plural of בָּמָה; heights; or (fully) בָּמוֹת בַּעַל; from the same and בַּעַל; heights of Baal; Bamoth or Bamoth-Baal, a place East of the Jordan; Bamoth, Bamoth-baal.
Transliteration:Bâmôwth
Pronunciation:baw-moth'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word בָּמוֹת (Bâmôwth, `{{H1120}}`) is the plural form of בָּמָה (bāmāh, `{{H1116}}`), which primarily denotes "high place" or "height." In its plural, בָּמוֹת can refer to multiple elevated locations. However, its semantic range is most significantly shaped by its frequent association with religious sites. While it can simply describe a geographical elevation, its predominant usage in the biblical text refers to elevated places used for cultic worship, often illicit. The definition also highlights a specific proper noun usage: "Bamoth" or "Bamoth-Baal," a geographical location east of the Jordan, explicitly linking the term to pagan worship through its connection with בַּעַל (Baal, `{{H1167}}`).
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term בָּמוֹת appears in various biblical contexts, functioning as both a proper noun and a common noun.
As a proper noun, it identifies a specific location:
* In [[Numbers 21:19-20]], "Bamoth" is listed as a stopping point for the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, situated in the land of Moab.
* In [[Numbers 22:41]] and [[Joshua 13:17]], the more explicit form "Bamoth-Baal" is mentioned, indicating a place where Balak took Balaam to curse Israel, and later as a city allotted to the tribe of Reuben. This immediately signals its association with pagan deities.
As a common noun, בָּמוֹת is consistently used to refer to "high places" of worship, almost invariably in a negative light, symbolizing idolatry and apostasy:
* Prophetic condemnations frequently target these sites. [[Isaiah 15:2]] mentions Moabites going to "the high places" to weep, suggesting their own cultic sites.
* In [[Jeremiah 32:35]], the "high places of Baal" are condemned for the horrific practice of child sacrifice in the Valley of Hinnom.
* Ezekiel repeatedly laments Israel's idolatry on the בָּמוֹת. For example, [[Ezekiel 6:3]] and [[Ezekiel 6:6]] declare God's judgment upon the mountains and hills where these high places are found, promising their destruction. [[Ezekiel 16:39]] and [[Ezekiel 43:7]] also condemn them as defiling the land and God's holy name.
* Hosea condemns the "high places of Aven" (iniquity) in [[Hosea 10:8]], linking them directly to Israel's sin.
* Amos pronounces judgment on the "high places of Isaac" in [[Amos 7:9]], referring to cultic sites in the Northern Kingdom that rivaled legitimate worship.
Across these occurrences, בָּמוֹת represents sites of syncretistic or purely pagan worship, often involving altars, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles, and are consistently denounced by God and His prophets.
### Related Words & Concepts
The study of בָּמוֹת is enriched by understanding its relationship to several key biblical terms and concepts:
* **בָּמָה (bāmāh, `{{H1116}}`):** As the singular form, bāmāh is the foundational term. While it can occasionally refer to legitimate altars or elevated places for observation (e.g., [[1 Samuel 9:12-14]]), its overwhelming usage, particularly in the Deuteronomistic history and prophetic literature, is for illicit cultic sites. The plural בָּמוֹת amplifies this negative connotation, referring to multiple such sites.
* **בַּעַל (Baal, `{{H1167}}`):** The Canaanite storm god, whose worship was a persistent source of idolatry for Israel. The explicit naming of "Bamoth-Baal" directly links these high places to the worship of this foreign deity, highlighting the severity of Israel's apostasy.
* **Idolatry and Apostasy:** בָּמוֹת are central symbols of Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness. They represent the nation's deviation from the exclusive worship of Yahweh and their engagement in practices explicitly forbidden by the Mosaic Law (e.g., [[Deuteronomy 12:2-4]]).
* **Cultic Purity and Centralization of Worship:** The command to destroy all בָּמוֹת (e.g., [[Deuteronomy 12:2]]) and the historical accounts of kings who either removed or tolerated them (e.g., [[1 Kings 15:14]], [[2 Kings 23:8]]) underscore the theological principle of cultic purity and the centralization of Yahwistic worship in Jerusalem.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of בָּמוֹת is profoundly negative, serving as a powerful symbol of Israel's spiritual rebellion and the consequences of compromising with paganism.
1. **Violation of Exclusive Worship:** The very existence of בָּמוֹת fundamentally violated the first commandment and the core covenant demand for exclusive worship of Yahweh alone. God's repeated commands to destroy these sites (e.g., [[Numbers 33:52]], [[Deuteronomy 12:2-3]]) underscore His intolerance for any rivals to His sovereignty.
2. **Source of Abomination:** The בָּמוֹת were not merely alternative worship sites; they were places where abominable practices, including child sacrifice (e.g., [[Jeremiah 32:35]]), cultic prostitution, and other Canaanite rituals, were performed. Their persistence brought divine judgment upon the land and its people.
3. **Indicator of National Spiritual Health:** Throughout the books of Kings and Chronicles, the spiritual state of the nation and the faithfulness of its rulers were often measured by their actions regarding the בָּמוֹת. Kings who failed to remove them, even if otherwise considered righteous, were seen as incomplete in their devotion (e.g., Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash). Conversely, kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, who actively destroyed the בָּמוֹת, were lauded for their commitment to covenant renewal and religious reform (e.g., [[2 Kings 18:4]], [[2 Kings 23:8]]).
4. **Symbol of Persistent Rebellion:** The recurring condemnation of בָּמוֹת by the prophets highlights the deep-seated nature of Israel's idolatry and their persistent failure to fully obey God's commands, ultimately contributing to their exile.
### Summary
The Hebrew word בָּמוֹת (Bâmôwth, `{{H1120}}`), the plural of בָּמָה (bāmāh, `{{H1116}}`), primarily denotes "high places." While occasionally referring to geographical elevations or even legitimate altars in early periods, its overwhelming biblical usage carries a strong negative theological weight. It serves as a proper noun for specific locations like "Bamoth" and "Bamoth-Baal," which are explicitly linked to pagan worship. More broadly, בָּמוֹת refers to the numerous illicit cultic sites scattered throughout Israel where foreign deities were worshipped and abominable practices performed. Theologically, the בָּמוֹת represent Israel's persistent idolatry, syncretism, and disobedience to Yahweh's demand for exclusive worship. Their continued existence symbolized national apostasy, while their destruction by righteous kings was a crucial act of purification and a return to covenant fidelity, underscoring God's unwavering call for singular devotion and holiness.
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