Belial is a King of the Ars Goetia, ruling 80 legions of spirits.
Key facts
| Rank | King |
|---|---|
| Legions | 80 |
| Powers | Dignities & favors, Familiars, Protection |
| Enn (modern chant) | «Lirach Tasa Vefa Wehl Belial» |
| Alternate names | Beliar |
| Sources | Ars Goetia, Bible |
| Seal no. | 68 / 72 |
| Cardinal king | Paymon · West (W) |
| External IDs | Wikidata · Wikipedia |
On this page
How it appears
Two beautiful angels seated in a chariot of fire.
What you ask of it
He distributes senatorships, dignities, and prelacies, and the favor of friends and enemies; gives excellent familiars.
Provenance
Belial is one of the oldest names in the group because of his biblical and apocalyptic background, but his concrete Goetic entry comes from the tradition of Weyer, where he already appears before the Ars Goetia. The Goetia adopts that description and integrates it into the Solomonic ritual with his seal and with a specific warning about offerings and truthfulness. Already attested in the Liber Officiorum Spirituum (Folger V.b.26, 16th c.) as «Beliall».
The seal: printed edition and facsimile
Belial's main seal follows the printed Mathers–Crowley (1904) form; the Sloane MS 2731 manuscript facsimile is shown separately for comparison.
The main image and SVG/PNG downloads reproduce the printed form of S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley's 1904 edition, using the normal vector pack documented on Wikimedia Commons (public domain/CC0). The Sloane MS 2731 facsimile remains separate for comparing manuscript variants; it is not used as the main image.
The FULL manuscript facsimile («Lemegeton, Clavicula Salomonis», Sloane MS 2731) is in our library; the original is held at the British Library (Sloane MS 2731).
Documented ancient datum
Legions 80 (Weyer, used) / 50 (Mathers).
How it is summoned
In antiquity
In addition to the common procedure, the source preserves: a specific ritual prescription, a control caution.
Ancient operation: common procedure plus the documented detail in this entry.
- Prepare the protective Circle, the Triangle of Art, and the seal of Belial worn as a lamen before the exorcist, according to the common apparatus of the Ars Goetia.
- Recite the Solomonic conjurations to compel King Belial to appear in the Triangle, without omitting the constraint by divine names.
- Present offerings, sacrifices, or gifts, because the Goetia warns that without them Belial will not give true answers.
- Require by divine power that he remain truthful, since the source adds that he does not remain one hour in the truth unless constrained.
- Question him only concerning the offices the source attributes to him: dignities, senatorships, favor of friends and enemies, and familiars.
- Close with the license to depart, ordering him to withdraw peacefully and without harm, according to the customary closing of the Goetic rite.
Source: Ars Goetia (17th c.); already in Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, 1577
The common Goetic operation also adds, when needed: to constrain a resisting spirit (Wellcome MS 110, c74–c78), to show it the Pentacle of Solomon once manifested (Ars Theurgia-Goetia), to work in its planetary hour and day (by rank), and finally to give it licence to depart —and never before (Wellcome MS 110, c53). Practise the full rite at The Practitioner's Table.
What is the “chain of spirits”?
Modern · not ancient
- Print or draw its seal and place it before you on a clean surface.
- Light a candle and, if you wish, some incense; still your mind and set your intention.
- Intone its enn softly and repeatedly, eyes on the seal, until you feel a shift in the air.
- State your request clearly and respectfully, not as a command.
- Give thanks, let the candle burn down a little and close; modern practice is devotional, with no coercive conjuration.
Enn (modern chant): «Lirach Tasa Vefa Wehl Belial»
Source: Enn of modern demonolatry, circulated in lists derived from S. Connolly and Valerie Corban; enn practice is modern, not Solomonic
Modern demonolatry commonly treats Belial as a figure of independence, earth, or authority; those readings are modern additions beside the ancient ritual entry.
⛓ How it was subdued in antiquity
What is truly ancient about Belial is not summoning him but CURSING him. In the Dead Sea Scrolls (Qumran), the community recited liturgical curses against Belial and his lot —in the Community Rule and the War Scroll— to set themselves apart from his dominion. This is apotropaic liturgy (warding and rejection), not a rite to call him forth.
Source: Dead Sea Scrolls — Community Rule (1QS) and War Scroll (1QM), 2nd c. BC–1st c. AD
Modern experiences (personal gnosis)
Contemporary practitioners describe Belial's presence as a heavy, grounding, and highly authoritative energy that demands respect and self-reliance. In modern demonolatry and Luciferian currents, he is primarily worked with to achieve worldly stability, career advancement, and personal independence, pushing the individual to take absolute responsibility for their actions. His temperament is perceived as strict and pragmatic, reflecting his documented nature as a spirit who acknowledges no master.
Personal gnosis (UPG): how contemporary practitioners say they experience it. This is subjective experience, not a historical source or doctrine; it does not come from the ancient grimoires and may not be real.
Source: S. Connolly, «The Complete Book of Demonolatry» (2006) y «The Daemonolatry Goetia» (2010); M. W. Ford, «Luciferian Witchcraft» (2005) y consensos de la práctica contemporánea.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Belial?
Belial is one of the 72 spirits catalogued in the Ars Goetia (the first book of the Lemegeton, 17th c.) and in Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577); it is listed with the rank of King. It is not a deity or a biblical figure: it is an entry in these historical spirit-catalogues.
What is the sigil (seal) of Belial?
The seal image of Belial that we display and offer for download follows the printed Mathers–Crowley (1904) form, using the normal vector pack documented on Wikimedia Commons (public domain/CC0). The Sloane MS 2731 manuscript facsimile is provided separately because Lemegeton witnesses preserve variants.
What is Belial's rank in the Ars Goetia?
Belial is a King, ruling 80 legions of spirits according to the Lesser Key of Solomon.
How do you summon Belial?
According to the ancient sources (the Lemegeton, the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum), Belial is summoned with the goetic rite: the Circle and the Triangle of Art are traced, its seal is engraved and worn, the candles are lit and the conjuration is spoken by the divine names; if it delays, it is constrained, and at the end it is given the licence to depart. This is historical-documentary material, not a how-to for real summoning.
What does Belial do? What is it invoked for?
He distributes senatorships, dignities, and prelacies, and the favor of friends and enemies; gives excellent familiars.
What sources does Belial come from?
Belial is one of the oldest names in the group because of his biblical and apocalyptic background, but his concrete Goetic entry comes from the tradition of Weyer, where he already appears before the Ars Goetia. The Goetia adopts that description and integrates it into the Solomonic ritual with his seal and with a specific warning about offerings and truthfulness.
What is the enn (chant) of Belial?
The enn of Belial circulating today is «Lirach Tasa Vefa Wehl Belial». It is a MODERN demonolatry chant (late 20th c.); it does not appear in the old grimoires.
Of the same rank · King
Of the same power · Dignities & favors
→ Where does «your demon by birthdate» come from? See how the different systems distribute the 72 spirits: Goetia Correspondences.
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