Merib-baal

Contender with Baal, (1 Chr. 8:34; 9:40), elsewhere called Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 4:4), the son of Jonathan.

mer-ib-ba'-al (meribhba`al; also meri-bha`al, "Baal contends"): The spelling varies in a single verse; 1Ch 9:40 contains the name twice: first, in the first form above; second, in the second form. The name is given also in 1Ch 8:34. It is the other name of MEPHIBOSHETH (2) (which see).

In Jer 11:13 and Ho 9:10 the terms "Baal" and "Bosheth" seem to stand in apposition, the latter form being a slightly contemptuous alternative rendered "shame." This is akin to other like changes, such as Esh-baal for Ish-bosheth, Jerub-besheth for Jerub-baal, etc. The change in the first part of the name could occur through a clerical confusion of the Hebrew aspirate pe (p) and resh (r) in Hebrew.

Henry Wallace