Reference: Belial (Beliar
Hastings
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/wbs'>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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Certain men, the children of Belial, have gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thy eye shall be evil against thy poor brother, and thou shalt give him naught; and he shall cry to the LORD against thee, and it shall be sin to thee.
Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and banish evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren, the children of Israel:
Count not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly-men made me afraid;
Uphold my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast to him: and now that he lieth he shall rise no more.
A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counselor.
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?