The Pentacles

The 5th Pentacle of Saturn

Night invocation and the expulsion of treasure guardians meet in Saturn’s fifth pentacle. Divine names occupy its cross and diamond, surrounded by the words “a great God, a mighty, and a terrible.” [1]

Mathers 1889 · Book I, chapter XVIII; printed p. 60; figure 15, Plate III; plate PDF page 70

Pentacle profile

Tradition and Group: Mathers 1889 · Saturn [1]
Position within the Set: Pentacle 5 · figure 15 · plate III [1]
Attributed Purpose: To defend those invoking spirits of Saturn during the night, and to drive away spirits guarding treasures. [1]
Design: A cross inside circles lies within a diamond, carrying IHVH and Eloah beside four angelic names, inside Deuteronomy 10:17. [1]

A flared-tip cross and four Hebrew letters fill central circles within a diamond. More letters occupy the diamond’s points and names run along its sides. A Hebrew verse and looped ornament enclose it. — **Source reproduction** The 5th Pentacle of Saturn: IHVH, Eloah and four angels within Deuteronomy’s great-and-mighty verse. Mathers 1889, Plate III, figure 15; notice on p. 60.

Defence at night and treasure guardians

The fifth Saturn notice defends people who invoke the planet’s spirits during the night. It also chases away the spirits that guard treasures. [1]

Names in the cross and diamond

A cross with flared tips divides the central circle. IHVH is distributed through its four angles. A diamond surrounds the circles, with the letters of ALVH, Eloah, at its four points. Along its sides are Arehanah, Rakhaniel, Roelhaiphar and Noaphiel. The outer band carries a verse, interrupted above by a small looping ornament. [1]

Great, mighty and fearsome

The rim uses Deuteronomy 10:17’s description of a great, mighty and terrible God. In the wider passage, this God of gods and Lord of lords shows no partiality and takes no reward. The next lines describe justice for the fatherless and widow and food and clothing for the stranger, followed by a command to love the stranger. [1][2]

Sources and editions

The Key of Solomon the King · The 5th Pentacle of Saturn
S. L. MacGregor Mathers, 1889; printed edition, including editorial restoration of Hebrew characters. Book I, chapter XVIII; printed p. 60; figure 15, Plate III; plate PDF page 70; Complete Saturn notices and notes, printed pp. 58–61 (PDF pp. 65, 68–69, 74); general Book I VIII pp. 39–41 and XVIII pp. 56–57
Deuteronomy 10:17–19 · Might, judgement and care for strangers
King James Version, public-domain biblical text. Deuteronomy 10:17–19

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