Who is LILITH?

[Dorothea]

I have seen her name sporadically throughout another forum I visit, and discussed, but I don't really know anything about her and the OT. Can somebody explain who she is and the story behind her? I tried to google info on the OC's teachings on her, but coulldn't really find what I was looking for. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Why she's the wife of Dr. Frasier Crane of course!

 

[Chesterton]

I think the idea of something like "Lillith" is all over the map.

Lilith - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But in some Jewish folklore, she was Adam's wife before Eve, and later became demonic and went around killing men.

 

[fuerein]

Agreed Lillith shows up in many places despite her relative obscurity for the majority of people. I know if you watch Japanese anime she shows up in some of the series that contain Biblical themes and I've seen others shows with Biblical themes which incorporate her. After coming across enough references I researched her briefly and yeah everything I've ever read basically agrees that according to certain extra-Biblical legends she was the first wife of Adam but became totally corrupt and is now seen as a super-human demonic character.

 

[fuerein]

Grr. Sorry double post.

 

[KeenanParkerII]

Why she's the wife of Dr. Frasier Crane of course!

Hah! Repped.
Only an aficionado of such fine programming would appreciate such witty humor. *Does a Niles Crane impression*

 

[ArmyMatt]

Why she's the wife of Dr. Frasier Crane of course!

only one word can merit such an awesome response: Cheers (ba-dum-chee)

yeah, as far as religion goes, Lilith I think was Adam's first wife who somehow was cursed and kicked out of Eden. she's sorta this vampire/witch thing I think

 

[NyssaTheHobbit]

Here's another Lilith:

YouTube - Lilith - Analog Missionary

 

[Dorothea]

Ah, ok. Yeah, I thought it was some false story, but didn't know exactly what or who she was. Thanks.

 

[Julina]

so... she's not actually in the bible?

 

[ArmyMatt]

so... she's not actually in the bible?

nope.

didn't anybody get my pun? I thought it was pretty good

 

[tekiahteruah]

While she's not in the Bible, I think the idea is that besides for being a carry-over from Mespotamian mythology, she was a resolution to a biblical problem-- i.e. Genesis 1 has God creating humanity "male and female," apparently at once, then telling them to be fruitful and multiply, and then Genesis 2 tells the story of God creating Eve from Adam's side. So, if taken really literally, you have a problem. Lilith solves the problem-- Adam and Lilith were created simultaneously. Lilith gets kicked out. God creates Eve from Adam afterwards. It's an innovative explanation though certainly not the only one even within the Jewish tradition.

 

[Chesterton]

Apparently, according to who's translating, you can get various things from Isaiah 34:14, such as "screech owl", "night monster" or "lilith". I guess the general idea is of something evil. The translation (Darby) which says "lilith" intends it as a common noun instead of a name I guess, since it doesn't capitalize the first letter.

Interesting. Anyone who knows Greek want to offer a thought on what it says?

 

[tekiahteruah]

The word "Lilith" isn't in the Greek of Isaiah-- it's the Hebrew (לִּילִי&#1514. The Septuagiant translates the word in question as 'ονοκενταύροι, satyrs. It just repeats the word that the LXX also uses to translate the Hebrew שָׂעִיר, satyr, used earlier in the same verse. The idea being that both לִּילִית and שָׂעִיר refer to malevolent spirits in some way, which is what many think the "lilitu" were in Mesopotamian demonology. I'm guessing the KJV's translation of the Hebrew Masoretic to "screech owl" was probably among the KJV's "don't really know what this is so here's a nice poetic image" inventions.