What is Belial?

What is Belial? 

Belial (Hebrew: בְּלִיַעַל‎) (also Belhor, Baalial, Beliar, Beliall, Beliel, Beliya'al) is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible

Belial has a numerical value of 78 = 6 x 13.

01100. בליעל b@liya‘al bel-e-yah’- al; from 01097 and 03276; without profit, worthlessness; by extens. destruction, wickedness (often in connection with 0376, 0802, 01121, etc.): —  Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men), wicked. Greek 955. 

01100 בליעל bᵉliya‘al bel-e-yah’- al 

AV-Belial 16, wicked 5, ungodly 3, evil 1, naughty 1 ungodly men 1; 27 

1) worthlessness 
1a) worthless, good for nothing, unprofitable, base fellow 
1b) wicked 
1c) ruin, destruction (construct) 

Deut 15:9 Watch out for yourself for fear a word of belial (worthlessness) should come to be in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of the release, has come close,’ and your eye should indeed become ungenerous toward your poor brother, and you should give him nothing, and he has to call out to Jehovah against you, and it has become a sin on your part

a common understanding among the Jews that ‘Belial’ referred not to an external supernatural evil being, but to evil thoughts within the heart of men. 

To have a ‘heart of Belial’ (a mean thought in one’s heart), was described as having ‘Belial in your heart’

Beware that there be not Belial in thy heart

In the Book of Jubilees, uncircumcised Gentiles are called "sons of Belial". Jubilees 15:32

The quality or state of being useless, base, good for nothing. The Hebrew term is applied to ideas, words, and counsel (De 15:9; Ps 101:3; Na 1:11), to calamitous circumstances (Ps 41:8), and most frequently, to good-for-nothing men of the lowest sort— (De 13:13); (Jg 19:22-27; 20:13); (1Sa 2:12); (1Sa 25:17, 25); (2Sa 20:1; 22:5; 23:6; Ps 18:4); (2Ch 13:7); (1Ki 21:10, 13); 

and men in general who stir up contention (Pr 6:12-14; 16:27; 19:28)

Any man or woman who was considered wicked, worthless, lawless, might be called a son or daughter of Belial. (See Deut. 13:13; Judg. 19:22; I Sam. 1:16, and II Sam. 16:7; in these texts "Belial" is used in the A. V.) .

Belial refers to the Adversary (Satan), or (in our interpretation) evil thoughts within the heart (consciousness) of men.

The deceiving phase of mind in men that has fixed ideas in opposition to the Truth. Belial assumes various forms in man's consciousness, among which may be mentioned egotism, a puffing up of the personality; and the opposite of this, self-deception, which admits the adversary into the consciousness. This adversary makes man believe that he is by nature good and without sin therefore man has no need of God.

Belial is Satan the "Devil," a state of mind formed by man's personal ideas of his power and completeness and sufficiency apart from God. Besides at times puffing up the personality, this thinking of the flesh often turns about and, after having tempted a believer to do evil, discourages the believer by accusing him of sin. Summed up, it is the state of mind in man that believes in its own sufficiency independent of the Deity.

By the time Bible writing resumed in the first century, “Belial was used as a personification
at 2 Corinthians 6:15 Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever?

"Belial" was a specifically Jewish term for 'satan'. The fact Paul uses it here demonstrates the degree of Judaist influence upon the Corinthians. The Bible doesn't teach the existence of a cosmic Satan figure as believed in by first century Judaism; the word "Belial" never occurs again in the Bible. But (as he often does) Paul reasons with them from their perspective. 

It was unthinkable in Judaism to suggest that there was middle ground between Belial and God; but this in practice was how they were living. But when "Belial" occurs in the Old Testament, the Septuagint translates it as transgressor, impious, foolish or pest. It does not occur in the Septuagint as a proper name- i.e. 'Satan' as a personal cosmic being. 

Belial in Hebrew means 'worthless', and it seems that it became personified in Jewish thought, eventually being twisted by them into a term for the cosmic 'Satan' figure which they came to wrongly believe in. So it could be that Paul is putting 'Belial' for what the Old Testament would call "sons of Belial", i.e. wicked men. They are then made parallel with "unbelievers", just as "Christ" is matched by "believers".

The term belial appears frequently in Jewish texts of the Second Temple period


And Manasseh turned aside his heart to serve Belial; for the angel of lawlessness, who is the ruler of this world, is Belial, whose name is Matanbuchus.— (Ascension of Isaiah 2:4

Levi tells his children to choose between the Law of God and the works of Belial Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs Levi 19:1

Naphtali ( 2:6, 3:1) contrasts the Law and will of God with the purposes of Belial.

"Belial shall be let loose against Israel, as God spoke through Isaiah the prophet."

The Fragments also speak of "three nets of Belial" which are said to be fornication, wealth, and pollution of the sanctuary. CD 4:13 CD 4:17-18

Testament of Reuben

2:1 And now hear me, my children, what things I saw concerning the seven spirits of deceit, when I repented.
2:2 For seven spirits are established against man, and they are the sources of the deeds of youth.
2:3 And seven other spirits are given to man at creation, so that by them every human deed is done.

The spirits of deceit are to be understood as human qualities according to the outward seanes

14 The first is the spirit of life, with which the constitution of man is created.

15 The second is the sense of sight, with which ariseth desire.

16 The third is the sense of hearing, with which cometh teaching.

17 The fourth is the sense of smell, with which tastes are given to draw air and breath.

18 The fifth is the power of speech, with which cometh knowledge.

19 The sixth is the sense of taste, with which cometh the eating of meats and drinks; and by it strength is produced, for in food is the foundation. of strength.

20 The seventh is the power of procreation and sexual intercourse, with which through love of pleasure sins enter in.

The other seven spirits would be identified as the spirits of Belial these evil spirits are personified given specific names or as agents of Belial

8 For many hath fornication destroyed; because, though a man be old or noble, or rich or poor, he bringeth reproach upon himself with the sons of men and derision with Beliar.

9 For ye heard regarding Joseph how he guarded himself from a woman, and purged his thoughts from all fornication, and found favour in the sight of God and men.

10 For the Egyptian woman did many things unto him, and summoned magicians, and offered him love potions, but the purpose of his soul admitted no evil desire.

11 Therefore the God of your fathers delivered him from every evil and hidden death.

12 For if fornication overcomes not your mind, neither can Beliar overcome you.

8 But if it incline to the evil inclination, all its actions are in wickedness, and it driveth away the good, and cleaveth to the evil, and is ruled by Beliar; even though it work what is good, he perverteth it to evil.