Lilith (Hebrew: לִילִיתֿ, meaning "Nocturnal" or "Nighty") is a demon known primarily from Jewish extra-biblical folklore, and is referenced in the Book of Isaiah. Lilith has two primary characteristics in Jewish folklore: firstly, as the incarnation of lust-causing men to be led astray, and secondly, as the cause of miscarriages and infant death.
Overview[]
Lilith is believed to be derived from a class of female
known as the Lilitu found in the religions of Mesopotamia (Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia and Assyria). The Lilitu were malicious, winged spirits which had the tendency to prey on pregnant women and infants. Amulets and incantations were used as protection against such evil spirits. In "The Alphabet of Ben Sira," a Jewish satirical text written between 700–100 CE, an origin story for Lilith is given as the first woman before Eve, who rejected the submissive position in the sexual act. In an act of rebellion she said aloud the name of God, which caused her to become a flying demon.
In this excerpt from The Legends of the Jews (Volume 1) by Louis Ginzberg (1998) gives a summary of the Jewish myth of Lilith:
| “ | The Divine resolution to bestow a companion on Adam met the wishes of man, who had been overcome by a feeling of isolation when the animals came to him in pairs to be named. To banish his loneliness, Lilith was first given to Adam as wife. Like him she had been created out of the dust of the ground. But she remained with him only a short time, because she insisted upon enjoying full equality with her husband.
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Lilith and the Hebrew Bible[]
Mention of Lilith is made only once is the Hebrew Bible (The Christian Old Testament) in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 34:
| “ | 13 Thorns shall grow over its strongholds, nettles and thistles in its fortresses. It shall be the haunt of jackals, an abode for ostriches. 14 Wildcats shall meet with hyenas; goat-demons shall call to each other; there also Lilith shall repose and find a place to rest. 15 There shall the owl nest and lay and hatch and brood in its shadow; there also the buzzards shall gather, each one with its mate. -Isaiah 34:13-15 (NRSVUE) |
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In the most commonly used King James version of the Bible, the word Lilith is translated into "screech owl," which may very likely be the proper translation of the word's usage. In the Latin Vulgate Bible, the term "Lamia," a monster from Greek and Roman myth, is used in place of Lilith.
Lilith as the First Wife of Adam[]
In Jewish mysticism, there arose a myth that Adam was originally married to another woman, named Lilith. This legend came out of an apparent discrepancy in the text. In the creation story found in the Book of Genesis, chapter 1, it states that God created both man and woman on the sixth day of creation:
| “ | 27 So God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. -Genesis 1:27 (NRSVEU Translation) |
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Alternatively, in the second chapter of Genesis there is the famous creation story of Adam and Eve, where Adam is shown created first, with Eve being created out of Adam's rib later. In an attempt to harmonized the texts, a tradition formed where the first creation account in Genesis 1 describes the creation of Adam and Lilith, a character originally from Mesopotamian mythology, and the second account describing Eve's creation as a replacement of Lilith after she had transformed into a demon.
Written Accounts[]
The earliest known written accounts of the Lilith myth are from much later, in the Medieval period. In particular, there's the story of Lilith as the first wife of Adam is in the Medieval text The Alphabet of Ben Sira written between 700–100 CE, which is believed to be satirical in nature, makes references to incest, masturbation, and flatulence, but is best known for its twist on the creation story found in Genesis.
The story states that God created Adam and Lilith on the seventh day. Trouble soon started when Lilith wanted to be the dominant partner sexually, which Adam refused. In anger, Lilith uttered a forbidden name of God and left the Garden, becoming a type of demon.
| “ | While God created Adam, who was alone, He said, 'It is not good for man to be alone' (Genesis 2:18). He also created a woman, from the earth, as He had created Adam himself, and called her Lilith. Adam and Lilith immediately began to fight. She said, 'I will not lie below,' and he said, 'I will not lie beneath you, but only on top. For you are fit only to be in the bottom position, while I am to be the superior one.' Lilith responded 'We are equal to each other inasmuch as we were both created from the earth.' But they would not listen to one another. When Lilith saw this, she pronounced the Ineffable Name and flew away into the air. Adam stood in prayer before his Creator: 'Sovereign of the universe!' he said, 'the woman you gave me has run away.' At once, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent these three angels to bring her back. | ” |
Adam begged God to bring her back, but when his angels eventually tracked her down, she refused. From that point onward, Lilith became known as a demon of lust and death. She was known to cause miscarriages and sudden infant death, but it was said that talismans with the names of the three angels responsible for tracking down Lilith can protect people from her harm.
Lilith as the Queen of Hell[]
In some extra-biblical Jewish, Christian, and Occult myths Lilith is married a powerful demon, typically either Samael, or Asmodeus, the both of which are often conflated with Satan and/or Lucifer.
Marriage with Asmodeus[]
In certain Jewish myths a second world is said to exist that exists side-by-side with this one, Yenne Velt is Yiddish for this described "Other World". In this case Asmodeus and Lilith were believed to procreate demonic offspring endlessly and spread chaos at every turn. Many disasters were blamed on both of them: causing wine to turn into vinegar, causing men to be impotent, and women unable to give birth. Lilith in particular was blamed for the loss of infant life.
Marriage with Samael[]
The more popular version of Lilith's story is that she became one of Samael's consorts and was one of the queens of Hell (along with Agrat bat Mahlat, Naamah and sometimes Eisheth Zenunim).
Modern Depictions[]
In Television[]
- Lilith is depicted as the goddess of vampires in the HBO series True Blood. She appears as a naked woman drenched in blood, who only manifests when vampires hallucinate. She is worshipped by vampires.
- Lilith, known as Dark Lilith in the episode, appears in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, as the disguise of Marcie Fleach in the episode Night on Haunted Mountain. It appears as a winged woman with red eyes and horns. Marcie dressed as it so she could lure Mystery, Inc. to an abandoned ship and use them to get past the traps and retrieve a significant disk piece for her boss.
- In the TV series Femme Fatales, Lilith is the host who introduces each episode Rod Serling-style and occasionally appears within the narrative.
In Literature[]
- Lilith appears as an antagonist in the Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare. She is the mother of Sebastian Morgenstern, and resurrects him when he is killed by Jace Herondale.
Trivia[]
- Lilith is called the "Dark Maid" in Sumerian mythology, and is mentioned in the Tale of Inanna (Ishtar).
- Lilith is a triple (sometimes quadruple or even quintuple) deity in astrology
- Lilith is a feminist symbol in some modern traditions and subcultures, since she wouldn't submit to Adam and wanted equality.