The name Lilith conjures images of the night-demon, the child-snatcher, and, most controversially, Adam’s first wife. Unlike Eve, she is almost entirely absent from the main narrative of the canonical Bible. However, her enduring presence in ancient Near Eastern demonology and later Jewish folklore makes her one of the most debated “shadow figures” in biblical study. This article deconstructs the Lilith mythos by separating the single scriptural reference from the rich layers of extra-biblical tradition.

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Section I: Lilith’s Single Appearance in the Canon

Lilith is referenced only once in the sixty-six books of the canonical Bible, appearing in a passage in the Book of Isaiah, where the prophet describes the utter desolation of the land of Edom.

Biblical Reference

In keeping with your request for the King James Version (KJV), the term is translated not as a proper name, but as a specific creature associated with ruin and the night:

“The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.” (Isaiah 34:14, KJV)

The Hebrew Word: Lîlîth

The word translated as “screech owl” in the KJV is the Hebrew term lîlîth.

• Ancient Context: In the ancient Near East, particularly Babylonian demonology, the lilitu (and related spirits) were known as female wind or night spirits that were dangerous to pregnant women and infants.
• The Prophetic Use: In Isaiah 34, the prophet uses a list of desolate, unclean, and chaotic creatures (satyr, wild beasts, screech owl/lîlîth) to paint a picture of total ruin and judgment upon Edom. By including the lîlîth, Isaiah links the prophesied destruction to the mythical realm of chaos and the demonic, a place where only such malevolent, nocturnal creatures can find rest.

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Section II: The Extra-Biblical Myth: Adam’s First Wife

The Lilith narrative most people are familiar with—that of Adam’s defiant first wife—does not come from the Bible, but from later Jewish texts and folklore.

A. The Origin in Folklore

The primary source that develops Lilith as the first woman is the Alphabet of Ben Sira (a satirical Jewish text composed between the 8th and 10th centuries AD).

The myth was created to reconcile the two seemingly different creation accounts in Genesis:

1. Genesis 1:27: Where God created man male and female simultaneously.
2. Genesis 2:21-22: Where God created Eve later from Adam’s rib.

The folklore concluded that the woman in Genesis 1 was Lilith, who, being created simultaneously from the same earth as Adam, refused to be subservient to him (specifically in the context of their sexual relations). When Adam demanded her submission, she spoke the ineffable name of God and flew away from the Garden of Eden.

B. The Demonic Descent

After fleeing, the myth states that Lilith became a demoness in the wilderness, refusing to return even when God sent three angels to retrieve her.

• The Vengeance: In retaliation for her disobedience and God’s threat to kill her demonic offspring, Lilith vowed to prey upon newborn infants and men who sleep alone, becoming the infamous night-demon or succubus of later Jewish and European tradition.
• Talmudic References: Later Rabbinic texts, such as the Babylonian Talmud, mention her in discussions about demons, describing her as winged and having long hair, and warning against her influence.

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Section III: The Prophetic Hotspot: A Cautionary Shadow

The figure of Lilith serves as a powerful shadow study to the themes central to TheLordsReturn.com.

The true theological contrast is not between Lilith and Eve, but between the Spirit of Rebellion and the Spirit of Submission—a submission not to man, but to the Divine order. Lilith, in her mythological form, embodies the ultimate choice to reject God’s provision, sovereignty, and order, and to choose the desolation of the world over the covenant of the Garden.

This choice is the antithesis of the Church, which is called to be the Bride awaiting the Lord’s return.

The Foundational Word: Light Versus Darkness

As the Scriptures clearly highlight the stark contrast between divine order and chaotic rebellion, we are called to distinguish between light and darkness:

From the Apostles:

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” (Romans 13:12, KJV)

From Revelation:

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Revelation 17:4-5, KJV)

The Established Truth

The Lilith myth—a figure of night, lawlessness, and rebellion against God’s established order—stands in stark contrast to the Pure Bride of Christ who is prepared for His return. While her character is primarily a creature of folklore, her single mention in Isaiah reinforces a key biblical concept: God’s judgment reserves a desolate place for all that embodies spiritual chaos and unholy darkness.