Is baal a careless master or a faithful husband?

Now let’s look at the only other use of this word in Jeremiah – 3:14,

שׁוּבוּ בָנִים שׁוֹבָבִים נְאֻם-יְהוָה,
כִּי אָנֹכִי בָּעַלְתִּי בָכֶם

Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord;
for I am married unto you KJV

“Come back to me, my wayward sons,” says theLord,
“for I am your true master. NET Bible

Return, O ye revolting children, saith the Lord:
for I am your husband: D-R 1899

Return, O backsliding children, saith the LORD;
for I am a lord unto you, JPS 1917

επιστραφητε υιοι αφεστηκοτες λεγει κυριος
διοτι εγω κατακυριευσω υμων LXX

Return, O apostate sons, says the Lord,
for I will be your lord, NETS

But let’s be honest here. We all know that katakurieuvw is a synonym of kurieuvw. And what does that make it? This is the word used for the wrong way that Adam will treat Eve, the wrong way that rulers treat their people, the wrong way that pastors treat their flock and the wrong way that women treat men. It is all wrong. At least, one gets that impression. And maybe that is why God says that he will no longer be a baali, but an ishi, a partner and not a boss.

This is the model in the trinity, not eternal hierarchy and subordination. We have to understand that these are projections, models for how we, as humans, interpret God. What God is, that we don’t know. But we can understand God as the source of authority and submission, or we can understand God as the source of compassion, partnership and mutuality. God asks to be ishi and not baali.

Gen. 3:16

και αυτος σου κυριευσει

and he will rule you

Matt. 20:25-26

²⁵ ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς εἶπεν·
Οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν
καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι κατεξουσιάζουσιν αὐτῶν.
²⁶ οὐχ οὕτως^[a]ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν·
ἀλλ’ ὃς ^[b]ἂν θέλῃ ἐν ὑμῖν μέγας γενέσθαι ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος,

²⁵ But Jesus called them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and those in high positions use their authority over them.
²⁶ It must not be this way among you!
Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

1 Peter 5:3

³ μηδ’ ὡς κατακυριεύοντες τῶν κλήρων
ἀλλὰ τύποι γινόμενοι τοῦ ποιμνίου·

³ And do not lord it over those entrusted to you,
but be examples to the flock.NET Bible

1 Tim. 2:12

^12 [a]διδάσκειν δὲ γυναικὶ οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω,

οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός,
ἀλλ’ εἶναι ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ.

¹² But I do not allow a woman to teach
or exercise authority over a man.
She must remain quiet.

Gen. 3:16 dominabitur tui

Jeremiah 3:14 quia ego vir vester “I am your man.”??

Jer. 31:32 ego dominatus sum “I am your lord.”

Matt. 20:25 dominantur eorum

1 Tim. 2:12 dominari in virum

1 Peter 5:3 dominantes in cleris