How Berith’s name came about is another great example of how a revered local deity was transformed into a Goetic demon. To better understand his origins and nature, here’s how he has transformed over time.
In Biblical Hebrew, the word beriyth explicitly means a covenant, an alliance, or a treaty. “It stems from a root word that implies ‘binding’ or ‘cutting.’
To put this into context, in the ancient Near East, covenants weren’t just signed on paper. They were also cut, referred to as kayat beriyth (כרת ברית), which pertains to sacrificial rituals where animals were split in half so that the parties making the contract walked between the pieces.
It is a bit macabre, but it does carry a symbolic meaning: “If I break this contract, let what happened to these animals happen to me.”
Some scholars suggest that when the authors of the early grimoires used the singular name Berith, they were directly invoking the personification of this dark yet binding legal contract.
Long before the Ars Goetia was compiled, there existed a Canaanite patron deity named Baal-Berith (Lord of the Covenant) in the city-state of Shechem, located in the valley between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal.
To the locals, he was not a god of chaos or evil; he was revered as a god of civic order. This was during a time when tribal conflicts were commonplace in the region. Baal-Berith served as a cosmic witness to the treaties formed between clans, trade agreements, and political confederacies.
He was also mentioned in the Bible. In The Book of Judges, it is noted that the citizens of Shechem kept their treasury within the temple of Baal-Berith. This mirrors how the Greek states used the temple of Apollo at Delos as a type of secure bank, protected by the religious taboo of breaking an oath.
Let’s fast forward to the time when medieval and Renaissance grimoire writers began translating, copying, and synthesizing all of the ancient Hebrew, Latin, and Greek texts.
The scribes did all of this by hand, in candlelight, while relying only on their Latin knowledge. As such, names were frequently split into separate entities due to translation errors or spelling corruptions. In some cases, separations were done deliberately.
This is how we got Baal and Berith as separate entities.
To Christian demonologists, Baal was already known as a major, distinct demonic King (also known as Bael, the first spirit listed in the Goetia). As a way of avoiding redundancy, the secondary title Berith was treated as a standalone entity.
In Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, he notes that Berith is also called Beal or Bofry: “Berith, alias Beal, sive Bofry”. Beal is a direct linguistic contraction of Baal, while Bofry is suggested to be phonetic corruption introduced by scribes misreading Gothic or cursive Latin scripts.
There might be some confusion when it comes to Berith’s rank and role, given that he has two different ones, depending on the text you’re basing it on.
Here’s a look at how different systems categorize his authority and why the discrepancy exists.
In both the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum and the Ars Goetia, Berith is given the rank of Duke. As a Duke, he operates under the influence of Venus but also exhibits strong Martian traits; just one of his many paradoxes.
Berith also shares the title, “The Great, Terrible, and Mighty Duke” with spirits of the same rank. However, terrible in this sense didn’t just mean bad or evil. In early modern English, it meant formidable, awe-inspiring, or having the ability to “strike terror” into those who witnessed him.
It’s a title that fits his visual manifestation; that of a fully armored, blood-red knight riding an equally fearsome warhorse, wearing a crown of gold.
Perhaps one of the most dramatic shifts in Berith’s history occurred in the text Histoire Admirable de la Possession et Conversion d’une Penitente written by the French inquisitor and exorcist Sebastian Michaëlis.
To better understand his motivations, let’s go back to the infamous Aix-en-Provence possessions; where a nun named Sister Madeleine de Demandolx de la Palud claimed to have been possessed by a host of demons.
Through this event, Michaëlis recorded a highly structured demonic hierarchy, which was said to have been dictated by the demons themselves during exorcism rites. In his writings, Berith was placed at the apex of the infernal hierarchy: right beside Lucifer and Beelzebub.
In his book, Michaëlis grouped the infernal spirits by their former angelic orders. Berith was declared a fallen Cherub (some notes suggest he was a Seraph), and Michaëlis placed him at the highest tier of the fallen host. Along with Lucifer and Beelzebub, they were given the title of princes.
In Michaëlis’ system, Lucifer is believed to have tempted humanity with pride, Beelzebub with envy, while Berith drove humans to disobedience, vanity, and murder. It is because of these reasons that they are sometimes referred to as the “architects of sin” by modern practitioners.
One of the most interesting things about Berith’s ever-changing descriptions in various texts across centuries is how deeply tied to nobility he remains. While certain aspects of him do change, his regal yet volatile bearing is always given emphasis.
How can a spirit give “true answers” if they are known to be a “notorious liar”? This is the paradox that Johann Weyer presents us with when he wrote about Berith in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum.
In it, he described Berith as a regal soldier who possesses objective, absolute truth about time, yet is fundamentally untrustworthy. He knows the truth, but intentionally chooses to deceive unless he is “contractually” or “legally” forced to do otherwise; representing a highly volatile intellect.
There are also some key nuances to note when it comes to Weyer’s phrasing in the original Latin text. An example of which is “Miles rubeus, totus rubeus” (“a red soldier, completely red”), where Weyer emphasizes the color red in relation to Berith. This repetition is what solidified the spirit’s ties to the martial and “fiery” iconography in later adaptations.
The Ars Goetia expands on Weyer’s text and introduces physical and sensory hazards, emphasizing both the literal and metaphorical dangers of approaching Berith.
One such detail is the silver ring barrier. The Ars Goetia specifically asks practitioners to hold up a silver ring before their face as a countermeasure to Berith’s fiery and deceptive energy. Why silver? Because of its astrological ties to the moon, it can help with clarity, intuition, and receptiveness.
Another thing to note is the description of Berith’s “Burning Breath”. This physical attribute often serves as a metaphor for the spirit’s intense and overwhelming energy; often as a warning for practitioners. As such, without the silver ring, they might be more susceptible to Berith’s influence.
BERITH. — The Twenty-eighth Spirit in Order, as Solomon bound them, is named Berith. He is a Mighty, Great, and Terrible Duke. He hath two other Names given unto him by men of later times, viz.: BEALE, or BEAL, and BOFRY or BOLFRY.
He appeareth in the Form of a Soldier with Red Clothing, riding upon a Red Horse, and having a Crown of Gold upon his head. He giveth true answers, Past, Present, and to Come. Thou must make use of a Ring in calling him forth, as is before spoken of regarding Beleth.
As you may already know, modern Demonolatry strips away the fear-based framework found in old grimoires. Instead of providing practitioners with ways of binding and commanding spirits, S. Connolly’s approach is based on religious respect, guidance, and real-world uses.
Unlike in medieval grimoires, Demonolatry proposes that spirits do not lie out of malice. The lies reported by scribes are said to have been the result of rude and (often) demanding magicians who misinterpreted the spirit’s communication or received distorted answers because they approached the entity with hostility and threats.
So, how does modern Demonolatry view Berith? Rather than expecting him to literally turn any metal into gold, his gold-making power is interpreted as financial alchemy.
This essentially means that practitioners can approach him for help in fixing their mindset around money, as well as navigating corporate law, securing solid business contracts, and building financial stability through personal discipline.
The Left-Hand Path ideology often takes a more psychological and esoteric approach when it comes to infernal spirits. From this perspective, Berith is seen as an initiator who makes use of friction to spark change and evolution.
In his writing, Ford interprets Berith’s deceptive nature as a deliberate tool to filter out a practitioner’s own ego, their self-delusions, and psychological blind spots. If they are naive or dishonest with themselves, Berith’s influence will amplify those flaws until collapse happens.
Passing his deception test then becomes a way of stripping away one’s own illusions.
Berith’s striking red imagery is also stripped of its “monstrous” nature and is viewed as symbols of passion, sovereignty, and kinetic energy. His red horse symbolizes raw, vital force, while his armor and crown represent the practitioner’s conscious will that’s shaping, controlling, and directing the force to help them conquer challenges in the physical world.
If we were to take Berith’s powers and abilities and place them in a modern context, it can be said that he operates like a strict corporate attorney and financial strategist.
He cuts through illusions with cold precision and provides objective truths, whether it is about a personal situation or your career.
That said, he can help you build unshakeable self-discipline, secure promotions, and stabilize wealth for the long term.
At first glance, sigils can be quite daunting. They can appear wild, sometimes chaotic, so understanding them may seem impossible at first. However, the geometry of each reveals a lot of things about each spirit’s nature and identity, so it is key to unlocking a deeper connection with them.
Here are some key things you should keep in mind about Berith’s sigil.
Sigils play an important role when it comes to invoking a spirit, so getting to know the meaning behind its design will enable you to better understand Berith and how to approach him with your petition.
There are many spirits in the Ars Goetia who know the future, but many practitioners say that King Purson and King/Earl Vine pair well with Duke Berith because they share his structural approach to time. They are master historians, hidden-knowledge finders, and objective diviners.
Like Duke Berith, he knows all things past, present, and future. However, while Duke Berith looks at time as a strategy to build career status and navigate contracts, King Purson explicitly seeks out secret data and divine mysteries.
Duke Berith and King/Earl Vine share a mastery over time, their manner of divining things differs greatly. King Vine reveals secrets that others are actively trying to hide, while Duke Berith uses divination to secure ironclad business deals and promotions.
If you’re looking to work with Duke Berith, prepare yourself for a highly structured experience. He does not operate on emotional pleas or chaotic energy; desperation will not motivate him to help you.
As such, if you wish for your petition to be heard, knowing the right approach matters. Here’s a guide to help you out:
Preparing your space is always a good first step. Think of it as inviting someone very important over. What do you need to do to make a good impression?
Some tips include: keeping the atmosphere clean, organized, and intentional. Remove any clutter and anything that might conflict with your altar. In doing so, you can also help clear your mind and body of any heavy emotional weight that might give off chaotic energy.
Altars need not be extravagant, but they must always reflect the spirit’s correspondences. A deep red altar cloth can represent his Martian energy to start with. Next, include an image of his sigil at the very center of it.
Offerings for Berith:
Beginners might find this particular step both confusing and daunting. Here are some observable signs and indicators you can stay alert to.
You can expect his energy to be intense, but not in the way that would feel burdensome. Instead, he will inject no-nonsense energy into your life. It might feel like a lot at first, but this is his way of setting things into motion.
Do know that he expects absolute accountability from all who seek him. Berith will enforce any contracts that you make, so you must fulfill them exactly as stated. If you break your word, he might withdraw his energy completely or create uncomfortable situations to force you back on track.
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