Azazel, Azazil, Azael, or Azaya (a Power of God, God Is My Power, or God Is Powerful; a corruption of Ezozel "the Scapegoat") is a hermaphroditic genie or Watcher angel who embodies powers, death, and the responsibility of learning war and creating weapons for humans. Sometimes identified with a pride demon with the same name. Although Azazel is a satanic fallen angel; but he has never lost his favor from God, similarly to Samael.
Abrahamic Religions
Judaism
According to the works of Nachmanides Azazel is identified with Samael due to both being fallen angels that had children with female humans, but while Azazel is a rebel angel who disobeyed God. Samael is seen with a little bit more benevolent perspective, because Samael is still under God's command.
Book of Enoch
- Main article: Book of Enoch
In the Book of Enoch, Azazel is described as a fallen angel who taught humanity about the art of war, armament, and many other concepts. Besides this, Azazel is the main angel responsible for the original sin of mankind, but Azazel also was the leader of the Watchers a group of fallen angels who had children with the daughters of man.
Azazel at one point was defeated by the Archangel Raphael, who as the leader of the Watchers sealed him in the desert.
The Book of Enoch is an important book both in Jewish literature and the Ethiopian Bible, in fact according the Ethiopian canon, Azazel during Judgement Day will be free from the desert.
Islam
In Islam, some sects consider that Azazil was the name of Iblis before his fall, but the word Azazil is a controversial topic in Islamic theology because Iblis is clearly mentioned as a Jinn but not an angel. Because in the Islamic cosmogony the angels are just royal to Allah, therefore the idea of Iblis as an angel would be a problem.
In Alevism, Azazil is related with the evil self.
Gnosticism
In Mandaeism, it is mentioned in Mandaean texts. In the Right Ginza, as Azaziʿil.
Azazel in the Dictionnaire Infernal
The Infernal Dictionary is a book of demonology written in 1818 by the French occultist Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy. The entry for Azazel is as follows:
| “ | Azazel, a demon of the second order, guardian of the goat. At the Feast of Atonement, which the Jews celebrated on the tenth day of the seventh month, one he brought to the high priest two goats which he cast lots for: one for the Lord, the other for Azazel. The one upon whom the Lord's lot fell was sacrificed, and his blood served for atonement. The high priest then laid his two hands on the head of the other, confessed his sins and those of the people, and entrusted them to this animal, which was then led into the desert and set free; and the people, having left the goat of Azazel, also called the scapegoat, to bear their iniquities, returned home in silence. — According to Milion, Azazel is the first standard-bearer of the infernal armies. It is also the name of the demon used for his magic by the heretic Mark.[1] | ” |
Popular Culture
Comics
- In Marvel Comics, it features a mutant villain known as Azazel.
- In Vertigo (DC) comics, Azazel is a recurring demon.
Games
- In Shin Megami Tensei, Azazel is a demon.
- Azazel is an important character in Helltaker.
- Azazel is the name of a servant of Slaanesh in Warhammer 40k.
- In The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, there is a playable character named Azazel
Television
- Azazel is an important supporting character in High School DxD.
- In the CW series Supernatural, Azazel is a recurring antagonist.
Gallery
References
| List of Angels | |
|---|---|
| Seraphim | Agiel • Gabriel • Yahoel • Matriel • Raphael • Seraphiel • Uriel |
| Cherubim | Azazel • Gabriel • Gadreel • Gamaliel • Kerubiel • Lucifer • Michael • Ophaniel • Paimon • Rikbiel • Sachiel |
| Thrones | Abaddon • Mitzrael • Murmur • Ophaniel • Pahaliah • Raum |
| Dominons | Balam • Camael • Marchosias • Muriel • Paimon • Vasiariah |
| Virtues | Agares • Barbatos |
| Powers | Amy • Crocell • Gaap • Vual |
| Principalities | Cambiel • Hahasiah • Imamiah • Mebahiah • Nanael • Nithael • Poyel • Vehuel |
| Archangels | Abaddon • Adriel • Agiel • Arakiel • Ariel • Azazel • Azrael • Barachiel • Baraqiel • Barbiel • Beburos • Camael • Cambiel • Cassiel • Chamuel • Dadrail • Gabriel • Gamaliel • Hamaliel • Haniel • Hofniel • Israfil • Jegudiel • Jerahmeel • Jophiel • Kadkadael • Kepharel • Kundaliel • Matriel • Metatron • Michael • Mitzrael • Phanuel • Pravuil • Raguel • Ramiel • Raphael • Raziel • Sabriel • Sachiel • Sahaquiel • Samael • Sandalphon • Sarathiel • Sariel • Selaphiel • Shamnail • Tawûsî Melek • Turail • Uriel • Uziel • Verchiel • Zachariel • Zadkiel • Zagagel • Zaphkiel • Zephaniel • Zuriel |
| Angels | Amy • Caim • Hutriel • Kushiel • Mastema |
| Watchers | Abaddon • Ananiel • Arakiel • Armaros • Asbeel • Azazel • Baraqiel • Bezaliel • Chazaqiel • Daniel • Gadreel • Jequn • Kokabiel • Penemue • Ramiel • Samyaza • Sariel • Sathariel • Shamsiel • Tamiel • Turiel • Yomiel • Zaqiel |
| Fallen Angels | Agares • Amy • Asbeel • Azazel • Balam • Belial • Caim • Crocell • Gaap • Harut • Lucifer • Marchosias • Marut • Mastema • Murmur • Paimon • Ramiel • Raum • Samael • Satan • Tamiel • Vual • Xaphan |
| Miscellaneous | Chalkydri • Naphil |