This word, rendered by AV and RV as a proper noun in the majority of the OT passages, is in reality a compound, meaning 'worthlessness,' whence 'wickedness,' 'destruction,' and as such is construed with another noun. In the sense of' wickedness,' it occurs in 1Sa 1:16 'daughter of wickedness,' i.e. 'a wicked woman' (cf. De 13:13; 15:9; Jg 9:22; 20:13; 1Sa 2:12; 10:27; 25/17/type/tcv'>25:17,25; 2Sa 16:7; 20:1; 23:6; 1Ki 21:10,13; 2Ch 13:7; Pr 6:12; 16:27; 19:28, for similar usage). As 'destruction,' it is found in Ps 17:5 (cf. 2Sa 22:5) Ps 41:8 and Na 1:11,15 (note in Na 1:15 independent use, 'man' understood; RV 'wicked one'; others, 'destroyer'). Having such a meaning, it is used by St. Paul as a name for Satan (personification of unclean heathenism, 2Co 6:15), the Greek text spelling it 'Beliar' (AV and RV 'Belial'), a variation due to the harsh pronunciation of 'l' in Syriac.

N. Koenig.