Baal
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Baal is a Demon in the Megami Tensei franchise.
Profile
Origin

Baal[a] is a title in Semitic languages meaning "lord," and is applied to several deities, though Baal by itself most often refers to the Syro-Canaanite storm god Hadad,[b] whom the Megami Tensei demon typically represents.
In Ugarit, Baal Hadad (or simply Baal) became seen as the king of the gods; the Baal Cycle describes how he defeated the sea god Yamm to obtain this title.[2] Baal is called the son of Dagan but is also portrayed as a son of El.[3] He does not appear to have had a consort in Ugarit.[4]
Like in Ugarit, Hadad was also the main deity worshiped in the Aramaean city of Aleppo in antiquity.[5] He was believed to have triumphed over the sea goddess Têmtum and was associated with kingship.[6]
Baal, also referred to by the epithet "Baal (lord) of Heaven",[c] was an important god in Phoenicia.[7] In his Phoenician History, Philo of Byblos mentions Adodos[d] a single time as the king of the gods. He is most likely the same figure as the Demarous[e] mentioned in the same sentence and elsewhere in the text. If Demarous and Adodos are indeed the same figure, then this would make Adodos the stepson of Dagon, who was given a pregnant concubine of Uranus in marriage by El.[8] The name Demarous is likely connected to dmrn, an epithet of Baal Hadad in Ugaritic texts.[f][9][8] There is also a single mention of Demarous being in conflict with Pontos, paralleling the combat between the Ugaritic Baal and Yamm; Pontos and Yamm both mean "sea".[10]
Worship of Baal is frequently mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament as leading the Israelites astray from their worship of YHWH, though the term Baal is not always referring to Hadad (with the word Baal even being pluralized in some instances to refer to multiple deities).
During the Hellenistic period, Hadad would be identified with Zeus or (less often) Helios, and he would be further identified with Jupiter in the Roman era.
A cognate of Hadad, Adād, was used to refer to a deity worshiped by East Semitic-speaking Mesopotamians, subsuming the minor Sumerian storm deity Iškur. The Babylonians used Bēl, the cognate word to Baal, to refer not to Adād but to Marduk.
Design
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Baal's Shin Megami Tensei II and Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers designs feature a fish-like crown, which represents Baal's slaying of a sea serpent[11] (i.e. Lotan) and is meant to allude to the gods Dagon and Oannes.[12] The rest of his outfit is a reference to Michael Jackson's costume in the music video for the song Remember the Time. According to Kazuma Kaneko, at the time they did not have access to references for ancient Canaanite clothing so he settled for the Egyptian aesthetic featured in the aforementioned video.[13] He carries a cup of water to reflect his role as a fertility and storm god.[14]
Gameplay
- For complete gameplay information, see Gameplay:Baal.
Compendium
| Compendium Entries | |
|---|---|
| Shin Megami Tensei II(A-Mode DDS) |
出身地:シリア 雨と雷と稲妻をつかさどる豊穣神。名は古代セム語で「主」という意味を持つ。海神ダゴンあるいは、至高神エルの息子とされる。ユダヤ教、キリスト教では魔に堕とされた。バエルやベルゼブブ、ベルフェゴールの原型となった。Translation: Place of origin: Syria A harvest god who presides over rain, thunder, and lightning. His name is an ancient Semitic word for "Lord". Considered the son of the sea god Dagon or the supreme god El. Demonized in Judaism and Christianity. He served as the basis for Bael, Beelzebub, and Belphegor. |
| Shin Megami Tensei IV |
The chief Semitic god. He was worshipped as a fertility god, and his name means "Lord." He is the god of Canaan and brother and consort to the goddess Anat. Many demons, such as Bael, Beelzebub, Belphegor, and Berith are believed to be derivations of Baal. Long ago, he was worshipped in the same temples as Yahweh. |
| Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse |
The chief Semitic god. He was worshipped as a fertility god, and his name means "Lord." |
| Shin Megami Tensei V |
The chief Semitic god. Bearing a name that means "Lord," or "owner," he was revered as a god of fertility in addition to being known as the god of Canaan and both brother and consort to the goddess Anat. Many demons, such as Bael, Beelzebub, Belphegor, and Berith are believed to be derivations of Baal. There were even instances of him being worshiped in the very same temples as Yahweh (YHVH) in times long since passed. |
| Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance |
The chief Semitic god. Bearing a name that means "Lord," or "owner," he was revered as a god of fertility in addition to being known as the god of Canaan and both brother and consort to the goddess Anat. Many demons, such as Bael, Beelzebub, Belphegor, and Berith, are believed to be derivations of Baal. There were even instances of him being worshiped in the very same temples as Yahweh (YHVH) in times long since passed. |
| Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 |
A god of storm and rain worshipped in the Canaan region, his name means "Lord" in ancient Semitic. Like his title, he is the chief deity in Ugaritic mythology. After being incorporated into Egyptian mythology, he is equated with the storm god Seth, and is depicted in a similar fashion. |
| Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers(3DS) |
The chief Semitic god. |
| Soul Hackers 2 |
The chief Semitic god. Bearing a name that means "Lord," or "owner," he was revered as a god of fertility in addition to being known as the god of Canaan and both brother and consort to the goddess Anat. Many demons, such as Bael, Beelzebub, Belphegor, and Berith are believed to be derivations of Baal. There were even instances of him being worshiped in the very same temples as Yahweh (YHVH) in times long since passed. |
| Persona 2: Innocent Sin |
Mesopotamian deity denounced as a false god by Christianity. |
| Persona 2: Eternal Punishment |
God known in Mesopotamia as evil, according to biblical scribes. |
| Persona 5 |
The chief Semitic god who governs over fertility. He is the god of Canaan and brother and consort to the goddess Anat, who saved him from Mot. |
| Persona 5 Royal | |
| Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth |
The chief Semitic god who governs over fertility. He is the god of Canaan and brother and consort to the goddess Anat, who saved him from Mot. |
| Persona 5 Tactica |
The chief Semitic god who governs over fertility. He is the god of Canaan and brother and consort to the goddess Anat, who saved him from Mot. |
| Devil Survivor 2 |
The chief Semitic god. He was worshipped as a fertility god, and his name means "Lord." He is the god of Canaan and brother and consort to the goddess Anat. Many demons, such as Bael, Beelzebub, Belphegor, and Berith are believed to be derivations of Baal. Long ago, he was worshipped in the same temples as Yahweh. |
| Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker | |
| Kētai Akuma Densho |
西セム人の主神とされる神。豊饒神として長い間崇拝されていたと言われる。 出身地:シリアバアルは豊饒神として長く崇拝されていた神で、その名は古代セム語で「主」を意味する。彼は狭義では、カナアンの主神であると言われている。女神アナトの兄にして夫であるとされる。一説では、神々は全てバアルのようなものであったとも言われる。ソロモンの魔神バエルやベルゼブブ、ベルフェゴールやベリトなどは、このバアルから派生した悪魔とされる。この神は、かつてヤハウェと神殿を共にしていたとも言われる。Translation: A deity considered the chief West Semitic god. Said to have been worshiped for a long time as a fertility god. Place of origin: Syria |
Game Appearances
Shin Megami Tensei IV
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Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
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Shin Megami Tensei V
Baal was once a Nahobino that sat on the Throne of Creation, with the Seraphim as his divine servants.[15] Baal was later usurped by the Creator as ruler. Following the breaking of the Condemnation, Baal began plotting to retake the Throne, conspiring with the Tyrants Belphegor and Moloch in order to track down the newborn Nahobino.[16] After Demeter requests his death as part of the subquest "The Bull God's Lineage", he appears atop the hill in Tennozu at which Belphegor was defeated. After the arrival of the Nahobino, Baal explains that though the Nahobino does not possess his Knowledge, the Nahobino is still compatible with Baal by virtue of possessing the Knowledge of a bull god and can be reshaped in order to better suit Baal.[17] He attempts to claim the Nahobino's soul so that he can ascend to a Nahobino, however he is defeated. As he dies, he curses Beelzebub and Lucifer for depriving him of his potential and power.[18]
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
After defeating Zeus in Taito, Saturnus reveals that Baal received the Throne of Creation after Zeus relinquished it to him of his own volition.[19]
Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Revelation
Baal is the final boss of the game and the main villain of the game, although he's referred to as Bael by many demons including his followers.
This section contains spoilers. (Skip Section)
Baal, also called Bael, orchestrated all the events in the game, as he was looking for Ishtar's current reincarnation, he wanted to use Ishtar's sexual powers to control Tokyo and turn it into a new Babylon.[20]
Archangel Gabriel tells to Ayato Katsuragi that Bael was once the ruler of Palestine, there he was known as Baal and that he was Ishtar's husband and that many sacrifices were done for Ishtar who bathed in the blood of the ever-reviving Baal to become immortal.
She also reveals that Baal is a recurring adversary of the Almighty Father. Bael has also revived many times by performing a blood ritual where he himself perishes at the end. This ritual made Bael even more powerful, and every time he revived he craved even more blood. The Almighty Father and angels fought Bael, felling that evil god. His soul was sliced into many parts and cast into hell. In hell, Bael devoured those fragments, regaining his power and thus returned to Earth.
Trivia
- According to Kazuma Kaneko, Baal's design for Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II was created as a mishmash of unrelated demons due to the Famicom's memory limitations. He decided to give the design the name Baal afterwards arbitrarily.[21]
Nomenclature
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Baal | ||
| Bard | ||
| バアル Baaru | Baal | |
| バール Shin Megami Tensei II Shin Megami Tensei if... Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Revelation Megami Ibunroku Persona Persona 2: Innocent Sin Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Bāru |
Baal | |
| 巴力 Bālì | Baal | |
| 巴力 Bālì | Baal | |
| Baal | Baal | |
| Baal | Baal | |
| Baal | Baal | |
| 바알 Baal | Baal | |
| Baal | Baal | |
| Baal | Baal | |
| Баал Baal | Baal | |
| Baal | Baal | |
| Baal | Baal | |
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Reviled Dictator Persona 5 Royal | ||
| 忌まわしき独裁者 Persona 5 Royal Imawashiki Dokusaisha |
Disastrous Dictator | |
| 不祥的独裁者 Bùxiáng de Dúcáizhě |
Inauspicious Dictator | |
| 不祥的獨裁者 Bùxiáng de Dúcáizhě |
Inauspicious Dictator | |
| Dictateur méprisé |
Misprized Dictator | |
| Verschmähter Diktator |
Scorned Dictator | |
| Sovrano degli apostati |
Sovereign of the Apostates | |
| 저주詛呪스러운 독재자獨裁者 Jeojuseureoun Dokjaeja |
Curseworthy Dictator | |
| Dictador agraviado |
Aggrieved Dictator | |
Gallery
Notes
- ↑ Ugaritic: 𐎁𐎓𐎍, romanized bʿl (vocalized *Baʿl-); Phoenician: 𐤁𐤏𐤋, romanized bʿl (vocalized Baʿal); Hebrew: בַּעַל, romanized Baʿal
- ↑ Ugaritic: 𐎅𐎄, romanized hd (vocalized *Hadd-); Old Aramaic: 𐤄𐤃, romanized hd (vocalized Hadda) or 𐤄𐤃𐤃, romanized hdd (vocalized Hadad)[1]
- ↑ Phoenician: 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤔𐤌𐤌, romanized bʿlšmm (vocalized Baʿal šamēm)
- ↑ Greek: Ἄδωδος, romanized Ádōdos
- ↑ Greek: Δημαροῦς, romanized Dēmaroûs
- ↑ As a third-declension noun, in oblique cases, Demarous has -nt- instead of -s, which accounts for the missing n.
References
- General
- The Phoenician History of Philo of Byblos: A Commentary (1981), Albert I. Baumgarten. Published by E. J. Brill. ISBN-13: 978-90-04-06369-3. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004295681
- "The Storm-Gods of the Ancient Near East: Summary, Synthesis, Recent Studies: Part I", Daniel Schwemer. Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions, 7(2), pp. 121-168. Published 2007 by Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/156921207783876404
- "The Storm-Gods of the Ancient Near East: Summary, Synthesis, Recent Studies: Part II", Daniel Schwemer. Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions, 8(1), pp. 1-44. Published 2008 by Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/156921208786182428
- "Baal, Son of Dagan: In Search of Baal's Double Paternity", Noga Ayali-Darshan. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 133(4), pp. 651-657. Published October-December 2013 by American Oriental Society. https://doi.org/10.7817/jameroriesoci.133.4.0651
- Specific
- ↑ Schwemer 2007, p. 136.
- ↑ Schwemer 2008, p. 25.
- ↑ Ayali-Darshan 2013, pp. 651-652.
- ↑ Schwemer 2008, pp. 13-14.
- ↑ Schwemer 2007, pp. 162-168.
- ↑ Schwemer 2008, p. 24.
- ↑ Schwemer 2008, pp. 15-16.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ayali-Darshan 2013, pp. 654-655.
- ↑ Baumgarten 1981, pp. 195-196.
- ↑ Baumgarten 1981, pp. 207-209.
- ↑ "イラストでは、海竜を退治したことを示す王冠をかぶり、杯を手にする立派な姿。農耕に重要な雨を司ることから、豊穣神ともされる。" Kazuma Kaneko Works II (2006). Published by Shinkigensha. Japanese. p. 1. ISBN-13: 978-4-7753-0350-4.
- ↑ "Poltergeist0001: まさかこれが元ネタなんて…!でも結果的にカナン地方の民族衣装っぽさも感じられるのが本当に不思議です🥰あの魚の皮の帽子は、やっぱりダゴン関連ということでしょうか" Poltergeist0001, [1]. Published June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026. Twitter."Kazuma Kaneko: ダゴンのイメージです。加えてオアンネスのイメージも入ってます。" Kazuma Kaneko, [2]. Published June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026. Twitter.
- ↑ "「Remember The Time」という曲には俳優のエディ・マーフィーやバスケのスター選手マジック・ジョンソンが出てきて、これまた豪華。この時のマイケルの衣装がインスピレーションになってバアルの服になったんだ。MVはエジプト設定でバアルは古代カナンの神だから厳密に言えば服装は違うのだろうけど当時は古代カナンの服装の資料が手に入らなかったので、まあ仕方ない。" Kazuma Kaneko, [3]. Published June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026. Twitter.
- ↑ "バアルは豊穣の神でもあり、水の神でもあります。なので水が入った杯を持たせました。" Kazuma Kaneko, [4]. Published June 8, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026. Twitter.
- ↑ "Melchizedek: Before the Creator assumed the throne, the seraphim served Baal as gods of another region. By making use of that older divinity, their legends have been overwritten." Shin Megami Tensei V. Developed by ATLUS.
- ↑ "Demeter: Baal is the leader of those Tyrants you defeated, Belphegor and Moloch." Shin Megami Tensei V. Developed by ATLUS.
- ↑ "Baal: Now, Nahobino. You posses the right, no, the divinity, to rule. The divinity of the bull god to inherit Baal. Not only that, but you will be reborn as a Nahobino. Very favorable indeed. That is the charge I give you, [player name], and your soul as a Nahobino. Even more fortunately, your soul can be reshaped to serve as my own. That is how well-suited you are." Shin Megami Tensei V. Developed by ATLUS.
- ↑ "Baal: Impossible... I am a ruler of the gods... How could I be defeated!? Beelzebub...! If only I had that power, I would not have fallen here! Damn you, Lucifer! Where is it!? Where did you hide it!? Curse youuu..." Shin Megami Tensei V. Developed by ATLUS.
- ↑ "Saturnus: I suppose that is good enough. And it seems that Zeus still has no interest in the throne. I heard that he once surrendered the throne to a provincial god called Baal. Ha!" Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Developed by ATLUS.
- ↑ "搜查官: バエルは、イシュタルを復活させ、女神の持つ性的なパワーを引き出し、東京の覇権を、確固たるものにしようとしています。もしイシュタルが復活すれば、東京は新バビロンとして蘇り、 悪魔の帝都として君臨するでしょう。" Translation: "Investigator:We have investigated the reason as to why Bael intends to resurrect Ishtar. It appears that... Bael pretends to draw out her divine female sexual powers to solidify his control of Tokyo. Tokyo would then be reborn as the new Babylon, the capital of demonkind." Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Revelation (PC98). Developed by ATLUS. Published by ASCII. Japanese. Translation by Gabriulio.
- ↑ "FC版はメモリーが無いためパーツの寄せ集めから悪魔を作りだし、誰か想定していなかったので適当にバールの名前を与えました。なので女性のような特徴を持ったバールになりました。" Kazuma Kaneko, [5]. Published July 19, 2026. Retrieved July 20, 2026. X.
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