Editing Azazel (section)

==In Christianity==
===Latin Bible===
{{main article|Scapegoat}}
The [[Vulgate]] contains no mention of "Azazel" but only of [[:wikt:caper#Latin|caper]] [[:wikt:emissarius#Latin|emissarius]], or "emissary goat", apparently reading עז אזל ''goat which leaves'':

{{quotation|8 mittens super utrumque sortem unam Domino et alteram '''capro emissario''' 9 cuius sors exierit Domino offeret illum pro peccato 10 cuius autem in '''caprum emissarium''' statuet eum vivum coram Domino ut fundat preces super eo et emittat illum in solitudinem |Latin Vulgate|Leviticus 16:8–10}}

English versions, such as the [[King James Version]], followed the Septuagint and Vulgate in understanding the term as relating to a goat. The modern [[English Standard Version]] provides the footnote "16:8 The meaning of Azazel is uncertain; possibly the name of a place or a demon, traditionally a scapegoat; also verses 10, 26". Most scholars accept the indication of some kind of demon or deity,<ref>Wright, David P. "Azazel." Pages 1:536–37 in [[Anchor Bible Series]]. Edited by David Noel Freedman et al. New York: Doubleday, 1992.</ref> however Judit M. Blair notes that this is an argument without supporting contemporary text evidence.<ref>Judit M. Blair ''De-demonising the Old Testament: An Investigation of Azazel, Lilith, Deber'' p. 23–24</ref>

Ida Zatelli (1998)<ref>Ida Zatelli, "The Origin of the Biblical Scapegoat Ritual: The Evidence of Two Eblaite Texts", ''[[Vetus Testamentum]]'' 48.2 (April 1998):254–263)</ref>  has suggested that the Hebrew ritual parallels pagan practice of sending a scapegoat into the desert on the occasion of a royal wedding found in two ritual texts in archives at [[Ebla]] (24th C. BC). A she-goat with a silver bracelet hung from her neck was driven forth into the wasteland of 'Alini' by the community.<ref>David Pearson Wright, {{google books|id=uc7YAAAAMAAJ|title=The Disposal of Impurity: Elimination Rites in the Bible and in Hittite and Mesopotamian literature}}. Scholars Press, University of Michigan, 1987. {{ISBN|978-1-55540-056-9}}</ref> There is no mention of an "Azazel".<ref>Blair p. 21</ref>

According to ''The Expositor's Bible Commentary'', Azazel is the Hebrew word for scapegoat.  This is the only place that the Hebrew word is found in the whole Hebrew Old Testament.  It says that the Book of Enoch, (extra-biblical Jewish theological literature, dated around 200 B.C.) is full of demonology and reference to fallen angels.  The EBC (Vol 2) says that this text uses late Aramaic forms for these names which indicates that The Book of Enoch most likely relies upon the Hebrew Leviticus text rather than the Leviticus text being reliant upon the Book of Enoch.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gabelein|first=Frank E.|url=https://archive.org/details/expositorsbiblec01gaeb/page/590|title=The Expositor's Bible Commentary|publisher=Zondervan|year=1990|isbn=978-0310364405|location=Grand Rapids|pages=[https://archive.org/details/expositorsbiblec01gaeb/page/590 590]}}</ref>

===Christian commentators===
[[Origen]] ("Contra Celsum," vi. 43) identifies Azazel with Satan.<ref>John Granger Cook ''The interpretation of the Old Testament in Greco-Roman paganism'' 299</ref>