Azazel

(Azael)

   Archdemon of the Judean desert and king of the seirim, goatlike spirits.

   On the Day of Atonement, Jewish custom called for the offering of two goats. One was sacrificed to Yahweh, and the other, blamed with the sins of the people, was taken alive to the wilderness to be released for Azazel (Leviticus 16:8).

   In 3 Enoch, Azazel is one of the WATCHERS who lust after mortal women and descend from heaven to cohabit with them. He taught witchcraft and revealed eternal secrets. As punishment, he was bound by angels and imprisoned in the desert in a place called Dudael until Judgment Day.

   Under the name of Azael, he is one of the principal evil angels who cohabited with mortal women. The name Azael means “who God strengthens.” According to lore, Azael slept with Naamah and spawned Assyrian guardian spirits known as sedim, invoked in the EXORCISM of evil spirits. As punishment, Azael is chained in a desert until Judgment Day. In magical lore, he guards hidden treasure and teaches WITCHCRAFT that enable men to make the Sun, Moon, and stars move down from the sky. In 3 Enoch, Azazel (Azael) is one of three primary ministering angels with Azza and Uzza, who live in the seventh (highest) heaven. In later lore, he is fallen and is punished by having his nose pierced. In Akkadian lore, Azazel is one of the MASKIM, princes of HELL.

   In Islamic lore, Azazel or Azazeel was the name of IBLIS before he disobeyed God by not bowing to humans and was sent from the Earth.

   FURTHER READING:

   - al-Ashqar, Umar Sulaiman. The World of the Jinn and Devils. Translated by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo. New York: Al-Basheer Company for Publications and Translations, 1998.

   - Mack, Carol K., and Dinah Mack. A Field Guide to Demons: Fairies, Fallen Angels, and Other Subversive Spirits. New York: Owl Books/Henry Holt, 1998.