He's a complex figure in demonology and religious history, best known as the biblical "scapegoat" and a leader of the fallen angels in the Book of Enoch. His mythos spans ancient desert rituals, apocryphal lore, and occult traditions.
1. The Biblical Scapegoat (Leviticus)
The Ritual: The High Priest used lots to select two goats—one "for the Lord" (a sin offering) and the other "for Azazel".
The Exile: The sins and transgressions of the Israelites were symbolically placed onto the second goat, which was then cast out into the rugged, desolate wilderness, effectively removing the community's guilt.
2. The Book of Enoch (Fallen Angel)
In non-canonical apocryphal texts, Azazel is named as the leader of the Watchers—a group of angels who descended to Earth and took human wives.
Forbidden Knowledge: Azazel is credited with teaching humanity metallurgy, how to forge weapons, and the art of warfare (along with cosmetics and jewelry).
Divine Punishment: According to the narrative, mankind became so corrupt from this knowledge that God commanded the angel Raphael to bind Azazel, throw him into a pit of jagged rocks in the wilderness of Dudael, and cover him in darkness until the Day of Judgment.
In broader Semitic and ancient Israelite traditions, Azazel is considered the chief of the Se'irim (hairy demons or goat-demons). These were desert entities to whom primitive tribes would offer sacrifices in the wilderness.
4. Later Occult and Textual Depictions
Later grimoires, such as the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum and Dictionnaire Infernal, categorize Azazel within the hierarchy of Hell.
In these texts, he is often described as a bearer of the standard (a standard-bearer in demonic armies), a master of dark arts, and an entity associated with pride and wrath.
Why did Azazel fall from Heaven?
He revealed forbidden divine secrets to humans and taught them the art of warfare.
Weapons and Metallurgy: Azazel taught mankind how to make swords, knives, shields, and breastplates, while also showing them how to mine and manipulate precious metals and stones.
Cosmetics and Enchantment: He introduced the use of cosmetics, dyes, and various beautifying methods, which were traditionally not meant for humanity.
Corruption of Mankind: By giving humans weapons and teaching them to craft adornments, they became corrupted, violent, and vain.
These actions plunged the earth into chaos, God ordered the angel Raphael to bind Azazel hand and foot and cast him into the darkness of the desert to abide there forever.
His primary task assigned by Heaven was to watch over and guide humanity.
The Heavenly Assignment: As a leader of the Watchers (or Grigori), Azazel's original, holy purpose was to act as an angelic caretaker.
The Transgression: Instead of merely observing, he taught humans the art of war (swords, shields, breastplates), metallurgy, and the use of precious stones and pigments. He also taught women how to apply makeup and alter their appearance, which was viewed as teaching the "sinful art of deception".
The Punishment: According to the text, the violence and corruption caused by Azazel's teachings became so severe that the Archangel Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel brought the matter before God. Archangel Raphael was subsequently tasked by God to bind Azazel hand and foot, cast him into the darkness of the desert of Dudael, and leave him there until the Day of Judgment.
My Own Portrayal of Azazel (not Hellaverse related)
I picked him as the candidate of the sin of wrath since I decided that Satan is Lucifer theologically. Well according to the information that he taught humanity how to make weapons, I made him a fighter and a weapons dealer in Hell teaching the demons how to fight. He's basically similar to Archangel Michael in a sense but wrathful about it. After so many years, he's bitter and resentful towards Heaven for kicking him out because he felt that humanity has the right to defend themselves against danger/threats.
Azazel having a pet goat comes from the fact a ritual that the Israelite community removed all their sins and impurities to send them away into the wilderness. While in his banishment in the desert, a goat wandered where he was and he took a liking to it.
The goat then transformed into it's almost demonic form by Lucifer/Satan to survive thr harsh hot temperatures of Hell when Azazel brought it with him.