The Lesser Key of Solomon

The Lesser Key of Solomon: A Modern Rendering of the 17th-Century Grimoire
With an Introduction and Annotations by Dennis Logan

This edition of The Lesser Key of Solomon, also known as Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, offers a complete facsimile of the original Goetia text alongside extensive scholarly commentary. It situates the work within the broader tradition of biblical and apocryphal literature, highlighting linguistic and theological connections often overlooked in modern presentations.

The names, prayers, and ritual structures in the Goetia draw heavily from canonical sources. Invocations to YHVH, Adonai, and Elohim, as well as references to figures such as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel, appear throughout both Testaments and Second Temple texts. The rituals mirror biblical patterns in structure and tone, incorporating verses and epithets rooted in Psalms, Exodus, and prophetic literature.

Each of the seventy-two spirits is examined in historical and linguistic context. Several names correspond to ancient gods or condemned idols found in the Hebrew Bible, while others are drawn from Islamic, Roman, and folk traditions. The result is a composite spiritual system constructed through layers of syncretism, redaction, and transmission.

This edition preserves the form of the original while expanding its depth. It is intended for serious readers who seek to understand the text as both a ritual manual and a cultural document shaped by religious history, literary tradition, and early modern imagination.