Biblical and nonbiblical texts from the Second Temple period testify to the notion that illnesses and physical dysfunctions were linked to demons.
The Qumran library is a rich repository of both biblical and nonbiblical texts from this period. Fragments of the texts of the Masoretic canon (with the exception of the book of Esther) have been discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Besides these, works labelled today as apocryphal and pseudepigraphal books are represented by several copies in their original language—usually Hebrew or Aramaic, but both in the case of the book of Tobit which appears to have had authoritative status in the tradition of the Qumran community,[177] and which demonstrates a belief in demons even being able to kill humans.Ancient near eastern cultures considered demons and spirits to be an axi- omatically coherent part of the world, liminal beings that are neither human nor divine. Their relation to gods (or to God in monotheistic religions) is often doubtful and controversial. In contrast to gods, they do not receive regular offerings from humans. However, their activity concerns the human world. They can be good or evil, although the latter is much better represented and usually more characteristic than the other former. They are usually imagined as aeriform figures, often with a wind-like nature. Demons can also appear in the form of animals.[178] Their residences are remote places, the desert or ruins, outside the boundaries of the regular human world. They are often referred to as related in some way to the nether world. As for their origin, Mesopotamian texts very often refer to them as “the spawn of Anu”, begotten by the skygod with Ersetu (Earth), but no systematic statements are given about their origin.[179]
The Hebrew Bible is usually not favourable to demons. However, several chance remarks testify to beliefs in spiritual beings that may have a decisive effect on human life.[180] When they are mentioned, demons are referred to as a natural part of the (human) world—e.g.
the spirit sent by God to cause discord between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem (Jud 9:23). The reference (probably penned by a Deutenronomic redactor) to the rwh r'h sent by God (1 Sam 16:14) to cause madness in Saul relates to an illness that is psychiatric in nature.[181] The therapy of Saul's illness, David's playing (ngn) on the lyre (knwr) in 1 Sam 16:23, is clearly magical in nature, simultaneously pointing to the magical side of David's character. The exact way the spirit works is not explained in the narrative.[182] It can be assumed, however, that a belief in demons and associated magical practices had been an integral part of ancient Israelite thought since preexilic times. This assumption is supported by the amulets found in Ketef Hinnom (near Jerusalem), originating from the late preexilic period. These silver plates, bearing texts of blessing, attest to a special form of apotropaic object in ancient Judah: wearing a holy text on the body with the purpose of warding off demonic harm.
More on the topic Biblical and nonbiblical texts from the Second Temple period testify to the notion that illnesses and physical dysfunctions were linked to demons.:
- Biblical Structural and Cultural Violence and Post-Biblical Intolerance
- Bhayro Siam, Rider Catherine (eds.). Demons and Illness from Antiquity to the Early-Modern Period. Leiden, Boston: Brill,2017. — xiv, 434 p., 2017