Beelzebub

BeelzebubBeelzebub, illustration from John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (1678).

Beelzebub, in the Bible, the prince of the devils. In the Old Testament, in the form Baalzebub, it is the name given to the god of the Philistine city of Ekron (II Kings 1:1–18). Neither name is found elsewhere in the Old Testament, and there is only one reference to it in other Jewish literature. See devil.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Citation Information
Article Title: Beelzebub
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 30 June 2026
Access Date: November 13, 2026