A modern interpretation of Azazel as a Satanic, goatlike demon, from Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal (Paris,1825).

Azazel (Aramaic: רמשנאל, Hebrew: עזאזל, Aze'ezel Arabic: عزازل Azazil) is an enigmatic name from the Hebrew scriptures and Apocrypha, where the name is used interchangeably with Rameel and Gadriel. The word's first appearance is in Leviticus 16, where a goat is designated "for Azazel" and outcast in the desert as part of Yom Kippur. Azazel can refer to: Azazel, an enigmatic name from the Hebrew scriptures, possibly referring to a fallen angel or Satan Azazel (Asimov), a short story collection by Isaac Asimov Azazel (DC Comics) Azazel (Marvel Comics) Azazel or The Winter Queen (novel), novel by Boris Akunin Azazel (film), screen version of... This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Collin de Plancy (1793-1887) was a French occultist, demonologist and writer; he published several works on occultism and demonology. ... The Dictionnaire Infernal is a book on demonology that includes the name and description of the lots of demons the demonology organised in hellish hierarchies. ... Aramaic is a Semitic language with a four-thousand year history. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... Arabic redirects here. ... This article is about the term Hebrew Bible. For the Jewish scriptures see Tanakh. ... Apocrypha (from the Greek word , meaning those having been hidden away[1]) are texts of uncertain authenticity or writings where the authorship is questioned. ... Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, also the third book in the Torah (five books of Moses). ... Yom Kippur (Hebrew:יוֹם כִּפּוּר ) is a Jewish holiday, known in English as the Day of Atonement. ...

Meaning

Azazel (Sayan) (‘ăzaz’ēl) is believed to mean "God has been strong" or "God strengthens" from Hebrew ‘ăzaz, third person singular past participial form of ‘āzaz, "to be strong", and ’ēl, "God".^[1] Another theory uses ‘āzaz in its metaphorical sense of "impudent" (i.e., strengthened against someone) to mean "impudent to God". Azazel is also known by the variant spellings "Azael" "Aziel" and "Asiel." Ä’l (אל) is a Northwest Semitic word and name translated into English as either god or God or left untranslated as El, depending on the context. ...

In the Hebrew Bible and Rabbinical literature

The first appearance of the name "Azazel" is in Leviticus 16:8, when God orders the high priest Aaron to "place lots upon the 2 goats, one marked for the Lord and the other marked for Azazel" on the Jewish Day of Atonement. The goat designated by lot for the Lord is to be used as a sin offering, while the goat designated for Azazel "shall be left standing alive before the Lord, to make expiation with it and to send it off to the wilderness to Azazel" (Lev. 16:10). Aaron was to "lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, whatever their sins, putting them on the head of the goat; and it shall be sent off to the wilderness by someone designated for the task. Thus the goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness" (Lev. 16:21-22). Leviticus also says that "He who set the goat for Azazel free shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may reenter the camp" (16:26). This is the origin of the term scape-goat (see below). Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, also the third book in the Torah (five books of Moses). ... At the bottom of the hands, the two letters on each hand combine to form יהוה (YHVH), the name of God. ... The Adoration of the Golden Calf by Nicolas Poussin Aaron (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ), or Aaron the Levite (flourished about 1200 B.C.), was, according to biblical accounts, one of two brothers who play a unique part in the history of the Hebrew people. ... Yom Kippur (Hebrew:יוֹם כִּפּוּר ) is a Jewish holiday, known in English as the Day of Atonement. ...

According to some scholars, the name Azazel may be derived from azaz meaning strong, rugged, or grandeur/majesty, and el meaning of God or strong, giving either strong one of God or referring to the rugged and rough mountain cliff from which the goat was cast down .[1] Some propose that Azazel may have been derived from the Canaanite god 'Asiz, who caused the sun to burn strongly.

The Talmud (Yoma 67b) identifies Azazel as the name of a cliff over which the goat was driven in the atonement ritual for Yom Kippur. This version was cited by the Biblical commentator Rashi, who took "azazel" to mean "rough ground" or "cliff," and this meaning was accepted by many Jewish commentators who wished to avoid contamination of the Torah by traces of polytheism or belief in demons. Thus Ibn Ezra took "Azazel" to refer to "a mountain near Sinai," while G. R. Disker took the "rough ground" to be Dudael, a rocky place where the fallen angel Azazel is imprisoned" (I Enoch 10:4-6). It has also been identified with Hudedun, "a rocky terrace in the wilderness, ten miles from Jerusalem." (The Torah, A Modern Commentary, p 1735, n. 4) The Talmud (Hebrew: ) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. ... Yom Kippur (Hebrew:יוֹם כִּפּוּר ) is a Jewish holiday, known in English as the Day of Atonement. ... A 16th-century depiction of Rashi Note: For the astrological concept, see Rashi - the signs. ... Rabbi Abraham Ben Meir Ibn Ezra (also known as Ibn Ezra, or Abenezra) (1092 or 1093-1167), was one of the most distinguished Jewish men of letters and writers of the Middle Ages. ... Place of imprisonment for Azazel (one of the fallen angels), cohort of Semjaza. ...

Azazel was translated as "scapegoat" in the King James Version of the Bible (1611). King James' translators derived the word scapegoat from William Tyndale's translation of the Bible about 1530, which split azazel into the component parts ez ozel: literally, the "goat that departs," hence "the goat that escapes," or, for short, "(e)scape goat."^[2] Since this goat, with the sins of the people placed on it, is then sent over a cliff or driven into the wilderness to perish (perhaps at the hands of the desert demon Azazel), the word "scapegoat" has come to mean a person, often innocent, who is blamed or punished for the sins, crimes or sufferings of others. The Scapegoat by William Holman Hunt, 1854. ...

For more information see Azazel in Rabbinic Literature Azazel in rabbinic literature. ...

In First Enoch

According to 1 Enoch (a book of the Apocrypha), Azazel (here spelled ‘ăzā’zyēl) was one of the chief Grigori, a group of fallen angels who married women. This same story (without any mention of Azazel) is told in Genesis 6:2-4: To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Apocrypha (from the Greek word , meaning those having been hidden away[1]) are texts of uncertain authenticity or writings where the authorship is questioned. ... The Grigori are a group of fallen angels told of in Biblical apocrypha who mated with mortal women, giving rise to a race of hybrids known as the Nephilim, who are described as giants in Genesis 6:4. ... Fallen Angels (1991) (ISBN 0743435826) is a Prometheus Award-winning novel by science fiction authors Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Michael Flynn. ...

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. […] There were giants in the earth in those days; and also afterward, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

1 Enoch portrays Azazel as responsible for teaching people to make weapons and cosmetics, for which he was cast out of heaven. 1 Enoch 8:1-3a reads: For other uses, see Weapon (disambiguation). ... Make-up redirects here. ...

And Azazel taught men to make swords and knives and shields and breastplates; and made known to them the metals [of the earth] and the art of working them; and bracelets and ornaments; and the use of antimony and the beautifying of the eyelids; and all kinds of costly stones and all colouring tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray and became corrupt in all their ways.

The corruption brought on by Azazel and the Grigori degrades the human race, and the four archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel) “saw much blood being shed upon the earth and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth […] The souls of men [made] their suit, saying, "Bring our cause before the Most High; […] Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were in heaven, which men were striving to learn." Guido Renis archangel Michael (in the Capuchin church of Santa Maria della Concezione, Rome) tramples Satan. ... This article is about the archangel Gabriel. ... The Archangel Raphael Raphael (Standard Hebrew רפאל, God has healed, God Heals, God, Please Heal, and many other combinations of the two words, Arabic: Israfil, اسرافيل) is the name of an archangel of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, who performs all manner of healing. ... Dyonisius: Fresco depicting archangel Uriel. ...

God sees the sin brought about by Azazel and has Raphael “bind Azazel hand and foot and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert — which is in Dudael — and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there forever, and cover his face that he may not see light.”

Raphael's binding of Azazel on the desert rocks of Dudael in upper Egypt appears again in the Book of Tobit, which is found in Catholic and Orthodox bibles, but not in Jewish or most Protestant bibles. In that Book (the only place in Christian bibles where Raphael appears) he accompanies the young man Tobias (Tobit) on his perilous journey to marry his cousin Sarah, whose seven previous husbands had been killed on her wedding night by the demon Asmodeus (a variant of which story is possibly what the Sadducees are using to try to trap Jesus about marriage in the resurrection they disbelieved in, in Matt. 22:27-28, Mark 12:18-23, and Luke 20:29-32). Raphael saves Tobias from the same fate by showing him how to deal with that demon, too.

Azazel’s fate is foretold near the end of 1 Enoch 2:8, where God says, “On the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. […] The whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin."

In 3 Enoch, Azazel is one of the three angels (Azza [Shemhazai] and Uzza [Ouza] are the other two) who opposed Enoch's high rank when he became the angel Metatron. Whilst they were fallen at this time they were still in Heaven, but Metatron held a dislike for them, and had them cast out. They were thenceforth known as the 'three who got the most blame' for their involvement in the fall of the angels marrying women. It should be remembered that Azazel and Shemhazai were said to be the leaders of the 200 fallen, and Uzza and Shemhazai were tutelary guardian angels of Egypt with both Shemhazai and Azazel and were responsible for teaching the secrets of heaven as well. The other angels dispersed to 'every corner of the Earth.'

In the Apocalypse of Abraham

In the extracanonical text the Apocalypse of Abraham, Azazel is portrayed as an unclean bird who came down upon the sacrifice which Abraham prepared. (This is in reference to Genesis 15:11: "Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away" [niv]). The Apocalypse of Abraham is a Jewish scripture probably composed between 80-100 AD. It has survived only in Old Slavonic recensions. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

And the unclean bird spoke to me and said, "What are you doing, Abraham, on the holy heights, where no one eats or drinks, nor is there upon them food for men? But these all will be consumed by fire and ascend to the height, they will destroy you."

And it came to pass when I saw the bird speaking I said this to the angel: "What is this, my lord?" And he said, "This is disgrace — this is Azazel!" And he said to him, "Shame on you, Azazel! For Abraham's portion is in heaven, and yours is on earth, for you have selected here, [and] become enamored of the dwelling place of your blemish. Therefore the Eternal Ruler, the Mighty One, has given you a dwelling on earth. Through you the all-evil spirit [was] a liar, and through you [come] wrath and trials on the generations of men who live impiously.

— Abr. 13:4-9

He is also associated with the serpent (Satan) and hell. In Chapter 23, verse 7, he is described as having seven heads, 14 faces, "hands and feet like a man's [and] on his back six wings on the right and six on the left." For other uses, see Serpent (disambiguation). ... This article is about the theological or philosophical afterlife. ...

Abraham says that the wicked will "putrefy in the belly of the crafty worm Azazel, and be burned by the fire of Azazel's tongue" (Abr. 31:5), and earlier says to Azazel himself, "May you be the firebrand of the furnace of the earth! Go, Azazel, into the untrodden parts of the earth. For your heritage is over those who are with you" (Abr. 14:5-6).

Here there is the idea that God's heritage (the created world) is largely under the dominion of evil — i.e., it is "shared with Azazel" (Abr. 20:5), again identifying him with Satan, who is also "the prince of this world" (John 12:31, niv). This article is about the concept of Satan. ...

Dictionnaire Infernal

Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal (1863) describes Azazel as the guardian of goats. On the 10th day of Tishri, on the feast of the Expiation, it was Jewish custom to draw lots for two goats: one for the Lord and the other for Azazel. The goat for the Lord was then sacrificed and its blood served as atonement. With the goat for Azazel, the high priest would place both of his hands on the goat's head and confess both his sins and the sins of the people. The goat ("scapegoate") was then led into the desert and set free. Azazel then returned the goat. Milton described Azazel as the first gate-teacher of the infernal armies. Azazel is also the name of the demon that serves Mark the heretic. Collin de Plancy (1793-1887) was a French occultist, demonologist and writer; he published several works on occultism and demonology. ... Tishrei or Tishri (תִּשְׁרִי, תִּשְׁרֵי, Standard Hebrew Tišri, Tišre, Tiberian Hebrew Tišrî, Tišrê: from Akkadian tašrītu Beginning, from šurrû To begin... Yom Kippur (Hebrew:יוֹם כִּפּוּר ) is a Jewish holiday, known in English as the Day of Atonement. ...

In literature and popular culture

Azazel is invoked or referenced in a number of works in different media, including books, music, comic books, games, movies, and television. A complete list is beyond the scope of this article.

Classically, Cornelius Agrippa^[3] lists 4 fallen angels as the opposites of the 4 holy rulers of the elements; among them is Azael, who is chained in a desert where he will remain until the day of judgment. ^[4] Cornelius Agrippa, as portrayed in Libri tres de occulta philosophia Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (born in Köln September 14, 1486 - died in Grenoble February 18, 1535) was a magician and occult writer, astrologer, and alchemist. ...

Perhaps the most notable descriptions, though, are the references made to him by the Romantic poets: Azazel (described as "a cherub tall") is a fallen angel and Lucifer's standard bearer in John Milton's Paradise Lost, and is one of the angels in Lord Byron's drama Heaven and Earth. Romanticism was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in late 18th century Western Europe. ... This article is about the star or fallen angel. ... For other persons named John Milton, see John Milton (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Paradise Lost (disambiguation). ... Byron redirects here. ...

Among 20th century authors the name Azazel has been used for characters by authors as diverse as Mikhail Bulgakov, Isaac Asimov, Salman Rushdie and Boris Akunin. In visual media, Azazel appears as a body-hopping demon spirit in the film Fallen, and is a major character in the TV series HEX. Also, Azazel is the name of the "Yellow eyes Demon", one of the main villains of Supernatural. Mikhail Afanasievich Bulgakov (Russian: Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков; May 15 [O.S. May 3] 1891, Kiev – March 10, 1940, Moscow) was a Russian novelist and playwright of the first half of the 20th century. ... Isaac Asimov (January 2?, 1920?[1] – April 6, 1992), pronounced , originally Исаак Озимов but now transcribed into Russian as Айзек Азимов [1], was a Russian-born American author and professor of biochemistry, a highly successful writer, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. ... Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (Devanagari : अहमद सलमान रश्दी Nastaliq:; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-British novelist and essayist. ... Boris Akunin (born May 20, 1956) (Russian: ) is the pen name of Grigory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili (Григорий Шалвович Чхартишвили). Akunin is a Russian essayist, literary translator, and fiction writer. ... Fallen is a 1998 horror / thriller film, directed by Gregory Hoblit. ... Hex is a British television programme developed by Shine Limited and aired on the Sky One satellite channel. ...

Azazel also appears as a final boss in the up and coming Tekken 6 game for the playstation 3

References