Who or what is Belial? What is the biblical use of 'belial'?

TL;DR:

Biblically, “belial” is used to personify evil, as a descriptor for the Antichrist, and once as a name for Satan. The Bible calls us to turn away from evil and to pursue righteousness.

Belial is a term used in the Bible to personify evil, representing worthlessness and lawlessness. In the Old Testament, it describes wickedness or a character trait of being rebellious and without profit, not referring to a specific person or being (e.g., Judges 19:22; 1 Samuel 2:12). In some apocryphal Jewish writings, Belial is depicted as an angel who followed Satan instead of God. Elsewhere Belial is sometimes prophesied as the coming Antichrist. In the New Testament, Belial is used once as a proper name for Satan (2 Corinthians 6:15), emphasizing its association with ultimate evil. The Bible calls us to forsake evil and to instead pursue righteousness.

from the old testament

The root word belial is found twenty-seven times in the Old Testament and doesn't refer to a specific person or being but to an idea or character trait akin to wickedness or worthlessness. The literal meaning in Hebrew combines the word for "not" and "profit" or "benefit." Some scholars believe the word is more related to the idea of being "without yoke" or more about rebelliousness or lawlessness.
In the Old Testament, writers used belial to describe someone who is evil (Judges 19:22; 1 Samuel 2:12).
In apocryphal Jewish writings, Belial has a story and is a specific being—an angel who followed Satan instead of God (see the Book of Jubilees). In the Sibylline prophecies, Belial is prophesied as the coming Antichrist. This may have been influenced by 2 Thessalonians 2:3, in which Paul describes the Antichrist as "the man of lawlessness."

from the new testament

In the New Testament, "Belial" is once used as a proper name for Satan (2 Corinthians 6:15).

implications for today

The Bible calls us to flee from evil. Unlike Belial, who represents worthlessness and wickedness, we are instructed to avoid the path of the wicked and not to walk in the way of evil (Proverbs 4:14–15). Second Timothy 2:22 calls us to flee evil passions and to instead pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, joining with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Proverbs 8:13 tells us that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil, including pride, arrogance, and perverted speech, urging us to reject these negative traits. Proverbs 3:7 advises us not to be wise in our own eyes but to fear the Lord and turn away from evil. In 1 Timothy 6:11, we are exhorted to flee sinful desires and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. The Bible repeatedly calls us to turn from evil and to instead pursue God. By doing so, we can have abundant life, experiencing the blessings of a righteous life as we walk according to God’s ways.

understand

In the Old Testament, belial is found twenty-seven times and refers to wickedness or worthlessness, not a specific person.
Apocryphal Jewish writings depict Belial as an angel who followed Satan. Other writings describe Belial as the coming Antichrist. But the Bible just generically refers to belial as evil.
In the New Testament, "Belial" is used once as a proper name for Satan.

reflect

How can you actively avoid paths of wickedness and worthlessness in your daily life, following the biblical instruction to turn away from evil?
In what ways can you pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, as opposed to following the rebelliousness or lawlessness associated with Belial?
How does recognizing Belial as a personification of ultimate evil influence your understanding of the importance of turning away from sinful behaviors and attitudes?

engage

In more recent literature, Belial is presented as a demon, such as in John Milton's Paradise Lost, and in other books and video games. What does this reveal about what Belial represents?
How does the use of the term "Belial" in both the Old and New Testaments help us understand the biblical perspective on evil and worthlessness?
What can we learn from the biblical instructions to avoid the paths associated with Belial, and how can these lessons be applied in our community or society?