Why does the Book of Mormon not contain any names compounded with the theophoric Baal element?

Not only did Joseph Smith include the correct compound names in the Book of Mormon, he also avoided including the wrong compound names.

Michael R. Ash comments:

For a time, Mormon scholars were confused as to why the Book of Mormon does not include a single name containing the element of Baal, which is so common in the Old Testament. The recent discovery of the Elephantine papyrus from Egypt shows that Israelites eliminated all names with Baal elements during Lehi’s day. Of the over four hundred names among the Elephantine manuscripts, not one is compounded of Baal.

– Michael R. Ash – Faith and Reason 18: Names in The Book of Mormon

How would Joseph Smith have known this? Wouldn’t it have been easy for him to use the Baal element in names if he noticed them in the Old Testament?

See:

• Michael R. Ash – Faith and Reason 18: Names in The Book of Mormon

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