2. 624) found the ruins of a place called Myoun, or (as Dr. Robinson [Researches, 3, Append. p. 170] corrects it) Main, which is doubtless the same; so Schwarz, Main (Palest. p. 227). In Numbers 32:3, apparently the same place is called BEON, perhaps by an error of the copyists or by contraction.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bā´al -mē´on בּעל מעון , ba‛al me‛ōn  ; Βεελμεών , Beelmeō̇n ̌ : A town built by the children of Reuben along with Nebo, "their names being changed" (Numbers 32:38 ), identical with Beon of Numbers 32:3 . As Beth-baal-meon it was given by Moses to the tribe of Reuben (Joshua 13:17 ). Mesha names it as fortified by him (MS, L. 9). It appears in Jeremiah 48:23 as Beth-meon, one of the cities of Moab. Eusebius, Onomasticon speaks of it as a large village near the hot springs, i.e. Callirrhoe, in Wādy Zerḳā Ma‛in , 9 miles from Heshbon. This points to the ruined site of Ma‛ı̄n , about 4 miles Southwest of Madeba . The ruins now visible however are not older than Roman times.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ba´al-Me´on (Numbers 32:38; 1 Chronicles 5:8; otherwise Beth-Meon, Jeremiah 48:23, and Beth-Baal-Meon, Joshua 13:17), a town in the tribe of Reuben beyond the Jordan, but which was in the possession of the Moabites in the time of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 25:9). At the distance of two miles south-east of Heshbon, Burckhardt found the ruins of a place called Myoun, or (as Dr. Robinson corrects it) Mâi′n, which is doubtless the same.