Aramaic Magic Bowl: The Expulsion of Lilith

Greco-Roman Period
Babylonian Jews also practiced a variety of magical practices as part of their popular religion. A common practice was the burial in various rooms of the house of a clay bowl inscribed inside with magical incantations, usually under a threshold. In this example, we see the common practice of granting magical divorce to demons to expel them from the house and protect its inhabitants.

Overturned are the curses upon Burzin the daughter of the Smiter, uponPrince Bagdina,
the king of the devil(s) and the great ruler of the liliths. I adjure you, Lilith Hablas, the
granddaughter of Lilith Zarnai who dwells on the threshold of the house of Mehishai the
daughter of Dodai, smiter and burner of boys and girls, male and female foetuses (?). I
adjure you that you be struck in the membrane of your heart, and with the spear of Qatros
the mighty. Lo, I have written (a divorce) for you and lo, I have expelled you, as demons
write divorces for their wives and furthermore, (they) do not return. Take your divorce,
receive your oath, flee, take flight, and go forth from the house and from the back of
Mehishai the daughter of Dodai. In the name of Rt Mhs Mhs, the Ineffable Name from
the six days of Creation. Hallelujah for Your Name! Hallelujah for Your Kingdom! Sbyrt
Sbyrt Ywdg’ Ywdb’ Shtbyrt Sbyrt Ywdg’Ywdb’ Sbyrt Shbyrt Ywdg’Ywdb’ I have acted
for your name. Amen.

248. Trans. C. D. Isbell, Corpus of the Aramaic Incantation Bowls (Missoula, MT- Society of Biblical
Literature, Scholars Press, 1975) Bowl 22, p. 69.