The name of the most important Canaanite god. As the god of fertility, his influence covered agriculture, animal husbandry (raising animals), and human sexuality. The Old Testament often combines "Baal" with other terms, such as place names (Baal-peor, Hosea 9:10; Baal-hermon, Judges 3:3), or with other descriptions like Baal-berith (Baal of the covenant, Judges 8:33). These combinations may suggest local cults of Baal worship.
Baal worship became widespread in northern Israel during King Ahab's reign in the ninth century BC after he married Jezebel from Tyre, a city in Phoenicia (1 Kings 16:29–33; 18:19–40). It spread to Judah when their daughter Athaliah married King Jehoram of Judah (2 Kings 8:17–18, 24–26). Worship places for Baal, often on hilltops, included an altar and a sacred tree, stone, or pillar (2 Kings 23:5). The Phoenicians, who mainly lived in cities, built temples to Baal. Even Jerusalem had a Baal temple when Athaliah was queen of Judah (2 Chronicles 23:12–17).
In Ugaritic stories, Baal goes to the underworld, the domain of the god Mot. This story likely matches the seasons' cycle. To bring Baal back and start the rainy season, the Canaanites practiced extreme rituals, including human sacrifice and sexual rites (Jeremiah 7:31; 19:4–6). Sacred prostitutes likely joined these autumn rituals. The Old Testament strongly condemns Baal worship (Judges 2:12–14; 3:7–8; Jeremiah 19).