Does the bible mention Lilith?

Yes, there is mention of the name in reference to a creature of the night in Isaiah, but no; there is no mention of Lilith in Genesis. She was NOT Adam's "first wife" or anyone's wife. The name "Lilith" originates from Hebrew rendering of Isaiah 34:14, which is translated in KJV as a screech owl and comes from Jewish superstition. Here is what Bible commentator Albert Barnes has to say of this reference:

Isaiah 34:14

The wild beasts of the desert - There is in the original here a paronomasia, which cannot be conveyed in a translation. The word rendered, ‘wild beasts of the desert’ (ציים tsı̂yı̂ym), is rendered by the Septuagint, δαιμόνια daimonia, ‘demons.’

The wild beasts of the island - Margin, ‘Ijim.’ Hebrew, איּים 'ı̂yym (see the note at Isaiah 13:22). Probably the term denotes the jackal. Gesenius supposes it is so called from its howl, or nocturnal cry - from an Arabia word signifying to howl.

And the satyr - (see the note at Isaiah 13:21).

Shall cry to his fellow - A most striking description of the desolation, when all that is heard among the ruins shall be the doleful cry of wild beasts.

The screech-owl - Margin, ‘Night-monster.’ The word לילית lı̂ylı̂yt (from ליל layil, night) properly denotes a night-spectre - a creature of Jewish superstition. The rabbis describe it in the form of a female elegantly dressed that lay in wait for children at night - either to carry them off, or to murder them. The Greeks had a similar idea respecting the female ἔμπουτα empouta, and this idea corresponds to the Roman fables respecting the Lamice, and Striges, and to the Arabic notions of the Ghules, whom they described as female monsters that dwell in deserts, and tear men to pieces (see Gesenius, Com. in loc; and Bochart, Hieroz. ii. 831). The margin in our version expresses the correct idea. All this is descriptive of utter and perpetual desolation - of a land that should be full of old ruins, and inhabited by the animals that usually make such ruins their abode.

The Voice

The word 'lilith' appears in Isaiah, but as a wild creature of the night -- sometimes it's translated as 'screech owl'. There isn't any reference to the mythical story you mention in the bible.

References to Lilith as a demoness may go back to early Babylonian legends, but that is conjecture which no one has been able to prove. The story of Lilith as Adam's first wife was first written down in about the 10th century in the "Alphabet of Ben Sira" and attempts to reconcile a biblical 'contradiction': in Genesis 1, it says God created 'male and female' together, but in Genesis 2 it says God created Adam first, and Eve afterwards, from a rib of Adam. The 10th century story claims that the first wife was Lilith. Three hundred years later, another writer created the idea that Lilith left Adam, after refusing to be subordinate to him, and mated with the angel Samael instead, giving birth to a race of night demons. Both of these inventors were Jewish rabbis, not Christians, but Christians liked the tale too.

Lilith is not mentioned in the Bible as Adam's first wife. There are legends that Adam had a wife before Eve who was named Lilith, but this is not found in the Bible. The legends vary significantly, but they all essentially agree that Lilith left Adam because she did not want to submit to him. According to the legends, Lilith was an evil, wicked woman who committed adultery with Satan and produced a race of evil creatures. None of this is true. There is no biblical basis whatsoever for these concepts. There is no one in the Bible named Lilith.

The passage most often pointed to as evidence for Lilith is Isaiah 34:14; which in the NRSV reads, "there too Lilith shall repose." This is a poor translation. Every other major translation of the Bible reads something to the effect of "night creature" or "screech owl." Even if "demon monster named Lilith" was the proper translation of the Hebrew word, Adam is nowhere even hinted at in this passage or its context. Whatever the Lilith was, it is not given any connection whatsoever to Adam or Creation.

Another commonly used support for Lilith is the differing Creation accounts in Genesis chapters 1-2. Some claim that the woman in Genesis 1 was Lilith, with the woman in Genesis 2 being Eve. This is completely ludicrous. Rather, Genesis chapter 2 is a "closer look" at the creation of Adam and Eve as recorded in Genesis chapter 1. The Bible specifically says that Adam and Eve were the first human beings ever created (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-25). This "Lilith" myth is popular in some radical feminist movements because Lilith is an example of a woman refusing to submit to male headship. While there are myths outside of the Word of God regarding Lilith, her complete absence from Scripture demonstrates that she is nothing more than a myth.

I have even heard others critize Christians by declaring they don't even know the Bible because it says Lilith was Adam's first wife. This is by no means true.

What is so pathetic and nutty about R&S Answers is that the people who got it right and provided very informative information in this string are the ones given the most "thumbs down" by readers.

The story of Lilith is "apocraphyl"--you won't find it in detail in the Bible but but it is woven into traditional belief nevertheless (most lore about angels is in the category, too, btw). Lilith has her origins in earlier Sumerian culture and probably initially related to a group or type of spiritual entity (lilitu --plural). Mythically and metaphorically speaking, Lilith is a Judaic verson of a bogeyman responsible for infant death, miscarriage, impotence, wet dreams, etc. She is also used in a parable/myth to explain how men and women should behave in early Jewish culture ("women should submit to men or else they are demonic"--or so the story implies.) Very many early cultures had lore about what caused infant death (the rate of which was very high in ancient times) and infertility or pregnancy loss and of course, any sexual problem a man had--from impotence to overstimulation or wet dreams were either blamed on real women (who were often accused of witchcraft and tortured) or else imagined spiritual entities such as Lilith.

Yes, in about the 10th century, some of the Jewish scriptures and lore were "redacted." That means that parts were elaborated on or that a fuller narrative was filled in.

The correct answer:

"Lilith" **is** mentioned in the Bible - but not as Adam's first wife, and not in any way similar to the story you mention. This describes the sole mention of "Lilith" in the Bible:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith#In_the_Bible

The story you mention is first known in writing no earlier than the 8th century C.E.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith#Alphabet_of_Be...

Critical scholars date Genesis to no later than the 6th century B.C.E. (non-critical scholars give it a much older date)

So: the story of Lilith as Adam's first wife was first written down at least 1,200 years after Genesis was written and more than 300 years after the first book known as "The Bible" was put together. It is clearly a story that is **based on** the Biblical book of Genesis. It is not an authentic story; it is not a story as old as the Bible. It is a story that was made up hundreds of years after the Biblical story of Adam was written down.

- Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

Unfortunately there is no mention of Lilith in the bible, only in certain books of ancient civilizations will you find her spoken of. In Egypt I believe there is some very old scriptures of her marked on a wall drawing of her. Society would have marked out Lilith in The Bible because people want to show a "perfect" life. That if Adam had 2 wives it would look trashy and other women would follow down path's like Lilith.

Nope, all of the books that mentioned her weren't even seen as fit for inclusion in the apocrypha. She was part of Gnostic beliefs and Gnostics were not popular in the early church. Their "we know for certain" stance been heretical in a system where belief itself is the most important part of the faith.

In some versions, Lilith is mentioned by name (Isaiah 34:14 NRSV) and associated with the night creatures. The name was replaced in most versions. But she's mostly mentioned in Jewish texts.

Here's the verse in that version http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/isaiah/34-14.ht...

No. There is no mention of the name "Lilith" any where in the Bible.

According to the Bible, God took a rib from Adam's side, and formed Eve; Adam's first, last, and only wife.

Lilith is a cultural fable added to the scriptures over the centuries.