Asmodeus
Asmodeus is a demon of lusty mentioned in the Book of Tobit.
Quotes about
[edit]- On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it also happened that Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, had to endure the insults of one of her father’s maids. For she had been married to seven husbands, but the wicked demon Asmodeus had slain each of them before the marriage had been consummated as is customary. The servant girl said to her, “You are the one who has slain your husbands! Behold, you have already been given in marriage seven times, but you have experienced no joy with any of your husbands. Just because your husbands are dead is no reason to abuse us. Join them, and may we never live to see any son or daughter of yours!”
- On that day, deeply distressed, she went in tears to an upper room in her father’s house, intending to hang herself. But then she considered further, thinking: “Perhaps they will reproach my father, saying to him, ‘You had only one beloved daughter, but because of her misfortune she hanged herself.’ Thus I would cause my father in his old age to descend to Hades, overcome with sorrow. It would be far better for me not to hang myself but to beg the Lord to grant that I die so that I will no longer have to listen to these taunts.” [...]
- At that very moment the prayer of both these petitioners was heard in the glorious presence of God, and Raphael was sent to heal them both. He was to remove the white patches from Tobit’s eyes so that he might once again behold God’s light with his own eyes, and he was to give Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, in marriage to Tobiah, son of Tobit, and then free her from the wicked demon Asmodeus. For Tobiah had the right to claim her in marriage before any other suitor.
- At the very moment that Tobit returned from the courtyard to his house, Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, descended from her upper room.
- Book of Tobit 3:10-13;16-17 NCB.
- However, in reply to Raphael, Tobiah said, “Brother Azariah, I have heard that she has already been given in marriage seven times, and that each of her husbands died in the bridal chamber. The very night that they entered her room, they died, and I have heard people claim that it was a demon who killed them. Therefore, I am afraid. The demon does not harm her because he loves her, but he kills any man who tries to approach her. I am my father’s only son, and if I should die, I fear that the resulting grief would bring my father and mother to their grave—and they have no other son to bury them." Raphael retorted, “Have you forgotten your father’s instructions to take a wife from his family? Now listen to me, brother. Do not worry about this demon. Take Sarah in marriage. I know that this very night she will be given to you in marriage. When you enter the bridal chamber, take some of the heart and liver of the fish and place them on the burning incense.
- Book of Tobit 6:14-17 NCB.
- Then Tobiah recalled Raphael’s instructions. He removed the liver and heart of the fish from the bag where he had stored them, and he placed them on the embers of the incense. The odor of the fish so repelled the demon that he fled to Upper Egypt. However, Raphael followed him there and bound him hand and foot. Then he returned at once.
- Book of Tobit 8:2-3 NCB.
