Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
Ornias, the vampire spirit who had maltreated Solomon's servant, was
the first demon to appear, and he was set to the task of cutting stones
near the Temple. And Solomon bade Ornias come, and he gave him the
seal, saying: "Away with thee, and bring me hither the prince of all
the demons." Ornias took the finger-ring, and went to Beelzeboul, who
has kingship over the demons. He said to him: "Hither! Solomon calls
thee." But Beelzeboul, having heard, said to him: "Tell me, who is this
Solomon of whom thou speakest to me?" Then Ornias threw the ring at the
chest of Beelzeboul, saying: "Solomon the king calls thee." But
Beelzeboul cried aloud with a mighty voice, and shot out a great,
burning flame of fire; and he arose and followed Ornias, and came to
Solomon. Brought before the king, he promised him to gather all the
unclean spirits unto him. Beelzeboul proceeded to do so, beginning with
Onoskelis, that had a very pretty shape and the skin of a fair-hued
woman, and he was followed by Asmodeus; both giving an account of
themselves.
Beelzeboul reappeared on the scene, and in his conversation with
Solomon declared that he alone survived of the angels who had come down
from heaven. He reigned over all who are in Tartarus, and had a child
in the Red Sea, which on occasion comes up to Beelzeboul and reveals to
him what he has done. Next the demon of the Ashes, Tephros, appeared,
and after him a group of seven female spirits, who declared themselves
to be of the thirty-six elements of the darkness. Solomon bade them dig
the foundation of the temple, for the length of it was two hundred and
fifty cubits. And he ordered them to be industrious, and with one
united murmur of protest they began to perform the tasks enjoined.
Solomon bade another demon come before him. And there was brought to
him a demon having all the limbs of a man, but without a head. The
demon said to Solomon: "I am called Envy, for I delight to devour
heads, being desirous to secure for myself a head; but I do not eat
enough, and I am anxious to have such a head as thou hast." A
hound-like spirit, whose name was Rabdos, followed, and he revealed to
Solomon a green stone, useful for the adornment of the Temple. A number
of other male and female demons appeared, among them the thirty-six
world-rulers of the darkness, whom Solomon commanded to fetch water to
the Temple. Some of these demons he condemned to do the heavy work on
the construction of the Temple, others he shut up in prison, and
others, again, he ordered to wrestle with fire in the making of gold
and silver, sitting down by lead and spoon, and to make ready places
for the other demons, in which they should be confined.
After Solomon with the help of the demons had completed the Temple, the
rulers, among them the Queen of Sheba, who was a sorceress, came from
far and near to admire the magnificence and art of the building, and no
less the wisdom of its builder. (55)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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