English · KJV
H1181

בַּעֲלֵי בָּמוֹת

Baʻălêy Bâmôwth /bah-al-ay' baw-moth'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom the plural of בַּעַל and the plural of בָּמָה
MeaningBaals of (the) heights; Baale-Bamoth, a place East of the Jordan
KJV usagelords of the high places.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Baʻălêy Bâmôwth — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew term Baʻălêy Bâmôwth, represented by H1181, literally means lords of the high places. This compound word is also used to refer to Baale-Bamoth, a place located East of the Jordan. It is a highly specific term, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire biblical record.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H1181 is in a poetic song of conquest recorded in the book of Numbers. The passage describes a destructive military victory, stating, "For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon" Numbers 21:28. In this context, the term refers to the ruling powers or significant sites within the territory of Arnon that were destroyed as part of the conquest.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help establish the geographical and political context of this event:

  • H2809 Cheshbôwn (Heshbon): This is a place East of the Jordan, identified as the royal city of King Sihon of the Amorites Numbers 21:34.
  • H4124 Môwʼâb (Moab): This name refers to the descendants of Lot as well as their territory. The destruction of Ar of Moab is a key part of the event described Numbers 21:28.
  • H769 ʼArnôwn (Arnon): Described as a brawling stream, this is a river and territory east of the Jordan. The "lords of the high places" were specifically located in this region Judges 11:26.
  • H5511 Çîychôwn (Sihon): An Amoritish king whose city, Heshbon, was the source of the "fire" and "flame" that brought about the destruction Numbers 21:28.

Theological Significance

The significance of H1181 is tied entirely to its singular, dramatic context of judgment and conquest.

  • Judgment on Local Powers: The term "lords of the high places" signifies the local authorities or perhaps pagan worship centers. Their consumption by fire represents a complete and total judgment against the existing powers in the land Numbers 21:28.
  • Territorial Victory: The destruction of the "lords of the high places of Arnon" is cited as evidence of the overthrow of the region's leadership, clearing the way for Israel to possess the land. It marks a decisive moment in the conquest narrative.
  • Poetic Symbolism: Within the song, the phrase functions as a powerful symbol of utter defeat. By mentioning the destruction of not just a city (Ar) but also the regional "lords," the text emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the victory over Moab.

Summary

In summary, H1181 is a unique geographical and political descriptor. Its single use in scripture is not as a common noun but to identify a specific group or location, the lords of the high places of Arnon. Its appearance within a victory song serves to highlight the totality of the conquest over the powers of Moab and the Amorites, cementing its meaning as a symbol of overthrown authority.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • בָּמוֹת
  • בַּעֲלֵי

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H2809 חֶשְׁבּוֹן the same as חֶשְׁבּוֹן; Cheshbon, a place East of the Jordan; Heshbon. H4124 מוֹאָב from a prolonged form of the prepositional prefix m-and אָב; from (her (the mother's)) father; Moab, an incestuous son o H769 אַרְנוֹן or אַרְנֹןlemma אַרְנן missing vowel, corrected to אַרְנֹן; from רָנַן; a brawling stream; the Arnon, a river east of th H5511 סִיחוֹן or סִיחֹן; from the same as סוּחַ; tempestuous; Sichon, an Amoritish king; Sihon.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Numbers — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.