Who or what is the figure Azazel in mythology?

Historical and Linguistic Background

Azazel is a term found primarily in the Hebrew Bible’s description of the Day of Atonement. In the Masoretic Text of Leviticus 16, it appears alongside instructions for a special sacrifice involving two goats. While English Bible translations often render one of these goats as the “scapegoat,” the Hebrew word behind that is “la-azazel,” a phrase that has led to questions about whether Azazel is a place, a concept, or an entity.

The word “Azazel” is sometimes linked to a compound meaning “goat that departs” (ʿēz meaning “goat” and ʿăzaz meaning “to go away” or “to remove”), although this specific derivation is debated. Another possibility is that Azazel represents a personal name referring to a desert being or demon. Some ancient Jewish sources and translations treat Azazel not merely as a concept of removal but as an actual being.

Scriptural References in Leviticus

The primary biblical mention of Azazel is found in Leviticus 16, a chapter dedicated to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). According to the Berean Standard Bible:

• “Then he is to cast lots for the two goats—one for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat.” (Leviticus 16:8)

• “But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.” (Leviticus 16:10)

This ritual involved one goat being sacrificed to the LORD, while the second (the so-called scapegoat) was symbolically imputed with the sins of the nation and then sent away into the wilderness, “to Azazel” or “as the scapegoat.” The text emphasizes both atonement and the removal of sin from the community. Whether Azazel here refers to a rocky desert region, a spirit, or the name for the goat itself has been widely discussed for centuries.

Azazel in Later Jewish Traditions

Outside of the biblical text, Azazel is discussed in various Second Temple and rabbinical writings:

1. The Book of Enoch (an ancient Jewish religious work of uncertain date but influential in some Jewish sects) identifies Azazel as one of the fallen angels who taught humankind harmful practices. This portrayal goes beyond just the Day of Atonement ritual and presents Azazel as an active supernatural figure opposing the purposes of God.

2. Rabbinical commentaries sometimes describe Azazel as a remote cliff or wilderness area from which the scapegoat was hurled. For instance, some Talmudic discussions (Yoma 67b) detail how the goat was led to a precipice and pushed off, ensuring it would not wander back and symbolically return the sins to the camp.

3. Other Jewish sources maintain a distinction between “the goat for the LORD” and “the goat for Azazel” to illustrate spiritual contrasts: one goat is consecrated for holy sacrifice, and the other is banished to symbolize sin’s removal, possibly relinquishing the nation’s transgressions to a spiritual adversary.

Christian Interpretations and Theological Implications

From a Christian viewpoint, many see deep symbolism in the Day of Atonement imagery. The ritual underscores the gravity of sin, the necessity of atonement, and the idea that sin must be removed from the community. Certain interpreters suggest that if Azazel were a demonic figure, then the goat “sent to Azazel” demonstrates the banishment of iniquity to the realm of evil—sin returned to its source and removed from the congregation of God’s people.

Other Christian commentators primarily view the scapegoat as a representation of the comprehensive forgiveness that is ultimately fulfilled by the sacrifice of the Messiah. This connects directly to the belief expressed in the New Testament:

• “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

In Christian theology, Jesus accomplishes completely what the goat “for Azazel” only symbolized in part. The scapegoat’s departure into the wilderness is seen as a foreshadowing of Christ bearing the sins of humanity and removing them “as far as the east is from the west” (cf. Psalm 103:12). The question of Azazel’s exact identity in Leviticus 16 does not overshadow this main doctrinal truth—atonement, forgiveness, and final reconciliation are made available through the death and resurrection of the Messiah.

Azazel in Mythology and Extra-Biblical Writings

1. Ancient Near Eastern Parallels: Some scholars note that sending a goat or other animal into the wilderness to carry away evil or curses appears periodically in ancient Mesopotamian and Hittite rituals. Yet the distinctiveness of the Levitical practice stands out for its clear separation of one goat offered to the LORD and another designated for taking away sins.

2. The Book of Enoch: This non-canonical text (for most Judeo-Christian traditions) mentions Azazel as a leader among rebellious angels, attributing to him the teaching of forbidden knowledge. Though not considered inspired Scripture by most Christian groups, it does highlight how intertestamental thought often moralized or personalized Azazel as a specific dark entity.

3. Qumran and Dead Sea Scrolls: Among the Dead Sea Scrolls, references to the Day of Atonement ritual show continuity with the biblical text. While these texts do not always clarify Azazel’s exact nature, they confirm the ritual’s importance and vividly portray the removal of sins, providing added insight into how Second Temple communities observed the Day of Atonement.

Archaeological and Scholarly Perspectives

Archaeological finds in the region of ancient Israel, especially around the Qumran community near the Dead Sea, shed light on purification rituals, priestly functions, and seasonal feasts. These sources emphasize how vital the Day of Atonement was for the Jewish people. The Temple Scroll (found among the Dead Sea Scrolls) references aspects of sacrificial law similar to Leviticus, though it does not fully interpret the figure of Azazel.

Scholars who work on these texts note that the Hebrew consonants that form the word “Azazel” have limited appearances in ancient writings outside the Bible, contributing to the ongoing debate about the precise meaning. Some modern researchers propose that Azazel was simply a designation meaning “complete destruction” or “absolute removal,” reinforcing that the goat was banished permanently from the encampment.

Textual Consistency and Manuscript Evidence

Multiple Hebrew manuscripts, including the Masoretic Text and parallel references in the Septuagint’s Greek tradition, preserve Leviticus 16 with the same essential content regarding the two goats. Neither variant readings nor manuscript evidence suggest a contradiction about Azazel. Rather, the textual tradition firmly establishes that in the Day of Atonement ceremony, the priest was commanded to send away one goat to bear the nation’s wrongdoing. Early translations (such as the Latin Vulgate) commonly rendered Azazel as caper emissarius (“sent goat” or “emissary goat”), showing how the concept of a “scapegoat” took root in Christian vernacular and theological understanding.

Philosophical and Behavioral Reflections

On a philosophical level, the Day of Atonement ceremony highlights human awareness of guilt and the longing for a method of removing sin and its consequences. Symbolically casting blame or sin onto an external agent reflects a universal acknowledgment of moral imperfection and the need for cleansing. Among many ancient cultures, such rituals were outward signs of this inner reality.

Biblically, the scapegoat image signifies true atonement comes from God alone, who both judges sin and provides the means for forgiveness. Behavioral science often recognizes the importance of tangible symbols or acts—like confession or reconciliation—that help people cope with guilt and foster moral change. The scriptural narrative, accordingly, places the source of genuine spiritual renewal not in an external object but in God’s gracious work, foreshadowed in the Old Testament and fully accomplished in Christ’s redemptive act.

Summary and Conclusion

“Azazel” has generated discussion for millennia. Within the biblical context of Leviticus 16, it is most directly connected to the “scapegoat”—the goat designated to carry Israel’s sins away on the Day of Atonement. Later Jewish traditions and extra-biblical works such as the Book of Enoch expand Azazel into a demonic or fallen-angel figure, while others understand it simply as a stark representation of banishment and removal of iniquity.

Regardless of whether Azazel is interpreted as a spiritual being, a symbolic name, or a geographical term, the emphasis of the biblical text remains on the efficacy of God’s atonement. The scapegoat ritual illustrates the divine plan to remove sin from the camp, ultimately pointing forward to the Messiah, “the Lamb of God,” who offers the definitive sacrifice that redeems humanity.

The figure of Azazel, therefore, serves as a reminder of sin’s seriousness and the necessity for its complete removal through the provision of atonement. Scripture, supported by a rich manuscript tradition and historical evidence, consistently underscores that true forgiveness comes not through myth or legend but through the redemptive work graciously provided by God Himself.