Baal-Perazim

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BAAL-PERAZIM

BAAL-PERAZIM (Heb. בַּעַל פְּרָצִים), locality (perhaps an old Canaanite sanctuary) near Jerusalem, where David defeated the Philistines in their attempt to conquer Jerusalem from the Israelites (ii Sam. 5:20 and i Chron. 14:11, where the name is explained etiologically; called Mount Perazim in Isa. 28:21, where the same victory is referred to). Proposals for the identification of the site include the mountain of Sharafāt, the mountain of Ramat Raḥel, and Deir Abu Tor; the latter two are supported by the mention of the valley of Rephaim in the same context.

bibliography:

em, s.v.; Noth, Hist Isr, 187–8; Abel, Geog, 2 (1938), 259.

[Michael Avi-Yo\nah]