The Pentacles

The 5th Pentacle of the Moon

Answers in sleep open a more perilous lunar notice. Iachadiel is also linked with destruction and loss, night phantoms and the summoning of departed souls from Hades; a verse calls for enemies to scatter. [1]

Mathers 1889 · Book I, chapter XVIII; printed p. 70; figure 53, Plate XII; plate PDF page 98

Pentacle profile

Tradition and Group: Mathers 1889 · Moon [1]
Position within the Set: Pentacle 5 · figure 53 · plate XII [1]
Attributed Purpose: For answers in sleep; Iachadiel serves destruction and loss and the destruction of enemies, and is called by Abdon and Dale against night phantoms and to summon departed souls from Hades. [1]
Design: A pointing hand faces divine names above a lunar character and angelic names below it, all within Psalm 68:1.

[1]

A pointing hand beside Hebrew divine and angelic names and a lunar character, enclosed by a Hebrew verse band with a six-pointed star at the top. — **Source reproduction** The 5th Pentacle of the Moon: Iachadiel, Azarel and a lunar character beside the hand. Mathers 1889, Plate XII, figure 53; notice on p. 70.

Answers, enemies and the departed

The fifth Moon pentacle is credited with giving answers in sleep. Its angel Iachadiel also serves destruction and loss, including the destruction of enemies. [1]

A further clause describes calling upon him “by Abdon and Dale” against all phantoms of the night and to summon souls of the departed from Hades. These names occur in the notice’s account of the call, while Azarel is supplied in Mathers’s separate explanation of the drawing. [1]

Names above and below the lunar character

The hand points into a field where IHVH and Elohim stand above a horizontal magical character. Below it are the angelic names Mathers reads as Iachadiel and Azarel. The character has a long bar with small circular marks and angular strokes near its right end. A Hebrew verse encloses the hand and lettering, with a small six-pointed star above. [1]

Let God arise

The ring draws on Psalm 68:1: “Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; let them also who hate Him flee before Him.” The next biblical verse compares the removal of the wicked to smoke driven away and wax melting before fire. The opening then turns to the rejoicing of the righteous. [1][2]

Sources and editions

The Key of Solomon the King · The 5th Pentacle of the Moon
S. L. MacGregor Mathers, 1889; printed edition, including editorial restoration of Hebrew characters. Book I, chapter XVIII; printed p. 70; figure 53, Plate XII; plate PDF page 98; full lunar notices printed pp. 69–70; general chapter XVIII materials, pp. 56–57
Psalm 68:1–6 · God arises and enemies scatter
King James Version, public-domain biblical text. Psalm 68:1–6

Return to The Brass Vessel

Loading Luminary Oddities