Asmodeus
Asmodeus
(Ashmedai) Demon , mentioned in the Book of Tobias, who fell in love with Sara, and slew her seven successive husbands on the night of their nuptials. At last Tobias drove him off and he fled to Egypt. In the Talmud he plays a great part in the legends concerning Solomon.
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Asmodeus
The name of the demon mentioned in the Book of Tobias (iii, 8). The name is most probably derived from the Hebrew root meaning “to destroy”: so that the being would correspond to the demon called Abaddon, the Destroyer in the Apocalypse, ix, 11. The Book of Tobias relates that the virgin Sara, the kinswoman of Tobias, had been given successively to seven husbands; but they had all been slain on the night of the nuptials, before the consummation of the marriage. From this fact, a superstition had arisen that the demon loved the maiden and slew her husbands through jealousy. In the Greek text of Tobias, it is stated that the younger Tobias himself was moved by this superstition. The inspired text in no way approves the superstition. God allowed the demon to slay these men because they entered marriage with unholy motives. The pious youth, Tobias, acting under the instructions of Raphael, takes Sara to wife, and Raphael expels the demon. The exemplary chastity and temperance of Tobias and Sara save them from the demon, and offer an example for mankind. In fact, the permission given by God to the demon in this history seems to have as a motive to chasten man’s lust and sanctify marriage. The Rationalists have vainly endeavoured to set down this history as a Persian myth. For a full refutation of their theories, see Gutberlet, “Das Buch Tobias”.
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A.E. BREEN Transcribed by Thomas J. Bress In thanks to St. Raphael for his continuing protection and patronage
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume ICopyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Asmodeus
Asmodeus (Tob 3:8), a demon or evil spirit, mentioned in the Apocryphal book of Tobit as having beset Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, and killed the seven husbands whom she had married before Tobit. The Rabbins call Asmodeus, as well as Beelzebub, ‘the prince of devils,’ whence the two names have been supposed to refer to the same demon. But this title they also give to ‘the angel of death,’ as the destroyer of all mankind. Thus the story in Tobit means no more than that the seven husbands died successively on their marriage with Sarah.