There are also demons of a lower grade, those, namely, who came into being during the 130 years after the Creation, and who are semi-human ; t they occupied a position between God and man. § They have the names ( besides those given above ) of shcdim,\\ lilin'i and riihin (Aramaic; Heb. rii/wth**); the first of these is their commonest naine. The head of these lower-grade demons is Asmedaitt (Asmoda'us, To 3», cf. 6'^ 8=) ; they have the power of becoming visible or invisible at will; they have wings, and fly all over the world tt for the purpose of harming men ; in three respects tliey resemble man, for they eat and drink, they are able to propagate their species, and are subject to death ; they also have the power of assuming various forms, but they usually clinose that of men, though with the diHeronce that their feet are hens' feet, and they are without shadows; they are very numerous (cf. Mk 5") — 7^ millions is said to be the number of them, while elsewhere it is stated that every man has ten thousand on his right hand, and a thousand on his left (cf. Ps Ol^"'). They live mostly in desert places (cf. Lk S-^\ where their yells can be heard (cf. Dt 32'" ' howling wil- derness ') ; also in unclean places, where their power is great, e.g. in the ND^n n'2 ; in waterless places (cf. Lk U°*), for water is the means of cleans- ing ; §§ and among tombs || || (cf. Mk 5-), dead bodies being unclean ; UTT they are most dangerous to the traveller, more especially if he travels alone ; they tend to congregate together (cf. Lk 11-^ &-■'■"') ; at certain times they are more dangerous than at others, viz. at mid-day, when the heat is intense, and from sunset to cock-crowing (cf. Ps 9P' ^ Mk 14'-, Jn 13-'™), after which they return to their abode. Unlike angels, who understand only Hebrew (the
" The very terra 'the angel of Satan' is used, cf. iyj-sAo.- S«T«,i, 2Col27.
t Cf. the dualistio system of the Persians, wliich has mfluenced Judaism here.
J Among the Greeks the demons stand between men and gods, and all the elements of mythology that were derogatory to the character of the national deities were referred to the
nions. Greek infl of Hebrew angeloloi^ ' Demons ').
§ According to another tradition, these semi-human demons originated thus : God had cieated their souls, but before He had time to create their bodies the Sabbath dawned ; they were thus neither men nor angels, and became demons.
II A loan-word from Assyr.-Bab. Hdu=' good or evil genius.'
U The Assyr.-Bab. lilitu, ' Lilith.'
*"They are also known under the -m. iil ti nn ]-'^-3 J'nn (fr,fiii«r»T»,K^<i); Blau holdsthat.'ii :. - "were the
spirits of the departed, see i)rt5 a/'' //. p. 14.
tt Thisisoneof the chief signs ot imm ,i, mil : Asmedai
is borrowed from the Persian demon .^i lu»t, Ae.-i.u... li.iuva.
tt Cf. 'the prince of the power of the air' (Eph 2- Oi2). It was a Persian belief.
§§ Drinking water at night is especially dangerous, presumably because the wrath of the demon would be aroused by the use of water during his privileged period of activity, the night-time.
nil 'Cemeteries were regarded with awe by the ancient Kgvptians, because of the s|iirits of the dead who dwelt in them '(Budge. Eqiiiittan Mwiie, p. 219).
I'l Kven at the jiresent da v a cohen who looks upon a cori)se Is
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DEMON, DEMONIACS
'holy tongue' atso pE"^), demons can understand all languages, for they are active among the Gen- tiles as well as among the Jews, whereas angels restrict their activity among men to the children of Abraham. The power for harm of the demons is greatest among the sick, among women in child- birth, among brides and bridegrooms, mourners, and those who are about to become teachers ; further, those who travel by night, and children who are out after dark are specially subject to their attacks. There is one demon, Shabriri, who makes people blind (cf. ilt 12--), and there is a special demon of leprosy, and a demon of heart- disease. As emissaries of the angel of death, Sam- mael (the 'full of eyes,' cf. the Greek Arfjiis), men are in constant dread of them (cf. He 2""'"^). It was also believed that demons were able to trans- fer some of their powers to men, and especially to women ; so, for example, the secret of magic drinks, wliicli could harm people in various ways (cf. Mk 16"*), and change them into animals ; they could also endow men with the facultj' of exercis- ing the 'evil eye' (cf. Mk 7", see also Sir 31'^ and cf. 148- w. To 4'8), by means of wliicli the good fortune of others could be turned to evil ; there is a special formula for use against the 'evil eye."* There are certain animals in league with the demons (cf. Lk 8^-), such as serpents (cf. Mk 16'*, Ac 28'-^), bulls, t donkeys,! and mosquitoes. The shidim are male demons ; female demons are called lilin, ' night-sjjirits,' from tlie queen of the demons, Lilith (cf. Is 34'-') ; they have long flowing hair, and are the enemies of children, for which reason special angels have charge of children (cf. Mt 18'", He 1").