Testament of Solomon, This intriguing work presents itself as a first-person account by King Solomon, renowned for his wisdom and supernatural abilities, detailing his encounters with various demons and his mastery over them.
The text describes how Solomon uses a magical ring bearing the name of God to command and control demons, compelling them to reveal their true forms and divulge their secrets.
It provides an extensive catalog of 72 demons, each with its own name, appearance, and specific powers. These demons are said to cause illness, possess individuals, or disrupt natural phenomena.
The Testament of Solomon provides an intriguing look into the social and spiritual environment of Hellenistic and Roman times, displaying a combination of Jewish and pagan ideologies. Additionally, its profound reception is indicative of the long-standing reverence for Solomon’s renowned sagacity and authority.
The text showcases Solomon’s ability to communicate with animals, command spirits, and build the Temple in Jerusalem with the assistance of supernatural beings.
Scholars have debated the origins and purpose of the Testament of Solomon. Some suggest that it was written by a Jewish author seeking to consolidate the power of the Temple and reinforce the belief in Solomon’s divine favor.
Others argue that it may have been influenced by earlier traditions and magical practices, possibly originating from Egypt or Babylon.
Regardless of its origin, the Testament of Solomon provides valuable insights into the ancient mindset, magical practices, and the perceived power dynamics between humans and supernatural entities.
It showcases the fascination with the unseen world and the quest for control over mysterious forces that influenced ancient societies.
Testament of Solomon: A Catalog of Demons
The Testament of Solomon, penned between the hazy boundaries of the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE, beckons us with its tantalizing allure.
An introspective work that masquerades as the first-hand account of the illustrious King Solomon, this magnum opus unravels the secrets of his enthralling encounters with a host of demons, and his unparalleled mastery over these nefarious entities.
Picture this: Solomon, a sage and ruler, adorned with a mystical ring bearing the ineffable name of God, wielding immense power over the ethereal realms.
As the tale unfurls, we are thrust into a universe teeming with 72 demons, each boasting a distinctive moniker, form, and supernatural prowess.
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These fiends, capable of unleashing havoc, tormenting souls, and distorting the natural order, become mere pawns in Solomon’s audacious game of dominion.
The Testament of Solomon unveils itself as a tantalizing portal, allowing us to peer through the veiled curtains of antiquity.
In its hallowed pages, we find a convergence of ancient beliefs and esoteric practices, a captivating amalgamation of Jewish and pagan ideologies that thrived during the Hellenistic and Roman epochs.
Solomon, the central figure, emerges as an embodiment of divine knowledge, transcending mortal boundaries to command the unseen and construct the majestic Temple in Jerusalem with celestial assistance.
The scholarly fraternity, forever embroiled in the pursuit of understanding, engages in spirited debates over the Testament’s genesis and purpose.
Some contend that it arose from the fertile mind of a Jewish wordsmith, intent on consolidating Temple authority and reaffirming Solomon’s divine benevolence.
Others posit that the text embodies fragments of archaic traditions and magical arts, their roots possibly intertwined with the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Babylon.
Nevertheless, the Testament of Solomon, like an elusive riddle, tantalizes the inquisitive minds of scholars and enthusiasts alike.
A testament to the ceaseless human fascination with the arcane and the transcendent, it offers a portal into the captivating realm of ancient occultism.
With its labyrinthine complexity and intricate tapestry of concepts, this extraordinary work stands as a testament to the pulsating dynamism of human thought.
Catalog of demon in Testament of Solomon
The Testament of Solomon begins with the tale of a demon named Ornias who had taken wages from a worker constructing the Temple and had also sapped the strength of a boy by sucking his thumb.
After Solomon interrogated the child, he prayed to the Lord for help and was given a ring through which he could imprison demons.
He then gave the ring to the boy and successfully imprisoned Ornias. The demon was brought before Solomon’s throne where, upon being asked where he lived, he provided answer in reference to the zodiac.
Additionally, Ornias noted that he had once been thwarted by an archangel known as Ouriel. Upon hearing this, Solomon offered up prayers to Ouriel who then commanded Ornias to assist with any remaining stonecutting work needed at the Temple.
As part of this directive, Ornias was given possession of the aforementioned ring and instructed to bring forth the prince of demons so that Solomon may take control over them.
The following events comprise a list of demon names alongside suggested methods for exorcising said entities.
The remaining chapters of the book Testament of Solomon A Catalog of Demons consist of interrogations. Ornias conjures a demon before King Solomon, providing a description and disclosing the way to thwart it by invoking a name such as an angel or Jesus.
He then goes on to apprehend Beelzeboul with the ring. Following this, Solomon inquires about him and other demons in depth.
In particular, he inquires if there are female demons, to which Onoskelis – a beautiful woman with mule legs – is revealed. Solomon grills her regarding her origin and activities, ultimately ordering her to spin hemp into ropes.
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36 Demonic summon according to Testament of Solomon
Chapter 5: King Solomon summoned Asmodeus and questioned him on his origins and activities, which included marring the beauty of virgins and causing murders.
He further explained that the angel Raphael had caused him to flee by burning the liver and gall of a sheatfish (a large catfish; Tobit 6:2). As a result, Solomon commanded Asmodeus to create vessels from clay for use in the temple.
Chapter 6: Solomon resumes his questioning of Beelzeboul and is informed that the demon holds dominion over those bonded to Tartarus.
He reveals that he will return in triumph after being nurtured in the Red Sea, however he can be thwarted by certain names, one of which being Eloi-I causes him to tremble and vanish.
At this point, Solomon orders the demon to cut marble for use in constructing the temple.
Chapter 7: Following up on this interrogation, Solomon interrogates Lix Tetrax, a demon associated with winds found in Aramaic incantation texts from Crete as well as Ephesian magical texts.
The demon explains its origin and activities such as whirlwinds and divisions before providing three names which can cast him out, one of them being Azael, an archangel. Ultimately it is compelled to raise stones for the Temple’s construction.
Chapter 8: In the eighth chapter of his narrative, King Solomon interrogates seven entities known as Deception, Strife, Fate, Distress, Error, Power and “The Worst”.
These figures are self-explanatory but Error says to him “I am Error, King Solomon, and I am leading you into error and I led you into error when I made you kill your brothers” referring to Adonijah’s execution (1 Kings 2:25). Subsequently, Solomon commanded these entities to dig the foundations for the Temple.
Chapter 9: Next he summoned a demon called Murder who was composed entirely of limbs without any head.
This being stated “When infants are ten days old, and if one cries during the night, I become a spirit and I rush in and attack (the infant) through his voice” (9.5). It could only be thwarted by a lightning strike.
Chapter 10: The tenth chapter opens with a confrontation between Solomon and another creature called Scepter who took on the form of an immense dog.
Chapter 11 to chapter 15
Through this entity he learned that it had been deceiving those followers of its star which caused them mental numbness. This dreadful being then assisted him to obtain an emerald for the construction of the Temple.
Chapter 11: Solomon interrogates a demon known as the “Lion-Shaped Demon” who has a legion of demons under his command.
This entity is described as someone “who sneaks in and watches over all who are lying ill with a disease, making it impossible for man to recover from their affliction” (11.2).
Chapter 12: Solomon interrogates a three-headed dragon demon who can only be thwarted by the “place of the skull,” an allusion to the crucifixion. The dragon is ordered to build bricks for the temple.
Chapter 13: Solomon confronts Obyzouth, a female demon with disheveled hair.
This representation connotes Medusa, the guardian goddess of Aphrodite; however, demons with wild hair also appear in Revelation 9:8. Obyzouth makes her nightly rounds searching for pregnant women so they can strangle their baby at birth – an act that is foiled by the angel Raphael when he inscribes her name on paper.
Testament of Solomon: A Catalog of Demons Chapter 14: Solomon then interrogates a demon called “the so-called Winged Demon” which is engaged in perverted acts during nighttime and copulates with beautiful women through their buttocks.
A heavenly being by the name of Bazazath appears and manages to restrain this beastly creature; nevertheless, he forces it to cut marble for use in building the temple.
Chapter 15: The last interrogation leads Solomon to encounter Enepsigos – a powerful female demon with countless aliases and many forms (including Kronos).
To place her under control, Solomon relies on Rathanael – an angel appearing solely in pseudepigrapha literature –
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Chapter 16 and end
In Chapter 16 of the Testament, Solomon interrogates a demon referred to as Kunopegos that can take the form of both a horse and a fish. To counter it, Solomon performs a ritual involving bowls and hemp ropes before sealing it away with his ring in the temple.
In Chapter 17, he speaks to another ‘lecherous’ demon whom he subdues by writing the name of the savior on its head.
The next chapter contains instructions for casting out thirty-six other demonic entities which are associated with physical ailments such as headaches, sore throats, and colics. The corresponding rituals for each entity are outlined in detail throughout this section.
The Testament of Solomon: A Catalog of Demons gives insight into how ancient cultures used rituals to counter demonic activity that caused illnesses during their time.
This is evidenced when considering events in Acts 19 where some were found attempting to replicate these rituals without success. It serves then as evidence of how well-developed these rituals were in combating demons associated with diseases during that era.
