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Solomon Made Every Demon Testify Before He Set Them to Work

The Testament of Solomon records how Israel's king used a ring from Michael to force demons one by one to confess what they do and what defeats them.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. The Ring Turns Fear Into Testimony
  2. The Winged Dragon Named Its Limit
  3. Thirty-Six Spirits of the Zodiac Confessed Their Diseases
  4. The Headless Demon Spoke From Nowhere

The boy who served the master craftsman was getting thinner by the day, and Solomon could not understand why.

Every evening after the workers left the Temple construction site, a demon descended on the child. It took half his wages and half his food and then sucked the life from the thumb of his right hand, draining him night after night until the boy was almost nothing. Solomon watched the child waste away and prayed with increasing urgency until the archangel Michael appeared and placed a ring in his hand. The ring bore a seal of heavenly authority. The seal could bind demons.

Solomon called the demon by name. He had learned the name. He pressed the seal against Ornias and commanded him to work. The creature howled and obeyed. Then Solomon looked at the ring and understood what it was for. Not just for one demon. For all of them.

The Ring Turns Fear Into Testimony

Solomon's method throughout the Testament of Solomon, preserved in F. C. Conybeare's 1898 public-domain translation of the late antique Jewish apocryphal cycle, is consistent: summon the demon, demand its name, demand what harm it causes, demand what angel or divine word defeats it. Every spirit must answer. The hidden world is dragged into legal language before the king of Israel.

The pattern matters. A danger with no name expands to fill all available fear. A danger forced to speak becomes bounded. Each demon that testifies before Solomon is simultaneously exposing its mechanism and its weakness. The Temple is being built from confessions as much as from cedar and stone.

The Winged Dragon Named Its Limit

The creatures that came before Solomon ranged from humanoid to bizarre. A winged dragon with a man's face and hands and serpent scales presented itself, announcing that it had once been worshipped as a god. Solomon condemned it to saw marble, invoking the angel Bazazeth who sits in the second heaven. The dragon submitted because the Name on the ring was stronger than any former worship.

Enepsigos came next, a being with two heads who appeared to change gender and could predict the future through the crystal sphere she wore around her neck. Solomon pressed her for the name that bound her. She answered with the name of one of the angels of the divine presence.

Then came Obyzouth. She had wings and wild hair and a face that could not settle into a single expression. She confessed what she does: she strangles newborns in the night, twists the joints of the body, corrupts the eye, blights the ear. When Solomon demanded the name that defeats her, she spoke it: Raphael. Write the name of the archangel Raphael, she told him, on a scrap of papyrus, and I cannot touch the child in whose room it hangs.

Thirty-Six Spirits of the Zodiac Confessed Their Diseases

The interrogation widened. Solomon did not stop at the major demons. He called the thirty-six spirits of the zodiacal mansions, each one associated with a specific disease and a specific angelic cure. The tenth spirit, Metathiax, causes kidney pain. The angel Adonael banishes it. The eleventh, Katanikotael, creates domestic strife. The twelfth afflicts the bowels. Each one submitted, confessed, and was assigned to useful labor on the Temple.

The list is not merely folkloric. It is a manual of spiritual warfare, a catalog of every affliction the ancient world feared most and the name that defeats it. Solomon's court becomes a place where accumulated human suffering is named, bounded, and assigned a counter. The king did not remove disease from the world. He produced the testimony that makes disease legible, and legibility is the first step toward resistance.

The Headless Demon Spoke From Nowhere

Among the strangest testimonies was the being brought before Solomon who had every human limb but no head. Above the shoulders was a stump. Solomon asked who it was and where its voice was coming from.

I am called Envy, the voice answered from everywhere and nowhere. I delight in devouring heads because I want one for myself. I am always hungry for a head like yours, O king.

Solomon sealed it for the Temple and moved to the next demon. The testimony was enough. Envy, defined as the desire to possess what belongs to someone else, appears without a face because it has none of its own. It is only appetite in the shape of what it lacks. The interrogation caught it precisely.

ObyzouthSolomonRaphaelDemonsProtectionTemple
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From the tradition

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The texts this telling draws on, in full. Open a card to read inline, or expand it for a wider, quieter read.

Testament of Solomon 1-7Testament of Solomon

A demon was feeding on a child. Every evening, after the workers building the Temple in Jerusalem finished their labor, a spirit called Ornias descended upon the boy who served the master craftsman. The demon stole half his wages. Half his food. And then it sucked the thumb of his right hand, draining his life force night after night until the child wasted away to skin and bone.

King Solomon loved this boy more than all the other artisans. He noticed the child growing thinner by the day and summoned him. "Do I not pay you double wages?" he asked. "Do I not give you double portions of food? Why do you grow weaker with each passing hour?"

The boy fell to his knees. "O king, after we are released from our work on the Temple of God, a demon comes to me at sunset. He takes half my pay and half my food. Then he seizes my right hand and sucks my thumb. My soul is crushed, and my body wastes away."

Solomon entered the Temple and prayed with all his soul, night and day, begging the Almighty for authority over the demon. And his prayer was answered.

The archangel Michael descended from heaven bearing a gift from the Lord of Hosts. A small ring. On it was engraved a seal, a pentagram, the sign of God's dominion over all spirits. Michael spoke: "Take this, O Solomon, son of David. The Lord God, the Most High, has sent you this gift. With it you shall bind every demon on earth, male and female. And with their forced labor, you shall build Jerusalem."

Solomon took the ring and gave it to the boy the next morning. "When the demon comes tonight," he said, "throw this ring at his chest and say: In the name of God, King Solomon calls you. Then run to me. Do not be afraid of anything you hear."

That evening, at the customary hour, Ornias came like a burning fire to steal from the child. But this time the boy hurled the ring at the demon's chest and shouted the words. The seal struck Ornias and bound him. The demon shrieked: "Child, what have you done to me? Take this ring off and I will give you all the gold of the earth! Only do not lead me to Solomon!"

But the boy ran. He ran straight to the king, rejoicing. And behind him, bound by the seal of the living God, the demon Ornias followed, howling, begging, dragging himself toward the throne of the wisest king who ever lived (1 Kings 6:1).

This was the beginning. The first demon had been caught. And through that single ring, Solomon would enslave every dark spirit under heaven and force them to build the house of God.

Full source
Testament of Solomon 61-80Testament of Solomon

A winged dragon with the face and hands of a man rolled into Solomon's court. Its body was scaled like a serpent, but its limbs were human, and great wings folded against its back. Solomon stared. "Who are you?"

"I am the Winged Dragon," the spirit said. "Once I was worshipped as a god among men, but now your ring and the wisdom of God have brought me to nothing." Solomon condemned it to saw marble for the Temple, invoking the angel Bazazeth, who sits in the second heaven.

Then came Enepsigos, a female demon with two extra heads sprouting from her shoulders, each with its own pair of hands. Three faces, six hands, one malevolent will.

"I have my dwelling in the moon," she said, "and for that reason I possess three forms. At times I am invoked as Kronos. At times I descend in another shape entirely. The measure of my celestial body is beyond your comprehension." She was defeated by the angel Rathanael, who sits in the third heaven. Solomon sealed her with a triple chain.

But Enepsigos prophesied before she was silenced: "After a time, your kingdom shall be broken, O king. This Temple shall be torn apart. Jerusalem shall be undone by the kings of Persia and Media and Chaldea. The vessels of this Temple will be profaned. The jars in which you imprison us will be shattered by the hands of men. And then we shall pour forth in great power across the earth, and lead the world astray for ages."

Solomon heard this prophecy and marveled. He did not believe it, not yet. But he wrote it down in his testament for the children of Israel, recording the powers of the demons, their shapes, and the names of the angels who defeat them. Only later, when every word came true, did he understand.

Next a sea-demon appeared, half horse in front, half fish behind, with a voice like thunder. "I am a fierce spirit of the sea," it roared. "I am greedy for gold and silver. I become a wave and throw myself upon ships, capsizing them and hurling sailors into the deep. I do not covet their bodies, I hurl them back onto shore. I want their treasure." This demon served Beelzeboul and had come up from the sea at his command. It was defeated by the angel Iameth. Solomon sealed it in a flask with ten jugs of seawater, sealed the mouth with marble, asphalt, and pitch, and deposited the vessel in the Temple.

Then came a spirit with gleaming eyes, bearing a blade, a demon born from one of the giants who perished in the great destruction. "I dwell in graveyards," it said. "I sit beside those who walk among the tombs. I take the form of the dead. If I catch a living man, I destroy him with my sword. If I fail, I cause him to be possessed, to devour his own flesh, and his beard falls away." Solomon sealed this spirit too.

And then, thirty-six spirits appeared at once. Their heads were shapeless, like those of dogs. But their bodies were human, with faces of donkeys, oxen, and birds. They spoke with one voice: "We are the thirty-six rulers of this darkness. We present ourselves before you from ram and bull, from twin and crab, lion and maiden, scales and scorpion, archer, goat-horn, water-pourer, and fish, all twelve signs of the zodiac, three spirits to each."

Solomon invoked the name of the Lord of Hosts and questioned them one by one. Each confessed its disease, its affliction, and the angel that defeats it:

Ruax causes headaches. Defeated by Michael.

Barsafael causes migraines. Defeated by Gabriel.

Arotosael harms the eyes. Defeated by Uriel.

Iudal causes deafness. Defeated by Uruel.

Sphendonael causes tumors and lockjaw. Defeated by Sabrael.

Sphandor paralyzes the shoulders and sucks marrow from the bones. Defeated by Arael.

Belbel distorts hearts and minds. Defeated by Arael.

Kurtael sends bowel cramps. Defeated by Iaoth.

One by one they confessed. One by one they were sealed. The ancient war between angels and demons was being waged not with swords but with names. And Solomon held the seal that compelled every dark spirit to reveal its weakness.

Full source
Testament of Solomon 81-105Testament of Solomon

The parade of demons continued. One by one the thirty-six spirits of the zodiac stepped forward before Solomon's throne, each confessing the disease it inflicts and the angel whose name can banish it. This was not merely an interrogation. It was the creation of a manual of spiritual warfare, a catalog of every affliction and its cure.

Metathiax, the tenth, causes kidney pain. Banished by the angel Adonael.

Katanikotael, the eleventh, creates strife in homes and sends hard temper. To defeat him: write the name of his opposing angel on seven laurel leaves, wash the leaves in water, and sprinkle the house from inside to out.

Saphathorael, the twelfth, inspires partisanship and drunkenness. Write the names of the angels Iaco, Iealo, Ioelet, Sabaoth, Ithoth, and Bae on paper, fold it, and wear it around the neck.

Bobel, the thirteenth, causes nervous illness. Banished by calling out: "Adonael, imprison Bobel."

Kumeatel, the fourteenth, sends shivering fits and torpor. Banished by Zoroel.

Roeled, the fifteenth, causes stomach pain and bitter cold. Banished by the words: "Iax, be still, for Solomon is greater than eleven fathers."

Atrax, the sixteenth, inflicts incurable fevers. To defeat him: chop coriander, smear it on the lips, and recite: "I exorcise thee by the throne of the Most High God, retreat from the creature fashioned by God."

Ieropael, the seventeenth, causes convulsions. Whisper three times into the afflicted person's right ear: "Iudarize, Sabune, Denoee."

Buldumech, the eighteenth, separates wife from husband. To defeat him: write "The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob commands thee, retire from this house in peace" and place the paper in the entrance of the home.

Naoth, the nineteenth, settles upon men's knees. Banished by writing: "Depart, Naoth, and touch not the neck."

Mardero, the twentieth, sends incurable fever. Write the name of the angel Raphael on a leaf and tie it around the sufferer's neck.

Alath, the twenty-first, causes coughing and labored breathing in children. Banished by writing: "Rorex, pursue Alath."

Nefthada, the twenty-third, causes painful urination. Write the names "Iathoth, Uriel, Nephthada" on a plate of tin and fasten it around the waist.

Akton, the twenty-fourth, causes rib and muscle pain. Engrave on copper taken from a lost ship: "Marmaraoth, Sabaoth, pursue Akton."

Anatreth, the twenty-fifth, sends burning fevers into the entrails. Defeated by the words: "Arara, Charara."

Enenuth, the twenty-sixth, steals men's minds, changes their hearts, and makes them lose their teeth. Write: "Allazool, pursue Enenuth."

Pheth, the twenty-seventh, causes consumption and hemorrhage. Exorcise in wine and give the patient to drink.

Harpax, the twenty-eighth, sends sleeplessness. Write "Kokphnedismos" and bind it around the temples.

Anoster, the twenty-ninth, causes bladder pain. Grind three laurel seeds into pure oil and anoint the afflicted.

Alleborith, the thirtieth, if a man has swallowed a fish bone, take a bone from the same fish and cough, and the demon retreats.

Hephesimireth, the thirty-first, causes lingering disease. Throw salt rubbed in the hand into oil, anoint the patient, and cry: "Seraphim, Cherubim, help me!"

Ichthion, the thirty-second, paralyzes muscles. Banished by: "Adonael, help!"

Agchonion, the thirty-third, lurks among swaddling-clothes. Write the word "Lycurgos" on fig leaves, then write it again removing one letter at a time. Lycurgos, ycurgos, kurgos, yrgos, gos, os. And the demon flees.

Autothith, the thirty-fourth, causes grudges and fighting. Defeated by writing the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Phthenoth, the thirty-fifth, casts the evil eye on every man. Draw an eye that has suffered much, and the demon is defeated.

Thirty-five demons. Thirty-five confessions. Thirty-five angelic names. Solomon recorded them all, building the most detailed demonological catalog the ancient world had ever known.

Full source
Testament of Solomon 43-60Testament of Solomon

A demon without a head was brought before Solomon. It had all the limbs of a man, arms, legs, torso. But where the head should have been, there was nothing. Just a stump above the shoulders.

"Who are you?" Solomon asked the empty air above the creature's neck.

"I am called Envy," the headless thing answered, its voice seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere. "I delight in devouring heads, because I want one for myself. I am always hungry for a head like yours, O king."

Solomon sealed him with the ring. The demon leapt up, threw itself down, and groaned: "Where have I come to? That traitor Ornias, I cannot see!"

"How do you see without a head?" Solomon pressed.

"By my feelings," the demon said.

"And how do you speak?"

"I am wholly voice. I have inherited the voices of many men, because I am the one who smashes the heads of children on their eighth day. When a child cries in the night, I become a spirit and glide on the sound of his voice. At crossroads I do my worst work. I seize a man's head, cut it off with my hands as with a sword, and place it on my own neck. The fire inside me swallows it up. And I inflict terrible sores on men's feet."

"By what angel are you defeated?"

"By the fiery flash of lightning."

Then a demon in the shape of a massive hound lumbered before the throne and spoke with a booming voice: "Hail, King Solomon!" The king stared. "Who are you, O hound?"

"Before you existed, I was a man, a scholar of surpassing knowledge who could hold back the stars of heaven. Now I am Rabdos, the Staff. I seize frenzied men by the throat and destroy them. But give me one of your servants, and I will lead him to a mountain where a green stone lies, a gem with which you may adorn the Temple of God."

Solomon sent a servant with the seal-ring. The demon showed him the green stone, the servant sealed the spot, and both demon and stone were brought back to Jerusalem. Solomon extracted two hundred shekels' worth of the stone for the supports of the incense table. Then he bound Rabdos and set him to guard a fiery spirit, whose flames lit the worksite day and night so the artisans could labor without ceasing.

Next came a demon in the form of a roaring lion. "I am the Lion-bearer," it said. "I am invisible. I leap upon the sick and make their bodies fail. I command legions of demons beneath me." Solomon adjured it in the name of God Sabaoth to reveal its weakness. The lion-demon was condemned to carry wood from the thicket and saw it into kindling with its own teeth, feeding the unquenchable furnace of the Temple.

Then a three-headed dragon of terrible color appeared. "I am the Crest of Dragons," it hissed. "I blind children in the womb. I twist their ears and make them deaf and mute. I cause men to fall down in fits, foaming and grinding their teeth." Solomon sealed it and set it to making bricks, the creature's human hands shaping clay for God's house.

Finally a spirit drifted in that was more terrifying than all the rest. It had the form of a woman. But only a head. No body. No limbs. Just a floating head with wild, disheveled hair like a serpent's mane.

"Who are you?" Solomon asked.

"Who are you?" she shot back. "Go wash your hands in your royal storehouses. Then sit down and ask me again."

Solomon did as she demanded. When he returned, the spirit spoke: "I am called Obyzouth. I never sleep. Every night I circle the entire world, visiting women in childbirth. I divine the hour, and if I am fortunate, I strangle the child. If not, I move on. But I never retire unsuccessful. I am a fierce spirit of myriad names and many shapes. Even your ring cannot truly hold me. My only work is the destruction of children, deafening their ears, blinding their eyes, binding their mouths, ruining their minds, and wracking their bodies with pain."

Solomon stared at her. Her body was cloaked in darkness, but her eyes glowed bright green, and her hair writhed like a dragon's tail. "By what angel are you defeated?"

"By Raphael. If any man writes his name upon a woman in childbirth, I cannot enter her." Solomon ordered the demon's hair bound and her body hung in front of the Temple. So that every child of Israel passing by would see this monster of the night displayed and powerless, and glorify the God who gave Solomon dominion over her.

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