בֶּלְיָא, a Hebrew word which signifies a wicked, worthless person, and is sometimes used to designate the Evil One, as in the sixth chapter of 2 Corinthians, where St Paul says, "What concord hath Christ with Belial?" The inhabitants of Gibeah, who abused the Levite's wife, have the name of Belial given them; and Hophni and Phineas, the sons of the high priest Eli, are called sons of Belial, on account of their crimes, and their unbecoming behaviour in the temple of the Lord.