ASMODÆUS , the ‘evil demon’ of Tob 3:1-17; Tob 6:1-17; Tob 8:1-21 , appears freely in the Talmud as AshmÄ•dai , which popular etymology connected with shâmad , ‘to destroy.’ It is fairly certain, however, that it is the Avestan Açsma daçva , ‘fury demon,’ conspicuous from the earliest to the latest parts of the Parsi scriptures. It would seem that the Book of Tobit is really a Median folk-story, adapted for edification by a Jew, with sundry uncomprehended features of the original left unchanged. For these see ‘Zoroastrianism’ in Hastings’ DB [Note: Dictionary of the Bible.] , § 4. In the Talmud Ashmedai is king of the Shçdîn , demons supposed to be mortal, and of either sex.
James Hope Moulton.