Hill-gods

Hill-Gods (אֵֹלהֵי הָרַים, "gods of the hills") are mentioned (1Ki 20:23) by the heathenish Syrians as being those of the Hebrews, because more powerful; and such deities (dii montium), i.e. those that have their dwelling or throne on hills, whence they command control of all the region within view, were generally worshipped by the ancient pagans (see Dougteei Anal. 1, 178; Deyling, Observ. 3 no. 12) sometimes in general (Gruter, Inscript. f. 21; Lactant. Mort. persec. 11), sometimes as individuals (Arnobius, Adv. gent. 4, 9; Augustine, Civ. dei, 4, 8), since heights were generally regarded as seats of the gods (Herodotus, 1, 131; Xenophon, Mem. 3, 8, 10; Strabo, 15:732; Dougtiei Anal. 1, 108; Rimptsch, De sacris gemtium in montibus, Lipsime, 1719; Creuzer, Symbolik, 1, 158 sq.; Gesenius, Jesa. 2, 282; Gramberg's Religionsid. 1, 20). SEE HIGH PLACE. Grotius (ad loc.) specially compares the δπελΠαρΤθ Pun. (See Walch, De deo Ebroeor. montano, Jen. 1746).