Behind | Devils and Demons in the Ancient Near East

The opposition Job faces originates with a spirit-being, satan. Ancient peoples were familiar with demonic figures to whom they attributed great power. They were often portrayed as hybrid creatures.

This Assyrian demon Pazuzu was ruler over the demons of the wind, with power over drought and storms.

Here is another look at the fear-inspiring demon Pazuzu.

Pazuzu was often depicted with a lion’s head along with a human body, wings, eagle talons and a scorpion’s tail.

Humbaba the Terrible was the giant who guarded the Cedar Forest in the Epic of Gilgamesh. His body combined features of a lion, vulture, bull and snake.

In Chaldean mythology the seven evil deities were known as shedu or storm-demons.  These “winged bulls of Khorsabad” were depicted with human heads.