Asmodeus (; , Asmodaios) or Ashmedai (; ; ; see below for other variations) is a king of demons in the legends of Solomon and the constructing of Solomon's Temple. He is associated with lust.
He is featured variously in Talmudic stories where he is the king of the . The Quran refers to a "puppet" in the Story of Solomon in Surah Ṣād verses 30–40, which is according to the (authorized exegetes of the Quran) referring to the demon-king Asmodeus (Sakhr).
In Christianity, Asmodeus is mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. He is the primary antagonist and disrupts the marriages of Sarah. Peter Binsfeld classifies Asmodeus as the "demon of lust".
Etymology The name Asmodai is believed to derive from the Avestan *aēšma-daēva (𐬀𐬉𐬴𐬨𐬀𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀*, *aēṣ̌madaēuua), where aēšma means "wrath", and daēva signifies "demon". While the daēva Aēšma is thus Zoroastrianism's demon of wrath and is also well-attested as such, the compound aēšma-daēva is not attested in scripture. It is nonetheless likely that such a form did exist, and that the Book of Tobit's "Asmodaios" () and the Talmud's "Ashmedai" () reflect it. In the Zoroastrian and Middle Persian demonology, there did exist the conjuncted form khashm-dev (خشم + دیو), where both terms are cognates.
The spellings Asmoday, Asmodai, Asmodee (also Asmodée), Osmodeus, and Osmodai have also been used. The name is alternatively spelled in the bastardized forms (based on the basic consonants אשמדאי, ʾŠMDʾY) Hashmedai (, Ḥašməddāy; also Hashmodai, Hasmodai, Khashmodai, Khasmodai), Hammadai (, Hammaddāy; also Khammadai), Shamdon (, Šamdon), and Shidonai (שִׁדֹנאָי, Šīdōnʾāy). Some traditions have subsequently identified Shamdon as the father of Asmodeus.
The Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906 rejects the otherwise accepted etymological relation between the Persian "Æshma-dæva" and Judaism's "Ashmodai" claiming that the particle "-dæva" could not have become "-dai" and that Æshma-dæva as such—a compound name—never appears in Persian sacred texts.
Still, the encyclopedia proposes that the "Asmodeus" from the Apocrypha and the Testament of Solomon are not only related somewhat to Aeshma but have similar behaviour, appearance and roles,Jewish encyclopedia 1906 full text unedited version, entry "Asmodeus" paragraph "Asmodeus, Ashmedai, and Æshma." to conclude in another article under the entry "Aeshma", in the paragraph "Influence of Persian Beliefs on Judaism",Stave, E., Æshma (Asmodeus, Ashmedai), Jewish Encyclopedia, unedited full text 1906 version that Persian Zoroastrian beliefs could have heavily influenced Judaism's theology on the long term, bearing in mind that in some texts there are crucial conceptual differences while in others there seems to be a great deal of similarity, proposing a pattern of influence over folk beliefs that would extend further to the mythology itself.
However, the Jewish Encyclopedia asserts that although 'Æshma does not occur in the Avesta in conjunction with dæva, it is probable that a fuller form, such as Æshmo-dæus, has existed, since it is paralleled by the later Pahlavi-form "Khashm-dev"'. Furthermore, it is stated that Asmodeus or Ashmedai "embodies an expression of the influence that the Persian religion or Persian popular beliefs have exercised" on Judaism.
Deuterocanonical sources and Pseudepigrapha
Book of Tobit The Asmodeus of the Book of Tobit is hostile to Sarah, Raguel's daughter, and slays seven successive husbands on their wedding nights, impeding the sexual consummation of the marriages. However, in Tobit 6:15, Tobias explicitly states that Asmodeus is also in love with Sarah and does not harm her. In the New Jerusalem Bible translation, he is described as "the worst of demons". When the young Tobias is about to marry her, Asmodeus proposes the same fate for him, but Tobias is enabled, through the counsels of his attendant angel Raphael, to render him innocuous. By placing a fish's heart and liver on red-hot cinders, Tobias produces a smoky vapour that causes the demon to flee to Egypt, where Raphael binds him. According to some translations, Asmodeus is strangled.
Perhaps Asmodeus punishes the suitors for their carnal desire, since Tobias prays to be free from such desire and is kept safe. Asmodeus is also described as an evil spirit in general.
The fragments of the Book of Tobit found in the Dead Sea Scrolls don't mention the name Asmodeus, and refer to him instead as a demon (4Q197-198).
Testament of Solomon In the Testament of Solomon, a 1st–3rd century text, the king invokes Asmodeus to aid in the construction of the Temple. The demon appears and predicts Solomon's kingdom will one day be divided (Testament of Solomon, verse 21–25). When Solomon interrogates Asmodeus further, the king learns that Asmodeus is thwarted by the angel Raphael, as well as by sheatfish found in the rivers of Assyria. He also admits to hating water. Asmodeus claims that he was born of a human mother and an angel father.
Judaism
Incantation bowls Aramaic incantation bowls feature Asmodeus, the king of demons, sometimes amongst Agrat bat Mahalath, the liliths and Elisur Bagdana. He's mentioned in divorce bowls (26, 48, 49, 59), bowls of the Signet-Ring of Solomon (102-104), and has his own category titled The Seals of Ashmedai (81-86).
Additional bowls that include Asmodeus are 3041+3070, VA.2182 and M145.
Babylonian Talmud
Gittin The figure of Ashmedai in the Talmud is less malign in character than the Asmodeus of Tobit. In the former, he appears repeatedly in the light of a good-natured and humorous fellow. But besides that, there is one feature in which he parallels Asmodeus, in as much as his desires turn upon Bathsheba and later Solomon's wives. The same Talmudic legend has King Solomon tricking Asmodeus into collaborating in the construction of Solomon's TempleRaphael Patai Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions Routledge 2015 page 39 (see: The Story of King Solomon and Ashmedai), and Asmodeus throwing King Solomon over 400 leagues away from the capital by putting one wing on the ground and the other stretched skyward. He then changed places for some years with King Solomon. When King Solomon returned, Asmodeus fled from his wrath.
Similar legends can be found in Islamic lore. Asmodeus is referred to as Sakhr ( the Rock or the Stony One), because Solomon banished him into a rock, after he takes his kingdom back from him. He is considered to be a king of the divs or ifrits.Robert Lebling Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar I.B.Tauris 2010 p. 39
Pesachim A minor reference in Pesachim 110a describes Asmodeus as the king of demons, not a harmful spirit, appointed over all who perform actions in pairs.
Other rabbinic literature The Midrashic sources, like Bamidbar Rabbah and Tehillim, and the Aramaic Targum to Ecclesiasted 1, repeat and comment on the Talmudic story of Solomon and Asmodeus.
Kabbalah
Treatise on the Left Emanation In the Treatise on the Left Emanation, which describes sitra achra (Aramaic: סטרא אחרא), meaning the "other side" or the "side of evil", Asmodeus is described as a figure living in the third ether of Heaven. He is Samael's subordinate, and married to a younger or alternative form of Lilith (Samael is married to the older Lilith). Asmodeus is still able to inflict pain and destruction, but only on Mondays. A great prince was born in heaven from Lilith the Younger and Asmodeus, called "the sword of (king) Asmodeus". His name is Alefpene'ash, and his face burns like a raging fire, or Gurigur, because he antagonizes the prince of Judah, called Lion-cub of Judah.
Zohar The Zohar, a major Kabbalistic text, often references a Book of Sorcery of Ashmedai, that was taught to King Solomon. According to Terumah 6:36, in order to remove or subdue an impure spirit, one must pay the full price for the act, whatever is demanded of him, for the spirit is always available for free and settles upon people.
Vayikra quotes the book of Asmodeus, that was taught to king Solomon, when referring to conception, as "any grafting that does not take root within [thirty] days (of conception) will never take root". The husband should also pour clear water around his bed for total protection. According to Tazri'a, a person who wishes to perform sorcery, should stand by the light of a lamp, or in a place where his own image may be seen (such as the moonlight), utter certain incantations, invite his images to receive the demons, and say that they are willingly prepared for their commands. Since sorcery derives from the left side, of impurity, such a person has left the domain of God, surrenders his image, and pledges to the impure side. In Achrei Mot, after an explanation on how Na'amah bears her children from mortal men who lust after her, it's noted that "happy are the righteous who sanctify themselves with the sanctity of the King", and that king Solomon discovered these matters in the Book of King Asmodeus, where 1450 types of defilements contracted by humans are found.
Balak states that a person who wants to perform secret powerful sorcery, and knows the rock were Balaam fell (from the sky), will find:some of those snakes formed from the bones of that wicked one. If he kills one of them, with its head he can perform superior sorcery; with its body, other sorcery; with the tail, other sorcery. There are three types of sorcery in every single one.Pinchas 112 describes Asmodeus and his family as Jewish spirits, who were subdued by the Torah and its names.
According to Zohar Chadash (Bereshit 840), Asmodeus is the son of the demon queen Na'amah.
Other Jewish sources Asmodeus makes a single appearance in the Jewish magical text Sepher Raziel, as well as the Sepher haRazim (in the latter of which he's an angel of the second firmament).
According to the school of Shlomo ibn Aderet, Asmodeus is born as the result of a union between Agrat bat Mahlat and King David.
The commentaries by Bahya ben Asher and Ramban on Genesis 4:22, refer to Asmodeus as the son of Na'amah by a demon named Shamdon or Ashmadon.
In later Jewish folklore Asmodeus is sometimes associated with Lilith.
Grimoire Tradition
In the Malleus Maleficarum In the Malleus Maleficarum (1486), Asmodeus was considered the demon of lust. Sebastien Michaelis said that his adversary is St. John. Some demonologists of the 16th century assigned a month to a demon and considered November to be the month in which Asmodeus's power was strongest. Other demonologists asserted that his zodiacal sign was Aquarius but only between January 30 and February 8.
He has 72 legions of demons under his command. He is one of the Kings of Hell under Lucifer the emperor. He incites gambling, and is the overseer of all the gambling houses in the court of Hell. Some Catholic theologians compared him with Abaddon. Yet other authors considered Asmodeus a prince of revenge.
In the Dictionnaire Infernal The Dictionnaire Infernal (1818) by Collin de Plancy portrays Asmodeus with the breast of a man, a cock leg, serpent tail, three heads — one of a man spitting fire, one of a sheep, and one of a bull), riding a lion with dragon wings and neck — all of these creatures being associated with either lascivity, lust or revenge in some cultures. The Archbishop of Paris approved the portrait.
In the Lesser Key of Solomon
Asmodeus appears as the king 'Asmoday' in the Ars Goetia, where he is said to have a seal in gold and is listed as number thirty-two according to respective rank.
He "is strong, powerful and appears with three heads; the first is like a bull, the second like a man, and the third like a ram or a goat; the tail of a serpent, and from his mouth issue flames of fire." Also, he sits upon an infernal dragon, holds a lance with a banner and, amongst the Legions of Amaymon, Asmoday governs seventy-two legions of inferior spirits.
In The Magus