An ancient Hebrew / Aramaic book of magic (ca 10th ce?)
Translated by M. Gaster, 1896
I. The Sword of Moses.
In the name of the mighty and holy God!
Four angels are appointed to the “Sword” given by the Lord, the Master of
mysteries, and they are appointed to the Law, and they see with penetration the
mysteries from above and below; and these are their names — SKD HUZI, MRGIOIAL,
VHDRZIOLO, TOTRISI. [CQD HUZI MRGIZIAL, UHDRZIULU, TUTRISI] And over these are
five others, holy and mighty, who meditate on the mysteries of God in the world
for seven hours every day, and they are appointed to thousands of thousands, and
to myriads of thousands of Chariots, ready to do the will of their Creator, X
[AHI HI HIH], the Lord of Lords and the honoured God; these are their names — X
[MHIHUGTzI PJDUThThGM, ASQRIHU, CIThINIJUM, QThGNIPRI]. And the Master of each
Chariot upon which they are appointed wonders and says: “Is there any number of
his armies?” And the least of these Chariots is lord and master over those
(above) four. And over these are three chiefs of the hosts of the Lord, who make
every day tremble and shake His eight halls, and they have the power over every
creature. Under them stand a double number of Chariots, and the least of them is
lord and master over all the above Chiefs (rulers); and these are their names —
X [ASHHI CTRISHUIH SHUThGIAIH]. And the name of the Lord and king is X
[PSQThIH], who sits, and all the heavenly hosts kneel, and prostrate themselves
before Him daily before leaving X [GQTZ”CLAH], who is the Lord over all.
And when thou conjure him he will attach himself to thee, and cause the other
five Chiefs and their Chariots, and the lords that stand under them, to attach
themselves to thee just as they were ordered to attach themselves to Moses, son
of Amram, and to attach to him all the lords that stand under them; and they
will not tarry in their obeisance, and will not withhold from giving authority
to the man who utters the conjuration over
this “Sword,” its mysteries and hidden powers, its glory and might, and they
will not refuse to do it, as it is the command of God X [ABDUHU] saying: “Ye
shall not refuse to obey a mortal who conjures you, nor should you be different
to him from what you were to Moses, son of Amram, when you were commanded to do
so, for he is conjuring you with My Ineffable names, and you render honour to My
name and not to him. If you should refuse I will burn you, for you have not
honoured Me.”
Each of these angels had communicated to him (Moses) a propitious thing for
the proper time. These things (words) are all words of the living God and King
of the Universe, and they said to him: —
“If thou wishest to use this ‘Sword’ and to transmit it to the following
generations, (then know) that the man who decides to use it must first free
himself three days previously from accidental pollution and from everything
unclean, eat and dring once every evening, and must eat the bread from a pure
man or wash his hands first in salt (?), and drink only water; and no one is to
know that he intends using this ‘Sword,’ as therein are the mysteries of the
Universe, and they are practised only in secret, and are not communicated but to
the chaste and pure. On the first day when you retire from (the world) bathe
once and no more, and pray three times daily, and after each prayer recite the
following Blessing: —
“Blessed art thou [QUSIM], O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who openest
the gates of the East and cleavest the windows of the firmament of the Orient,
and givest light to the whole world and its inhabitants, with the multitude of
His mercies, with His mysteries and secrets, and teachest Thy people Israel Thy
secrets and mysteries, and hast revealed unto them the “Sword” used by the
world; and Thou sayest unto them: “If anyone is desirous of using this ‘Sword,’
by which every wish is fulfilled and every secret revealed, and every miracle,
marvel, and prodigy are performed, then speak to Me in the following manner,
read before Me this and that, and conjure
in such and such a wise, and I will instantly be prevailed upon and be well
disposed towards you, and I will give you authority over this Sword, by which to
fulfil all that you desire, and the Chiefs will be prevailed upon by you, and my
holy ones will be well disposed towards you and they will fulfil instantly your
wishes, and will deliver to you my secrets and reveal to you my mysteries, and
my words they will teach you and my wonders they will manifest to you, and they
will listen and serve you as a pupil his master, and your eyes will be
illuminated and your heart will see and behold all that is hidden, and your size
will be increased.” Unto Thee I call, X [SUQIM], Lord of the Universe. Thou art
He who is called X [IHUGH HU], King of the Universe. Thou art called X [AThHU],
merciful king. Thou art called X [PHUZGH], gracious king. Thou art called X
[ZHUThGIHH] living king. Thou art called X [TZHPRUHU HUH], humble king. Thou art
called X [SPTHUThHU], righteous king. Thou art called X [QGIUHI HU], lofty king.
Thou art called X [CHRU SGHURI], perfect king. Thou art called X [SPQS HPIH],
upright king. Thou art called X [QThThH GThHI], glorious king. Thou art called X
[PThRIS HUPIHU], youthful king. Thou art called X [ROPQ TzIUHIH], pleasant king.
Thou art called X [JUSH IHU], and thou listenest to my prayer, for Thou
hearkenest unto prayer; and attach unto me Thy servants the lords of the
“Sword,” for Thou art their king, and fulfil my desire, for evening is in Thy
hands, as it is written: “Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest every living
being with favour.”
“I conjure you, Azliel [AZLI-AL] called X [HURI ZHI]; I conjure
you, Arel [ARAL] called X [SQRISIHIH], Ta’aniel [TONI-AL] called X
[AAThRTzAHIH], Tafel [TPAL] called X [HUPQI HUH AHIH], and the most glorious of
these Yofiel Mittron [IUPIAL MITTRUN] called X [HLIKIH HUH], the glory from
above. With the permission of my king (I conjure) Yadiel [IDIAL] called X [SGHUH
HIH], Ra’asiel [ROCI-AL] called X [MHUPThKIHIITz], Haniel [JNIAL] called X [RHU
PGTIH], Haniel [HNIAL] called X [PHUTzPNIGIH], Asrael [AShRAL] called X
[ThHMUThIHIH], Yisriel [UIShRIAL] called X [QNIThI PTzIH], A’shael [OShHAL]
called X [IHUTh NTHIHIH], Amuhael [OMUHAL] called X [RUPNIGIH USSIH], and Asrael
[UATzRAL] called X [ShHGNU ThGIHH], that you attach yourselves to
me and surrender the “Sword” to me, so that I may use it according to my desire,
and that I find shelter under the shadow of our Lord in heaven in the glorious
Name, the mighty and awe-inspiring X [HU HI HHI HU HH AH UH IH IH HUI HU HI HU
NA HUH IHU IA HU HU IH IHU HI HU IA IH UH HU IA HU HUA HU IH UH IH HU HUH IHI HU
IH AHIH MH UH], the twenty-four letters from the Crown; that you deliver unto me
with this “Sword” the secrets from above
and below, the mysteries from above and below, and my wish be fulfilled and my
word. hearkened unto, and my prayer (supplication) received through the
conjuration with the Ineffable name of God which is glorified in the world,
through which all the heavenly hosts are tied and bound; and this is the
Ineffable Name — X [HH HH HUH HHII IUHH AH UH NIH HUH PH UHU HIH TzHU AH UH HIH
ThH UH IH UH IH SIH UH IH UI H], blessed be he! (I conjure you) that you shall
not refuse me nor hurt me, nor frighten and alarm me, in the tremendous Name of
your king, the terror of whom rests upon you, and who is called X [PRZMUThGIH
SRJUQThIH: HIGNIThIH: TRSNIHIH: QRZMThHU: TZNIH IH UH HIH HU HI HA HUH AHH HHI
AH UH HUH HIH AH UH IH IHH IHU IHI AU HH AH HH HA HIH AH ZQDIDRIH]. Fulfil for
me everything that I have been conjuring you for, and serve me, for I have
conjured you not with the name of one who is great among you but with that of
the Lord over all, whose name ties and binds and keeps and fastens all the
heavenly hosts. And if you should refuse me, I will hand you over to the Lord
God and to his Ineffable name, whose wrath and anger and fire are kindled, who
honours his creatures with one letter of his name, and is called X [ZRUG DQNTA
QTzUPTzJThIH: AHUH-SJThI GIH NIGIM: HIGIH HU IH HNIH HUH QLTzG]; so that if you
refuse he will destroy you, and you will not he found when searched after. And
you preserve me from shortness of spirit and weakness of body in the name of X
[JZQAI AHIH UH IH HH IHH IH UH HH IH HIH AHIU IH HIU IHI UHUI HI HUI IH QQHUH
SQQHUH], the guardian of Israel. Blessed art Thou, who understandest the secrets
and revealest the mysteries, and art king of the Universe.'”
A voice warn heard in the heavens, the voice of the Lord of heavens, saying:
“I want a light (swift) messenger (to go) to man, and if he fulfils my message my sons will become proud of the ‘Sword’ which I hand over to them,
which is the head of all the mysteries of which also my seers have spoken, that
thus will my word be, as it is said: ‘Is not my word like as fire? saith the
Lord'” (Jer. xxiii, 29). Thus spoke X [PGNININU GSIH], the lord of heaven and
earth; and I, Assi Asisih and Apragsih [APRGSIH], the light (swift) messenger,
who am pleased with my messages and delighted with my sending, ascended before
Him, and the Lord over all commanded me: “Go and make this known to men who are
pious and good and pure and righteous and faithful, whose heart is not divided
and in whose mouth is no duplicity, who do not lie with their tongues and do not
deceive with their lips, who do not grasp
with their hands and are not lustful with their eyes, who do net run after evil,
keep aloof from every uncleanness, depart from every defilement, keep themselves
holy from contamination, and do not approach woman.” When the Lord ever all
commanded me thus, I, X [ASSI ASS UAS IS-IH UAPRGSIH], the swift messenger, went
down to earth, and I said on my way: “Where is the man who possesses all these
that I should go to him and place this with him?” And I asked myself, and
thought in my heart that there is no man who would do all this that I wished;
and I found none, and it was heavy unto me. And the Lord over all conjured me by
His mighty right arm, and by the lustre of His glory and His glorious crown,
with an oath of His mighty right arm, and He conjured me, and the lord over all
strengthened me and I did not fall. I thus stood up, I, X [ASSI ASS U ASIS IH
UAPRGSIH], to put NN in the possession of the desired covenant, in the name of X
[QMBGL-OQMH-UH ZRUMTzIH-IH IKRUQ-ZNUThIH IRPHU-JThIH QTzI
UTzIHTz-IHTz-IHTz].”
“This is the great and glorious Name which has been given as a tradition to
man — X [IH BIH ATz AH BAH HUI HU HU UH IA HU ZH UH UH AH IH IHU HH IHU IHU AQP
HI HH IIAH HH HAH HUAH HHUH HII HU HU HI], holy, glorious, glorious, Selah.
Recite it after thy prayers. — And these are the names of the angels that
minister to the son of man — Mittron, Sgrdtsih, Mqttro, Sngotiqtel, etc., etc.,
etc. (28 names) [MITTRUN SGRDThTzIH MQTTRUN SNGUThIQThAL NGIQThGAL IGUAThQThIAL
ANThGQSAL ANThUSSThIAL MIKAL-SRUG-GBRIAL CQThKNIH HDQRUNThIAL ANHSGAL IHUAL
ThIZRThNSIAL SIGSTHAL ONPI QQPIAL NHR GSGNHIAL IKNI AThIHAL AQThQLIQAL INH
GIThIAL IH].” “In a similar manner shall you serve me NN; and receive my prayer
and my orisons, and bring them to God [IHUH] X [HH SHH AHH HH UH UH], blessed be
He! for I adjure you in His name, and I extol you (to ascend), like unto the
bird that flies from its nest, and remember my meritorious deeds before Him and
(make Him) forgive now my sins on account of my words of supplication, and you
may not refuse me in the name of X [HH-HH-UH-UIH- IH-UIH-UH-UH-UIHH-
UIH-AH-HHUI-AHU-IA- HI-HI-HU-HU-IHU-H H-HUH-IH-UH], blessed be He! Sabaoth,
Sabaoth [TzBAUTh, TZBAUTh], Selah. His servants sanctify Him and praise Him with
sweet melody, and say: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of holy name; the whole
earth is full of His glory”; and do not refuse me, in the name of X, who lives
for ever, and in the name of Ditimon, etc., X, and in the name X of the great
One from whom nothing is hidden, who sees and is not seen, and in the name of
Him who is the chief over the heavens and is called X. And the King of the Universe utters (this name) also in a
different manner, thus — X. You swift messenger, do not tarry and do not
frighten me, but come and do all my wants in the name of X, the great One, who
sees and is not seen, AHVH, whose Ineffable Name is revealed to the heavenly
hosts; and I conjure you by this Ineffable Name, such as it was revealed to
Moses by the mouth of the Lord over all, X, the Lord Sabaoth is His name.
Blessed art thou, O God, lord of mighty acts, who knowest all the mysteries.”
And which are the letters which X communicated to Moses? He said to him: “If
thou wishest to get wise and to use the ‘Sword,’ call me, and conjure me, and
strengthen me, and fortify me, and say: ‘X, with the great, holy, wonderful,
pure, precious, glorious, and awe-inspiring secret Name X, with these letters I
conjure thee to surrender to me and make me wise and attach to me the angels
which minister to the “Sword,” in the name of the Revealer of mysteries. Amen.'”
Write with ink on leather and carry about with you during those three days of
purification, and invoke before and after prayer the following Names
communicated to Moses by Mrgiiel, X, by Trotrosi, X, etc. (the 13 Chiefs
mentioned at the beginning, and a long string of other mysterious names which
are said to have been communicuted to Moses). “And they have not hidden from him
any of these sacred Ineffable names or letters, and have not given him instead
the Substitutes of any of these sacred letters, for thus were they ordered by
the Lord of all mysteries to communicate to him this ‘Sword,’ with these Names
which constitute the mysteries of this ‘Sword’; and they said to him ‘Command
the generations which will come after thee to say the following blessing prior
to their prayer, lest they be swept away by the fire’: ‘Blessed art Thou, X, who
wast with Moses; he also with me, Thou, whose name is X. Send me X, who is the
cover of the Cherubim, to help me. Blessed art Thou, Lord of the Sword.'”
subecho 