Baal Meon

BAAL MEON (bā'ăl mē'ŏn, Heb. ba‘al me‘ôn, Baal of Meon). An old city on the frontiers of Moab, assigned to Reuben (Num.32.38). It is called Beth Meon in Jer.48.23, and Beon in Num.32.3.

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BAAL-MEON bā əl me’ än (בַּ֧עַל מְעֹ֛ון). A city built by Reuben across the Jordan (Num 32:38). Here Reuben’s descendants dwelt (1 Chron 5:8). It is described as one of the glorious cities of the frontier of Moab along with Beth-jeshimoth and Kiriathaim (Ezek 25:9). The city is variously called in Scripture: Beth-baal-meon (Josh 13:17); Beth-meon (Jer 48:23); and Beon (Num 32:3). In the inscr. on the Moabite Stone, Mesha, king of Moab, claims to have built Baal-Meon, making a reservoir in it. Possession must have passed alternately between Moab and Israel several times in its history. It is to be identified with Main about three and one-half m. S of Medeba. It is approximately eight m. E of the Dead Sea some six m. from the N end of the sea.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

ba`al me`on; Beelmeon: A town built by the children of Reuben along with Nebo, "their names being changed" (Nu 32:38), identical with Beon of Nu 32:3. As Beth-baal-meon it was given by Moses to the tribe of Reuben (Jos 13:17). Mesha names it as fortified by him (MS, L. 9). It appears in Jer 48:23 as Beth-meon, one of the cities of Moab. Eusebius, Onomasticon speaks of it as a large village near the hot springs, i.e. Callirrhoe, in Wady Zerka Ma`in, 9 miles from Heshbon. This points to the ruined site of Ma`in, about 4 miles Southwest of Madeba. The ruins now visible however are not older than Roman times.