Belial
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Worthlessness, frequently used in the Old Testament as a proper name. It is first used in Deut 13:13. In the New Testament it is found only in 2 Cor 6:15, where it is used as a name of Satan, the personification of all that is evil. It is translated “wicked” in Deut 15:9; Ps 41:8 (R.V. marg.); 101:3; Prov 6:12, etc. The expression “son” or “man of Belial” means simply a worthless, lawless person (Judg 19:22; 20:13; 1 Sam 1:16; 2:12).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
be'-li-al, bel'-yal (beliya`al; Beliar): This name, occurring very frequently in the Old Testament, has the sense of "worthlessness" (compare 2 Sam 23:6 margin); accordingly in such phrases as "sons of Belial" (Judg 20:13; 1 Sam 10:27, etc.), "men of Belial" (1 Sam 30:22; 1 Kgs 21:13, etc.), which the English Revised Version usually retains, the American Standard Revised Version more correctly renders, "base fellows" (so "daughter of Belial" 1 Sam 1:16, "wicked woman"). There is here no suggestion a proper name. Afterward, however, "Belial" became a proper name for Satan, or for Antichrist (thus frequently in the Jewish Apocalyptic writings, e.g. in XII the Priestly Code (P), Book Jubilees, Asc Isa, Sib Or). In this sense Paul used the word in 2 Cor 6:15, "What concord hath Christ with Belial?" (Beliar). Bousset thinks that Paul's "man of sin" in 2 Thess 2:3, where some authorities read "man of lawlessness," is a translation of this term. The sense at least is similar.
See Antichrist; Man Of Sin.
James Orr
Kilde: Easton's Bible Dictionary (M.G. Easton, 1897) og International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (red. James Orr, 1915/1939), public domain. Translated into Danish with AI and not yet proofread (fully or partially). Links to people and places: Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0).