Image Details

David Harris/Bible Lands Museum

During the time of the Divided Israelite Monarchy (930–586 B.C.E.), Baal-names were used in the northern kingdom of Israel. The seal shown here, which reads “Yahziba‘al,” is made of agate and dates to the seventh century B.C.E. Baal was the name of a Canaanite deity but was sometimes used as a generic divine name, like El. Names with any of these divine roots reveal people’s high religious devotion during the period of the Divided Monarchy.