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ASMODÆUS, the ‘evil demon’ of Tob_3:1-17; Tob_6:1-17; Tob_8:1-21, appears freely in the Talmud as Ashmĕ, 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.