This page is dedicated to the history of Belial. Many different refernces, online and published works, were consulted in the making of this page. They are linked to the Bibliography section HERE and mentioned throughout the text. Please be sure to visit my online resources for more information on Belial and other demonic entities.
Goetia
The Goetia is probably one of the most consulted books relating to demonology. It certaintly can be considered one of the most popular. The text I use is from Aleister Crowley's Illustrated Goetia by Lon Milo DuQuette, Christopher Hyatt, and illustrated (yes, illustrated I say) by David P. Wilson:
The Sixty-eigth spirit is Belial. He is a mighty and a Powerful King, and was created next after Lucifer. He appears in the form of a beautiful angel sitting in a chariot of fire. He speaks with a comely Voice, and declares that he fell first from among the worthier sort, that were before Michael, and other heavenly angels. His office is to distribute Presentations and Senatorships, etc., and to cause favor of friends and of foes. He gives excellent Familiars, and governs 50 Legions of Spirits. Note well that this King Belial must have offerings, sacrifices and gifts presented unto him by the Exorcist, or else he will not give true answers unto his demands. But then he tarries not one hour in the truth, unless he be constrained by Divine Power.
It lists his corresponding Tarot trump to be the six of swords. His metal is gold, planet to be Sol (the Sun), decadent is 10 to20 degress Aquarius (the night), and days between January 30-February 8.
In evocations (according to the standard translations of the Goetia) it is said he appears in the form of a beautiful angel seated in a chariot of fire. Liber 777 it state Belial appears as two/ angels seated in a chariot of fire. In the ..Illustrated Goetia.. David Wilson's artwork shows him to be a very handsome, muscular man with light (blonde?) hair. Yet in Jacobus de Teramo's Das Buch Belial, Belial is illustrated as a grotesque creature, with fangs protruding from his lower jaw, the "regulatory" pointy ears, and hooves for feet.
There is also a passage in the Introduction of the Goetia relating to Belial:
These are the 72 Mighty Kings and Princes which King Solomon commanded into a vessel of brass, together with their Legions. Of whom Belial, Bileth, Asmoday, and Gaap, were Chief. And it is to be noted that Solomon did this because of their pride, for he never declared other reason why he thus bound them. And when he had thus bound them up and sealed the Vessel, he by Divine Power chased them all into a deep Lake or Hole in Babylon. And they of Babylon, wondering to see such a thing, they did go wholly into the Lake, to break the Vessel open, expecting to find a great store therein. But when they had broken it open, out flew the Chief Spirits immediatley, with their legions following them; and they were all restored to their former places except Belial, who entered ino a certain Image, and thence gave answers unto those who did sacrifices unto him, and worshipped the Image as their GodNow exactly what was this image? Some resources say it was Baal, but this comes into contradiction when it's also found in some sources that Baal is a seperate deity. Different (?) than Bael, another Goetic entity. It may have been a brass "vessel", not the same one he was enclosed in (perhaps the brass cow?). Jury's still out on this one folks...have a go at it, email me if you have other ideas or sources.
Graphic © Lexicon Unlimited
Belial's Modern Satanism Profile
I've decided, for a neat twist of things, to head from the esoteric to the "modern enlightenment". To the Modern Satanist, "Belial"
means "without a master", and symbolizes true independance, self-sufficiency, and personal accomplishment. Belial represents the earth element, and herein will be found will be found magic with both feet on the ground-real, hard-core, magical procedure-not mystical platitudes devoid of objective reason.
Above paragraph taken from Anton LaVey's Satanic Bible, page 107. It describes the contents of The Book of Belial, a description of the magical theory and practices of Modern Satanism, and of the where's and why's of ritual practice. This coincides with the placement of Belial as the earth element {see Bel), earth pertaining to the mundane and practical usage of "magical" theory. Sure, some "purists at heart" may ask "why include this in regards to studying a being called a 'demon?'" LaVey was not so blind not to miss the allusion of Belial "the demon"'s attrubutes to the psychological aspects used in Modern Satanism.
Belial the Warrior
In the Dead Sea Scrolls, Belial is equated with Satan. The Hebrew term, bela ya'al, means "worthlessness". Obviously the linguists at that time didn't consider Belial's (or Beliar's, depending on what translation you wish to use) attitude very compatible with fasting, virginity, or Jehovah (joke). So to them I guess this being was "worthless":).
Back to the Scrolls, Belial has three traps in which he would trap Israel in:
The first is fornification; the second is wealth; the third is defiling the sanctuary. Who escapes from one is caught in the next; and whoever escapes from that is caught in the other.
From The Dead Sea Scrolls, translated by M. Wise, M. Abegg, JR., and E. Cook.
"Damned if you do, damned if you do another, etc." He is also described as the leader of the Sons of Darkness:
Col.1 For the In[structor, the Rule of] the War. The first attack of the Sons of Light shall be undertaken against the forces of the Sons of the Darkness, the army of Belial; the troops of Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the [Amalekites], Philista, and the troops of the Kingdom of Asshur. Supporting them are those who have violated the covenent.
[Same source as stated above. The brackets in the above quote reflect missing or unreadable portiions of the text]
Two battles later Belial himself helps out:
When [Belial] prepares himself to assist the Sons of Darkness, and the slain among the infantry began to fall by God's mysteries and to test by these mysteries all those appointed to battle, the priests shall blow the trumpets of assembly so that another line might go forth as a battle reserve, and they shall take up position between battle lines.He gets beaten, and three more wars ensue. The texts that had the information about these last three wars were not preserved. But it is mentioned the score was tied up 3-3; on the seventh engagement God raises his hand against Belial and his forces. The Sons of Darkness are defeated in the end, "Good" returns to the world, and the peasants rejoice, yahda-yahda yahda, etc.
Correlation with Mastema