Asmodeus

*Prince of the Avengers of Evil*

**Also known as:** Ashmodai

**Classification:** Djinn, Demon, or angel

Ashmodai, the destroyer, lives in a palace on a mountain from which he visits Heaven daily to learn the destined fate of human beings, participate in learned discussions, and receive his assigned orders. He may be the King of Demons, Shedim, or Djinn. He is a spirit of rage who rules anger, jealousy, lechery, and revenge. He’s something of a manipulator, encouraging illicit and extramarital love affairs. When he’s in a mean mood or if someone annoys him, he encourages the breakup of marriages and soul mates. He allegedly enjoys what biblical sources consider transgressive sex: he likes sex with menstruating women.
Ashmodai may be the son of Naamah. His father may be Adam or Shemhazai, a powerful but rebellious angel. Alternatively he is the son of Agrat and ancient Israel’s King David, thus making him King Solomon’s half brother. Ashmodai is Solomon’s rival and shadow self. He may or may not be the same spirit as the malevolent Iranian Aeshma Deva even though the Latin name Asmodeus is applied to both of them.

Despite his rulership of wrath and rage, Ashmodai is generally a good-natured, gregarious spirit who likes to drink. According to legend, Ashmodai is in charge of the casinos and gambling parlors of the Afterlife. He may bestow gambling luck.

According to legend, Solomon enslaved Ashmodai, forcing him to help with building projects, including the Jerusalem Temple. Ashmodai paid him back by tricking Solomon into giving him his magic ring. Once Ashmodai had the ring, he sent Solomon into exile, assumed his form, and ruled in his place although Solomon eventually regained his throne. (Solomon got him back: magically recovering his ring from the belly of a fish, he stuck Ashmodai in a bottle like a genie.)

Ashmodai has many wives, including a harem of human women. He is apparently a good father; many folktales describe him finding husbands for his daughters or punishing men who mistreat them.

Ashmodai is the husband-killing Demon in the Book of Tobit who is eventually vanquished by the archangel Raphael. Raphael is the angel who controls and counteracts the powerful and dangerous Ashmodai.

**Manifestations:** He has the reputation of being loud and Demonstrating a sensuous nature. He may manifest in the form of a man or a man with goat or rooster feet. He is also known to appear as a black dog.

**Petition**: He is a king and expects to be treated as such. Doff your hat and address him with honorifics. Never get too comfortable or informal with him.

**Offering**: Give him a drink, then give him another. Burn frankincense in his honour. Give him a deck of cards or some casino chips and request his help. But don’t ask too often; if you annoy him, he’ll wreck your luck instead of enhancing it. If he helps you, count yourself lucky, give him a gift, and leave him alone. Don’t ever pester or nag.

**See Also:** Agrat; Demon; Djinn; Genie; Lilith; Mahalat; Naamah; Padilla, Maria de; Raphael; Shedim; Solomon; Solomon’s Seventy-two Spirits.

## Appearances in Modern Media

From Age of IshtariaFrom Monster StrikeFrom Reign of DragonsFrom the Seven Mortal SinsFrom HelltakerFrom Sid Story
## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes