The Relation & Differences Between Lucifer, Samael, Azazel, Azrael & Beelzebub

Lucifer, Samael, Azazel, Azrael, and Beelzebub are distinct but often overlapping figures in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Lucifer is the fallen archangel associated with pride and rebellion; Samael is the accuser and angel of death in Jewish lore; Azazel is linked to the scapegoat ritual and later demonized as a fallen angel; Azrael is the angel of death in Islam and sometimes Judaism; and Beelzebub originates as a Philistine deity, later reinterpreted as a prince of demons. Another angel that deals in death and transition is the cherub subset of Aloki. They help guide souls over are the keepers of the akashic records. Their roles differ—Lucifer embodies rebellion, Samael destruction, Azazel corruption, Azrael transition of souls, and Beelzebub demonic leadership—but they are often conflated in later demonologies.

The Relation & Differences Between Lucifer, Samael, Azazel, Azrael & Beelzebub

1. Lucifer

- Origins: The name Lucifer comes from the Latin lux ferre (“light-bringer”), originally referring to the planet Venus as the morning star.

- Biblical Role: In Isaiah 14:12, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” was originally directed at the Babylonian king but later interpreted as describing a rebellious angel.

- Christian Tradition: Lucifer is often identified with Satan, the fallen archangel who sought to usurp God’s throne. John Milton’s Paradise Lost popularized this image, portraying him as a tragic rebel.

- Relation to Others: Lucifer overlaps conceptually with Beelzebub (both seen as leaders of demons) and Samael (both adversarial angels).

2. Samael

- Name Meaning: “Venom of God” in Hebrew.

- Role in Judaism: Samael is the accuser, seducer, and angel of death. He tempts Eve in Eden, rides the serpent, and is sometimes said to father Cain.

- Functions:

- Angel of death and chief of satans.

- Guardian angel of Rome, enemy of Israel.

- In Kabbalah, represents severity and destructive judgment.

- Relation to Others: Samael resembles Lucifer in his adversarial role but is more integrated into Jewish cosmology as a necessary agent of divine justice.

3. Azazel

- Biblical Origins: Mentioned in Leviticus 16 as part of the Yom Kippur ritual. One goat was sacrificed to God, the other sent into the wilderness “for Azazel”.

- Interpretations:

- As a place: a desolate wilderness.

- As a being: later Jewish and apocryphal texts (Book of Enoch) describe Azazel as a fallen angel who taught humans forbidden arts like weapon-making and cosmetics.

- Later Demonology: Became associated with impurity and corruption, symbolizing the scapegoat bearing humanity’s sins.

- Relation to Others: Azazel is closer to Lucifer and Samael in being a rebellious angel, but his identity is tied to ritual and impurity rather than cosmic rebellion.

4. Azrael

- Name Meaning: “Help of God” in Hebrew.

- Role in Islam: Azrael is the angel of death (Malak al-Mawt), one of the four archangels alongside Gabriel, Michael, and Israfil. He records and erases names at birth and death, guiding souls from life to the afterlife.

- In Judaism: Not canonical in the Hebrew Bible, but appears in later mystical texts as an angel of death.

- Relation to Others: Unlike Lucifer, Samael, and Azazel, Azrael is not rebellious. He fulfills divine command, making him more akin to a psychopomp than a demon.

5. Beelzebub

- Origins: From Baʿal-zebub (“Lord of the Flies”), a Philistine god worshipped at Ekron (2 Kings 1:2–3).

- Transformation:

- In Jewish tradition, the name became a mocking epithet for Baal worship.

- In Christian texts, Beelzebub is “prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24), accused of empowering Jesus to cast out demons.

- Later Demonology: Often conflated with Satan or Lucifer, depicted as one of the seven princes of Hell, associated with gluttony and corruption.

- Relation to Others: Beelzebub is often equated with Lucifer in Christian demonology, but historically he derives from a separate pagan deity.

Conclusion

The five figures illustrate how angelology and demonology evolved across traditions:

- Lucifer embodies rebellion and pride.

- Samael represents destruction and accusation.

- Azazel symbolizes impurity and scapegoating.

- Azrael fulfills divine duty as the angel of death.

- Beelzebub originates as a pagan god, later demonized as a prince of Hell.

Together, they show the blending of biblical texts, apocrypha, rabbinic lore, and later Christian demonology. Their differences lie in function (rebellion vs. death vs. corruption) and origin (biblical, apocryphal, pagan), but they are often conflated in later traditions as part of a unified demonic hierarchy.