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.
Testament of Solomon, son of David, who was king in Jerusalem,
and mastered and controlled all spirits of the air, on the earth, and
under the earth. By means of them also he wrought all the transcendent
works of the Temple. Telling also of the authorities they
wield against men, and by what angels these demons are brought to naught.
Of the sage Solomon.
Blessed art thou, O Lord God, who didst give Solomon such
authority. Glory to thee and might unto the ages. Amen.
And behold, when the Temple of the city of Jerusalem was
being built, and the artificers were working thereat, Ornias the
demon came among them toward sunset; and he took away half
of the pay of the chief-deviser's (?)1 little boy, as well as half his food.
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He also continued to suck the thumb of his right hand every day.
And the child grew thin, although he was very much loved by
the king.
1. [D: master workman�s ]
So King Solomon called the boy one day, and questioned him,
saying: "Do I not love thee more than all the artisans who are
working in the Temple of God? Do I not give thee double wages
and a double supply of food? How is it that day by day and hour by
hour thou growest thinner?"
But the child said to the king: "I pray thee, O king. Listen to
what has befallen all that thy child hath. After we are all released
from our work on the Temple of God, after sunset, when I lie down
to rest, one of the evil demons comes and takes away from me one half
of my pay and one half of my food. Then he also takes hold of my right
hand and sucks my thumb. And lo, my soul is oppressed, and so my
body waxes thinner every day."
Now when I Solomon heard this, I entered the Temple of God,
and prayed with all my soul, night and day, that the demon might be
delivered into my hands, and that I might gain authority over him.
And it came about through my prayer that grace was given to me
from the Lord Sabaoth by Michael his archangel. [He brought me]
a little ring, having a seal consisting of an engraved stone, and said
to me: "Take, O Solomon, king, son of David, the gift which the
Lord God has sent thee, the highest Sabaoth. With it thou shalt lock
up all demons of the earth, male and female; and with their help
thou shalt build up Jerusalem. [But] thou [must] wear this seal of
God. And this engraving of the seal of the ring sent thee is
a Pentalpha."2
2. [D omits the last sentence.]
And I Solomon was overjoyed, and praised and glorified the God
of heaven and earth. And on the morrow I called the boy, and gave
him the ring, and said to him: "take this, and at the hour in which
the demon shall come unto thee, throw this ring at the chest of the
demon, and say to him: 'In the name of God, King Solomon calls
thee hither.3' And then do thou come running to me, without
having any misgivings or fear in respect of aught thou mayest hear
on the part of the demon."
3. [D: Come! Solomon summons you!]
So the child took the ring, and went off; and behold, at the
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customary hour Ornias, the fierce demon, came like a burning fire
to take the pay from the child. But the child according to the
instructions received from the king, threw the ring at the chest
of the demon, and said: "King Solomon calls thee hither." And
then he went off at a run to the king. But the demon cried out
aloud, saying: "Child, why hast thou done this to me? Take
the ring off me, and I will render to thee the gold of the earth.
Only take this off me, and forbear to lead me away to Solomon4."
4. [D: Remove the ring and give it back to Solomon]
