Bible Dictionary

Succoth-benoth

God • Old Testament

Succoth-benoth was a deity or idolatrous worship associated with Babylonian settlers in Samaria. Its exact identity is uncertain, though it has been connected with Babylonian religious practices and gods.

Definition

Succoth-benoth was the name of an idol or deity associated with Babylonian colonists settled in Samaria. The Hebrew expression can be understood as “booths of daughters,” but the supplied material also connects it with a Babylonian divine name or title.

Biblical Usage

Succoth-benoth is listed among the gods worshiped by the peoples whom the Assyrian king settled in Samaria. Its mention illustrates the religious practices brought by Babylonian colonists into the land.

Historical Background

Explanations include booths or shrines containing images of female deities, or chambers associated with ritual prostitution. Another proposal identifies the name with Zer-banitum, the spouse of Merodach, or with a Babylonian title meaning “Counselor, creator of the land”; the identification remains uncertain.

Scripture References

2 Kings 17:30

Historical Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tents of daughters, supposed to be the name of a Babylonian deity, the goddess Zir-banit, the wife of Merodach, worshipped by the colonists in Samaria (2 Kings 17:30).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)

suk'-oth, suk'-oth-be'-noth, be'-noth (cukkoth benoth; Rhochchothbaineithei, Codex Alexandrinus (better) Sokchothbenithei):1. The Meaning according to the Hebrew:The name of an idol made by the Babylonians sent into exile at Samaria by an Assyrian king (Shalmaneser), and mentioned among the deities of the various nationalities there assembled (2Ki 17:30). In Hebrew, Succoth-benoth means "booths of daughters," and has been explained as the chambers wherein the Babylonians placed women for prostitution; or booths or tabernacles in which images of certain goddesses were worshipped.2. Sir H. Rawlinson's Identification of the Name:The parallelism, however, requires a deity, like the Nergal of the Cutheans, the Ashima of the Hamathites, etc., and not a chamber or shrine. This consideration caused Sir H. to suggest an identification of Succoth-benoth with the Babylonian Zer-panitum (= Zer-banitum), whose name was probably pronounced Zer-panith, the spouse of Merodach (the god of Babylon), as the "seed-creatress." The difference in the first component, zer, was regarded as due to its possible Hamitic (= Sumerian) equivalent, or to a Semitic mistranslation, both of which explanations are now known to be untenable.3. Is Succoth the Babylonian Sakut?:As the people who made Succoth-benoth were Babylonians, we should expect here either a name of Merodach, the god of Babylon, or one of the deities identified with him. At present the only suggestion which can be made is that Benoth is for ban wath, i.e. ban'(i) mati, "creator of the land." Both the Semitic and the bilingual creation-stories speak of Merodach as the creator of the world, with its products, and the great cities of Babylonia; and "father Enlil," who bore the title "lord of the world," bestowed the same upon Merodach at the creation, thus identifying Merodach with himself. Now there is a group which may be read either Dikut, "the Judge," or Sakut, "the Counselor," and if we can read Succoth-benoth as Sakut(h)ban' wat(h), "the Counselor, creator of the land," a satisfactory explanation of this puzzling name will be furnished. The terminal -i of the Babylonian has been preserved in the ei, of the Greek. The adoption of such a descriptive name of Enlil-Merodach would form a compromise between abandoning their old objects of worship and accepting "the god of the land" (2Ki 17:26).T. G. Pinches

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