Belial
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Belial (also Belhor, Baalial, Beliar, Beliall, Beliel; from Hebrew Bliyaal בליעל) is an evil being in Hebrew mythology. The name means "without worth". In the Book of Jubilees, uncircumcised heathens are called "sons of Belial".
The etymology for his name is unclear. Some scholars translate it from Hebrew as "worthless" (Beli yo'il), while others translate it as "yokeless" (Beli ol), "may have no rising" (Belial) or "never to rise" (Beli ya'al). Only a few etymologists have assumed it to be a proper name from the start. [1]
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[edit] In Judaism
In the Old Testament, Belial is mentioned several times; and impious men are considered the sons of Belial.
[edit] The Dead Sea Scrolls
In The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness(1QM), one of the Dead Sea scrolls, Belial is the leader of the Sons of Darkness:
- 'But for corruption thou hast made Belial, an angel of hostility. All his dominions are in darkness, and his purpose is to bring about wickedness and guilt. All the spirits that are associated with him are but angels of destruction.'
[edit] In Christianity
In early Christian writings, Belial was identified first with an angel of confusion and lust, created after Lucifer. Paradoxically, some apocrypha credit Belial as being the father of Lucifer and the angel that convinced him to wage a rebellion in Heaven against God, and that Belial was the first of the fallen angels to be expelled. Belial is referred to as Satan when asked by St. Paul as to how Christ and Belial can agree. The passage in the Bible NIV states: "What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" 2 Cor 6:15.
Since the Middle Ages he has been considered to be a powerful king of Hell that gives excellent familiars to his followers, and rules fifty to eighty legions [2] of demons, though no mention is made of this in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. As a demon he was said to have an agreeable aspect, and to induce to any type of sins, especially those related to sex and lust. Sebastian Michaelis states that Belial seduces by means of arrogance and his adversary is St. Francis of Paola; in this sense his name is translated as "Lord of Arrogance" or "Lord of Pride" (Baal ial).
In the Biblia Vulgata fewer allusions to this demon are made, referring to Belial as torrents of death, and to impious men as sons of Belial and men of Belial.
Belial is listed as the sixty-eighth spirit of the Ars Goetia, and appears in The Lesser Key of Solomon as well.
[edit] Apocrypha
Belial plays heavily in Christian apocrypha and pseudepigrapha. In addition to his appearance in the Book of Jubilee, Belial appears in other texts as well.
Belial is also mentioned in the Fragments of a Zadokite Work (which is also known as The Damascus Document (CD)), which states that at the time of the Antichrist, "Belial shall be let loose against Israel, as God spoke through Isaiah the prophet." (6:9). The Fragments also speak of "three nets of Belial" which are said to be fornication, wealth, and pollution of the sanctuary. (6:10-11) In this work, Belial is sometimes presented as an agent of divine punishment and sometimes as a rebel, as Mastema is. It was Belial who inspired the Egyptian sorcerers, Jochaneh and his brother, to oppose Moses and Aaron. The Fragments also say that anyone who is ruled by the spirits of Belial and speaks of rebellion should be condemned as a necromancer and wizard.
[edit] Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs
Belial is also mentioned in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. The author of the work seems to be a dualist because he presents Belial as God's opponent, not as a servant, but does not mention how or why this came to be. Simeon 5:3 says that fornication separates man from God and brings him near to Belial. Levi tells his children to choose between the Law of God and the works of Beliar (Levi 19:1) It also states that when the soul is constantly disturbed, the Lord departs from it and Belial rules over it. Naphtali (2:6, 3:1) contrasts the Law and will of God with the purposes of Belial. Also, in 20:2, Joseph prophesies that when Israel leaves Egypt, they will be with God in light while Beliar will remain in darkness with the Egyptians. Finally, the Testament describes that when the Messiah comes, the angels will punish the spirits of deceit and Belial (3:3) and that the Messiah will bind Beliar and give to his children the power to trample the evil spirits (18:12).
[edit] The Martyrdom of Isaiah
In The Martyrdom of Isaiah, Belial is the angel of lawlessness and is the ruler of this world.
- "And Manasseh turned aside his heart to serve Beliar; for the angel of lawlessness, who is the ruler of this world, is Beliar, whose name is Matanbuchus." - Martyrdom of Isaiah 2:4
Belial also plays a significant role in the Ascension of Isaias.
[edit] In other religious traditions
The Satanic Bible names Belial as one of the Four Crown Princes of Hell (specifically, the North Crown), and states that his name means "'without a master' and symbolizes true independence, self-sufficiency, and personal accomplishment." [3] Belial represents the earth element, is the Master of Mankind and the Champion of Humanity, and represents the carnal and base urges of mankind.
It was believed in ancient traditions that offerings, sacrifices and gifts must be made to honor Belial, or he will not answer the truth to what the conjurer demands. Gilles de Rais attempted to raise Belial and Beelzebub by using the dismembered remains of children as sacrifices. [4]
[edit] In fiction
Belial (or a likeness thereof) figures in many works of fiction, both medieval and modern. Among these are:
[edit] Medieval fiction and Milton
- In Jacobus de Teramo's Buche Belial (1473), Belial was depicted with a man's body with talons instead of feet, and having a man's head with the horns and ears of a bull and the tusks of a boar; he keeps the door of Hell.
- In Book I of Paradise Lost, Belial is figured as the Fallen Angel responsible for making atheists of priests, unlike many other Fallen Angels who named themselves Gods in other regions. In Book II of Paradise Lost, author John Milton depicts Belial as one who realizes that the war against Heaven has been lost by the hosts of Hell, and hopes that God will forgive them and allow them to return to heaven. [5]
[edit] Modern fiction, film, and popular culture
[edit] Fiction
- Victor Hugo referred to Bellial as "the Infernal Ambassador to Turkey".
- The title of the novel and play Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse is a play on the name "Beliar."
- In Aldous Huxley's Ape and Essence, Belial is the object of the post-Apocalyptic population's reverence/fear and the regulator of their week-long cyclical mating period.
- Even in the famous German role playing game series Gothic, Belial is an important evil god. But his name was a little bit changed. In the game he is called "Beliar".
[edit] Film
- In the silent film Nosferatu, it is said that the Vampires were spawned from Belial's blood.
- In the film "The Exorcism of Emily Rose", Belial is one of the six names of the demon that possesses Emily (Jennifer Carpenter).
- In the film "The Prophecy: Uprising", Belial attempts to get a a mysterious bible, called "The Prophet Lexicon", where the last chapter about the apocalypse is being somehow written.
[edit] Games
- In Blizzard Entertainment's 'Diablo' PC game series, Belial is one of the Lesser Evils, The Lord of Lies. He is never mentioned between either game or in any of their expansions, but he was charted within the original Diablo Game Manual.
[edit] Television
- In the episode "The Possessed," in the series Haunting, the victim was possessed by Belial.
