MERIB-BAAL (see Mephibosheth) mĕr’ ə bāl (מְרִ֥יב בַּ֖עַל, LXX Μεριβααλ, meaning Baal is advocate). A masculine name in the family of King Saul.

The son of Jonathan (the son of Saul) received this name which ran in the family. In the Chronicles (1 Chron 8:34; 9:40) account he is called by this form of his name whereas the Samuel account calls him Mephibosheth (2 Sam 4:4; 9:6, 10, 11, 12, 13; 16:1, 4; 19:24, 25, 30; 21:7). It has been noted that the substitution of bōsheth (shame) for the Canaanite deity name Baal was done by the Purists who did not want to pronounce the name Baal (cf. The World of the Old Testament, C. H. Gordon, p. 172, n. 6). The same variation occurs with the name Ishbosheth (2 Sam 2:8; 1 Chron 8:33).