Lucifer

: This article is about Lucifer the star or fallen angel; for other meanings, see Lucifer (disambiguation).

"Lucifer" and the Hebrew Bible

"Lucifer" is used by Jerome in the Vulgate (4th century) to translate into Latin Isaiah 14:12-14, where the Hebrew text refers to heilel ben-shachar (הילל בן שחר in Hebrew). Heilel signifies the planet Venus, and ben-shachar means "the brilliant one, son of the morning", to whose mythical fate that of the King of Babylon is compared in the prophetic vision. The Jewish Encyclopedia reports that "it is obvious that the prophet in attributing to the Babylonian king boastful pride, followed by a fall, borrowed the idea from a popular legend connected with the morning star". Isaiah 14 starts out discussing the King of Babylon, and the reference "morning star, son of the dawn" originally applied specifically to that king's pride:

Related Topics:
Vulgate - Isaiah - Venus - Babylon

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:14:4 And you shall bear this parable against the king of Babylon, and you shall say, "How has the dominator ceased, has ceased the haughty one!

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:14:10 All of them shall speak up and say to you, 'Have you too become weak like us? Have you become like us?'

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:14:11 Your pride has been lowered into Gehinnom, the stirring of your psalteries. Maggots are spread under you, and worms cover you.

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:14:12 How have you fallen from heaven, Lucifer, the morning star? You have been cut down to earth, You who cast lots on nations.

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:(Isaiah, Judaica Press Tanach)

Related Topics:
Judaica Press - Tanach

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The compilers of the Jewish Encyclopedia note that Isaiah was drawing on some star-myth familiar to his hearers for his passing image, and they suggest a comparison with the Greek star-myth of Phaëton, who suffered for his hubris.

Related Topics:
Jewish Encyclopedia - Phaëton - Hubris

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The later Jewish tradition, with which the early church fathers were familiar, elaborates on the fall of the angels under the leadership of Samhazai ("the heaven-seizer") and Azael (Enoch, book vi.6f). Another legend in the midrash represents the repentant Samhazai suspended star-like between heaven and earth instead of being hurled down to Sheol. The Helel-Lucifer myth was transferred to Satan in the 1st century BC, as may be learned from Vita Adæ et Evæ (12), where the Adversary gives Adam an account of his early career, and the Slavonic Book of Enoch (xxix. 4, xxxi. 4), where Satan-Sataniel (Samael?) is also described as a former archangel. Because he contrived "to make his throne higher than the clouds over the earth and resemble 'My power' on high", Satan-Sataniel was hurled down, with his hosts of angels, and since then he has been flying in the air continually above the abyss.

Related Topics:
Samhazai - Azael - Midrash - Book of Enoch

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