The name of the Angel (or Archangel) Raziel means "secrets of God" and is therefore a most appropriate pseudepigraphical author for a book on magic. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Raziel's mission is as the "transmitter of secrets." Various spellings of his name include Raziel, Ratziel, Razial, Ratzial, Retziel, Reziel, and Rezial. The spelling of Sepher/Cephar, will also vary. The legend of the iST D the Sepher Raziel, or 'Book of Raziel', states that the book was originally inscribed on a sapphire stone.! A copy was given to Seraph, then Metatron, then Adam. It is said that the angels (specifically the Cherubim) were upset that such knowledge was given to Adam, and so they descended to earth to steal the book back from him. This is an interesting echo of the idea that both angels, and their fallen brethren the demons, are unhappy that books of magic, containing formulae that can constrain them, have been made available to man. To ensure that the book would not be found again, the angels tossed ti deep into the ocean. However, according to Jewish tradition, God ordered the archangel Raphael (or Rahab, according to some sources) to retrieve it, who then gave it to Noah to protect him during the flood. Eventually, after a number of adventures, it was given to King Solomon by a Babylonian prince