Baal Worship in the Old Testament

Baal Worship in the Old Testament

"The most prevalent religious system in the immediate Canaanite context of Israelite culture was the worship of Ba‘al. A network of mythical stories that attempted to explain in narrative the nature of the physical world supported this religious system. As with most myths, the entire story is complex, varying in details and emphasis between peoples. The basic features, however, are fairly simple. Ba‘al religion revolved around the cycles of nature necessary for survival and prosperity in the ancient world, primarily growing crops or raising livestock, as well as the growth of human populations. Not surprisingly, in an arid and agriculturally marginal area of the world the fertility of land and crops played a large role in Canaanite world view. Also as expected, water was a major element of the myth and its images. Likewise, in an environment where human existence was often precarious for a variety of reasons human fertility was an important concern, not only for survival, but also due to the fact that people were one of the most important resources."