Beelzebub

Beelzebub, a name formed by combining the Chaldean Baal (q.v.) with zebub, signifying "insect," and signifying therefore the "fly-god," or averter of insects (cf. Gk. Zeus Apomuios). Under this particular aspect Baal appears to have been worshipped at Ekron (2 Kings i. 2) and elsewhere. It seems probable that the Jews borrowed the name from their idolatrous neighbours and used it as an appellation of Satan. However, in the Gospels the word is uniformly spelt Beelzebub, the etymological signification of which might be Lord of the Mansion or of idols, or Lord of dung. This fact has led Gesenius, Lightfoot, and other learned divines to the belief that this is the original form of the name, but, if the final l in the New Testament is not due to an error in transcription, it is more likely that the Jews made a slight variation in pronunciation so as to cast contempt on a false god.