Peor

Peor, 1

Pe´or, a mountain in the land of Moab (Num 23:28). Eusebius places it between Livias and Esbus, over against Jericho; which shows that it was not supposed to be east of the Dead Sea as usually stated. It has not in modern times been recognized.

Peor, 2

Peor, an idol. [BAAL PEOR]

A mountain of Moab, from which Balaam surveyed the camp of Israel, Num 23:28 . It probably lay a few miles northeast of the Dead Sea, but is not now recognized. This name and vicinity are also associated with an idol of the Moabites, Deu 4:8 . See BAAL.\par

Pe’or. (cleft). A mountain peak in Moab, belonging to the Abarim range, and near Pisgah, to which, after having ascended Pisgah, the prophet Balaam was conducted by Balak, that he might look upon the whole host of Israel, and curse them. Num 23:14; Num 23:28 . In four passages -- Num 25:18, twice; Num 31:16; Jos 22:17 -- Peor occurs as a contraction for Baal-peor. See Baal).

The mountain top to which Balak brought Balaam, for his last conjurations, from the lower Pisgah on its S. (Num 23:28.) A little to the N.E. of the Dead Sea. Bethpeer adjoined the "ravine" (gai) connected with Israel’s camp and Moses’ burial place (Deu 3:29; Deu 4:46; Deu 34:6). The ravine of Bethpeor was that which runs down from near Heshbon eastward past Beth-ram; at its upper end are a town’s ruins, Naur or Taur. "The Peor" faced Jeshimon. (On Peor, contracted for Baalpeor Num 25:18; Num 31:16; Jos 22:17). (See BAALPEOR).)

Peor. Num 23:28. See Pisgah.

[Peor’]

1. A peak in the mountain range of Moab, to which Balaam was taken to curse Israel. It ’looked toward’ or was ’opposite’ Jeshimon; but it cannot be identified. Num 23:28.

2. A contraction of BAAL-PEOR: it refers to the fornication and idolatry of the Israelites in connection with the Midianites. Num 25:18; Num 31:16; Jos 22:17.

By: Emil G. Hirsch, Schulim Ochser

Mountain in the plains of Zophim, overlooking Jeshimon, where Balak took Balaam to induce him to curse Israel. According to the "Onomasticon" of Jerome, it was situated opposite Jericho, near a city named "Danaba." Although the mountain has not yet been identified with certainty, the latest researches seem to indicate El-Mushakkar.

Bibliography:

Buhl, Geog. des Alten Palästina, p. 116.

PEOR.—1. A mountain E. of the Jordan to which Balak led Balaam (Num 23:28). It looked down upon the desert. The Onomasticon (s.v. ‘Fogor’) places it 7 miles from Heshbon, above Livias, one of the heights of the Nebo group. Conder suggests for it the peak above ’Ain el-Minyeh, about 5 miles W. of Ma‘în. Buhl (GAP [Note: AP Geographie des alten Paiastina.] ) thinks it may be et-Mushakkar, flanked by Wâdy Hesbân and Wâdy ’Ayûn Mûsa. 2. In Num 25:18; Num 31:16, Jos 22:17, Peor is the god Baal-Peor. 3. LXX [Note: Septuagint.] places a Peor (Phagor) in Judah not far from Bethlehem, which is evidently the modern Khirbel Faghûr, to the S. of the town.

W. Ewing.

pē´or (הפּעור, ha-p^e‛ōr; Φογώρ, Phogṓr):

(1) A mountain in the land of Moab, the last of the three heights to which Balaam was guided by Balak in order that he might curse Israel (Num 23:28). It is placed by Eusebius, Onomasticon on the way between Livias and Heshbon, 7 Roman miles from the latter. Buhl would identify it with Jebel el-Mashaḳḳar, on which are the ruins of an old town, between Wâdy A‛yūn Mūsa and Wâdy Ḥesbān.

(2) A town in the Judean uplands added by Septuagint (Φαγώρ, Phagṓr) to the list in Jos 15:9. It may be identical with Khirbet Fāghūr to the South of Bethlehem.

(3) Peor, in Num 25:18; Num 31:16; Jos 22:17, is a divine name standing for “Baal-peor.”

(4) In Gen 36:39, Septuagint reads Phogor for “Pau” (Massoretic Text), which in 1Ch 1:50 appears as “Pai.”