Baal-Shalisha

Easton's Bible Dictionary

2 Kings 4:42

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

We meet with mention of this place, 2 Kings 4:42, but whether there was an idol there, is not said. Shalesh is the Hebrew for three. So that it may be read the lord of three. But the cause for the name is difficult to explain.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ba´al-Shal´isha (2 Kings 4:42), a place in the district of Shalisha (1 Samuel 9:4). Eusebius and Jerome describe it as a city fifteen Roman miles north from Diospolis, near Mount Ephraim.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrews Ba'al Shalishah' שָׁלַישָׁה בִּעִל, lord of Shalishah, or having a third; Sept. Βααλσαλισά v. r. Βαιδαρισά and Βαιθσαρισά), a place named only in 2 Kings 4:42, as that from which the man came with provisions for Elisha, apparently not far from (the Ephraimite) Gilgal (comp. v. 38). It was doubtless in the district of Shalisha (q.v.) which is mentioned in 1 Samuel 9:4; but whether it took its name thence, or from some modification of the worship of Baal (q.v.), of which it was the seat, is uncertain. See BAALIM. Eusebius and Jerome describe it (Onomast. Βαιθσαρισάθ , Bethsalisa, where the frequent interchange of "Baal" and "Beth" is observable) as a city 15 R. miles N. of Diospolis, near Matthew Ephraim. These indications correspond, to the site of the present ruins Khurbet Hatta, about midway between Yafa and Sebustieh (Van de Velde, Map).