King Solomon wished to build a temple with unhewn
stone, as he was not allowed to use iron, that being forbidden by law. So he tried to obtain Shamir which he was
told was in the possession of Ashmedai, the king of the
demons. He sent Ben Aya his general with a chain, upon
which was engraved the name of God, and also with his
seal, some wool, and skins full of wine. Ben Aya sunk a well
below that from which Ashmedai used to drink and a higher
one next to it. He then drained the water into the lower
well and filled the empty wrell with the wine from the upper
one. Ashmedai, tempted, drank of it. When he was overcome
Ben Aya bound him with the chain and led him to Solomon.
On the way the prisoner uprooted some trees, broke down a
house and hurt himself rather than touch the hut of a widow,
He also helped a blind man and a child on the way. He
wept at a feast and laughed at a man who ordered boots
to last seven years, and again at a conjuror playing his
8o
tricks. He was kept waiting three days by King Solomon
and when he was brought before him he threw at his feet
a cane four cubits long saying “When thou diest that is the
whole space thou shalt occupy, whilst now thou art not
satisfied with the whole world. ” King Solomon said that he
only wanted his assistance to obtain the Shamir. Ashmedai
advised him how to obtain it, saying it had been handed
over to a special wild bird. Upon his advice they covered
the nest with a glass bell and the bird brought the
Shamir and placed it over the bell that it might split it.
Frightened by the noise of King Solomon’s messengers,
he dropped the Shamir which was picked up by them and
brought to the king. Ashmedai then explained the reason
of his strange behaviour on the way to King Solomon. He
helped the blind man because he was a pious man and he knew
that he would be rewarded for it; he helped the young boy
because he knew that he would be a great sinner and it was
therefore desirable that he should obtain the reward for
these two actions during his life time. He cried at the feast
because the bridegroom would die within three days and the
bride would have to wait 13 years for her brother-in-law to
grow up to be her Yibom; he laughed because the man
who ordered boots to last 7 years would not live seven days
and he laughed at the conjuror who told the fortunes of
the people because he did not know that he himself was
sitting on a treasure. Whilst the Temple was being built
Ashmedai was brought to King Solomon, who took off
the chain and gave him his ring, in order to show him, as
he said, some marvellous things. Ashmedai swallowed the
ring and spread out his wings, the one touching the earth
and the other the heavens, and threw the king a distance of
400 miles, who then wandered about saying, “I am Qohe-
leth who was king in Jerusalem.” The sages, perturbed,
wished to get at the truth and they asked Ben Aya whether
he had recently been summoned by the King, since Ashmedai had taken his place (assuming the form of King Solomon).
They asked the women to examine the feet of Ashmedai
8 1
and were told that he always came in shoes, and they
asked other similar questions because they were doubtful
as to the genuineness of King Solomon’s being on the
throne. So they gave King Solomon, who had reached
Jerusalem, the ring and the chain with the divine Name
upon them at the sight of which Ashmedai disappeared.
114. King Solomon wished to build a temple with unhewn
stone, as he was not allowed to use iron, that being forbidden by law. So he tried to obtain Shamir which he was
told was in the possession of Ashmedai, the king of the
demons. He sent Ben Aya his general with a chain, upon
which was engraved the name of God, and also with his
seal, some wool, and skins full of wine. Ben Aya sunk a well
below that from which Ashmedai used to drink and a higher
one next to it. He then drained the water into the lower
well and filled the empty wrell with the wine from the upper
one. Ashmedai, tempted, drank of it. When he was overcome
Ben Aya bound him with the chain and led him to Solomon.
On the way the prisoner uprooted some trees, broke down a
house and hurt himself rather than touch the hut of a widow,
He also helped a blind man and a child on the way. He
wept at a feast and laughed at a man who ordered boots
to last seven years, and again at a conjuror playing his
8o
tricks. He was kept waiting three days by King Solomon
and when he was brought before him he threw at his feet
a cane four cubits long saying “When thou diest that is the
whole space thou shalt occupy, whilst now thou art not
satisfied with the whole world. ” King Solomon said that he
only wanted his assistance to obtain the Shamir. Ashmedai
advised him how to obtain it, saying it had been handed
over to a special wild bird. Upon his advice they covered
the nest with a glass bell and the bird brought the
Shamir and placed it over the bell that it might split it.
Frightened by the noise of King Solomon’s messengers,
he dropped the Shamir which was picked up by them and
brought to the king. Ashmedai then explained the reason
of his strange behaviour on the way to King Solomon. He
helped the blind man because he was a pious man and he knew
that he would be rewarded for it; he helped the young boy
because he knew that he would be a great sinner and it was
therefore desirable that he should obtain the reward for
these two actions during his life time. He cried at the feast
because the bridegroom would die within three days and the
bride would have to wait 13 years for her brother-in-law to
grow up to be her Yibom; he laughed because the man
who ordered boots to last 7 years would not live seven days
and he laughed at the conjuror who told the fortunes of
the people because he did not know that he himself was
sitting on a treasure. Whilst the Temple was being built
Ashmedai was brought to King Solomon, who took off
the chain and gave him his ring, in order to show him, as
he said, some marvellous things. Ashmedai swallowed the
ring and spread out his wings, the one touching the earth
and the other the heavens, and threw the king a distance of
400 miles, who then wandered about saying, “I am Qohe-
leth who was king in Jerusalem.” The sages, perturbed,
wished to get at the truth and they asked Ben Aya whether
he had recently been summoned by the King, since Ashmedai had taken his place (assuming the form of King Solomon).
They asked the women to examine the feet of Ashmedai
— 8 1
and were told that he always came in shoes, and they
asked other similar questions because they were doubtful
as to the genuineness of King Solomon’s being on the
throne. So they gave King Solomon, who had reached
Jerusalem, the ring and the chain with the divine Name
upon them at the sight of which Ashmedai disappeared.
