עזאזל

Hebrew

Etymology

Uncertain; perhaps from עָזַז (azáz, “to be strong, impudent”) +‎ אֵל (él, “god, God”). The English word scapegoat comes from an interpretation as coming from עֵז (éz, “goat”) +‎ אזֵל (ozél, “escapes”).

Proper noun

עֲזָאזֵל • (azazél) m

1. Azazel.
   • Tanach, Leviticus 16:8, with translation of the King James Version:

     ונתן אהרן על שני השעירם גורלות גורל אחד לה׳ וגורל אחד לעזאזל׃

     And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat.

Usage notes

• It is unclear to what exactly עזאזל refers. One common theory is that it refers to the wilderness where the scapegoat was to be released; another is that it refers to a demon, a Canaanite deity. The Talmud identifies עזאזל as a cliff over which the scapegoat was driven. One theory, reflected in early Bible translations and in the English word scapegoat itself, is that עזאזל refers to the actual scapegoat.

Derived terms

• לעזאזל (la'azazél), לך לעזאזל (lekh la'azazél)
• שָׂעִיר לַעֲזָאזֵל (sa'ír la'azazél)

Further reading

• Azazel on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• שעיר לעזאזל on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he