Raziel in Jewish and Christian Demonology Described
The name Raziel does not appear in the canonical Jewish or Christian scriptures, nor is it found in standard biblical dictionaries such as Easton's Bible Dictionary or Smith's Bible Dictionary [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. However, the name is associated with angelic figures in Jewish mystical traditions, particularly within Kabbalah.
In these traditions, Raziel is often depicted as an archangel, whose name means "Secret of God" or "My Secret is God" [1]. He is said to be the angel of mysteries and keeper of divine secrets. One prominent text associated with Raziel is the Sefer Raziel HaMalakh (Book of Raziel the Angel), a medieval Kabbalistic text. This book is attributed to Raziel himself, who supposedly revealed divine secrets to Adam after his expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The Sefer Raziel contains information on angelic magic, divine names, astrology, and the mysteries of creation.
While Raziel is not mentioned in the Bible, the concept of angels as messengers or agents of divine will is prevalent in both Jewish and Christian texts. For instance, the prophet Ezekiel describes visions involving angelic beings and divine judgment. In Ezekiel 9:2, the prophet sees "six men" who, according to Rashi, are interpreted in Tractate Shabbath as personifications of divine wrath: Anger, Wrath, Fury, Destroyer, Breaker, and Annihilator [9]. These figures act as instruments of God's judgment, similar to how Raziel, in mystical traditions, is associated with divine knowledge and power. The "sharp sword" mentioned in Ezekiel 5:1 is understood by Rashi to symbolize Nebuchadnezzar's sword, an instrument of divine punishment [10]. Similarly, the "slayer" in Ezekiel 21:11 is identified by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown as the Babylonian king, representing an instrument of God's wrath [8].
The absence of Raziel in canonical texts means that discussions of this figure fall outside the scope of traditional biblical demonology or angelology as understood in mainstream Judaism and Christianity. Instead, Raziel belongs to the realm of extra-biblical literature and mystical speculation, where angels are sometimes given specific roles and names not found in the biblical narrative. The focus in biblical texts, such as the book of Ezekiel, is on God's direct action or the actions of human agents empowered by God, rather than on named angelic intermediaries like Raziel [7, 11].
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jazeel — strength of God”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ezekiel, Book of — Consists mainly of three groups of prophecies. After an account of his call to the prophetical office (1-3:21), Ezekiel (1) utters words of denunciation against the Jews (3:22-24), warning them of the certain destruction of Jerusalem, in opposition to the words of the false prophets (4:1-3). The symbolical acts, by which the extremities to which Jerusalem would be reduced are described in ch. 4, 5, show his intimate acquaintance with the Levitical legislation. (See Ex. 22:30; Deut. 14:21; Lev. 5:2; 7:18, 24; 17:15; 19:7; 22:8, etc.) (2.) Prophecies”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Zuriel — rock or strength of God”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jeiel — Snatched away by God. (1.) A descendant of Benjamin (1 Chr. 9:35; 8:29). (2.) One of the Levites who took part in praising God on the removal of the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 16:5). (3.) 2 Chr. 29:13. A Levite of the sons of Asaph. (4.) 2 Chr. 26:11. A scribe. (5.) 1 Chr. 5:7. A Reubenite chief. (6.) One of the chief Levites, who made an offering for the restoration of the Passover by Josiah (2 Chr. 35:9). (7.) Ezra 8:13. (8.) Ezra 10:43.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jezreel, Day of — The time predicted for the execution of vengeance for the deeds of blood committed there (Hos. 1:5).”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Fox — (Heb. shu'al). Probably the jackal is the animal signified in almost all the passages in the Old Testament where the Hebrew term occurs. Though both foxes and jackals abound in Palestine, the shu'alim (foxes) of (Judges 15:4) are evidently jackals and not foxes, for the former animal is gregarious, whereas the latter is solitary in its habits; and Samson could not, for that reason, have easily caught three hundred foxes, but it was easy to catch that number of jackals, which are concealed by hundreds in caves and ruins of Syria. It is not probable, however, that”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 20:45: An introductory brief description in enigma of the destruction by fire and sword, detailed more explicitly in Eze. 21:1-32.”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 21:11: the slayer--the Babylonian king in this case; in general, all the instruments of God's wrath (Rev 19:15).”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Ezekiel 9:2: six men Our Rabbis explained them in Tractate Shabbath (55a) as Anger, Wrath, Fury, Destroyer, Breaker, Annihilator.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Ezekiel 5:1: a sharp sword symbolizing the sword of Nebuchadnezzar.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Ezekiel 21:36: brutish men Who behave madly to ruin and to destroy.”