Azazel
NOTES:
EISER, MICHAEL S.. The Unseen Realm: RECOVERING THE SUPERNATURAL WORLDVIEW OF THE BIBLE. LEXHAM PRESS. KINDLE EDITION.
The word “Azazel” in the Hebrew text can be translated “the goat that goes away.”
“Azazel” is really a proper name. In Lev 16:8 one goat is “for Yahweh,” while the other goat is “for Azazel.”
Azazel is regarded as the name of a demon in the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient Jewish books.
Azazel is the leader of the angels that sinned in Genesis 6:1 – 4. The same description appears in the book of 1 Enoch (8:1; 9:6; 10:4 – 8; 13:1; 54:5 – 6; 55:4; 69:2).
Scholars have, however, connected the name to Mot, the god of death.
The goat for Azazel banished the sins of the Israelites to the realm outside Israel. Why? Because the ground on which Yahweh had his dwelling was holy. Sin had to be “transported” to where evil belonged—the territory outside Israel, under the control of gods set over the pagan nations. The high priest was not sacrificing to Azazel. Rather, Azazel was getting what belonged to him: sin.