A Roman priest once told a Greek colleague that his gods had no myths, only rituals. The Greek laughed. The Roman was not joking. The same principle applies to the seals of the Ars Goetia: their power lives not in what they depict, but in what they compel. The Seal of Command and the Seal of Righteousness are two distinct sigils from the Lesser Key of Solomon, each governing a different kind of spiritual authority: one compels obedience, the other demands moral alignment. They are not interchangeable, and confusing them has sent more than one practitioner back to the drawing board with a headache and a cold room.
What Are the Seal of Command and the Seal of Righteousness?
The Seal of Command (sometimes called the Sigillum Dei or the Seal of God in older grimoires) is the primary sigil used to compel spirits to appear, speak truthfully, and obey the magician’s will. It appears in the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis (The Lesser Key of Solomon), compiled in the 17th century from earlier medieval manuscripts, though its geometric structure traces back to the Liber Juratus (The Sworn Book of Honorius) circa 1300.
The Seal of Righteousness is a different sigil entirely. It appears in the same manuscript tradition but serves a protective and judgmental function. Where the Seal of Command forces a spirit to act, the Seal of Righteousness tests whether the spirit’s presence is lawful or deceptive. It is a filter, not a whip.
Both seals are drawn on virgin parchment or engraved on metal (traditionally brass or silver) and consecrated according to the planetary hours and astrological conditions described in the Ars Goetia. But their purposes diverge sharply once the circle is drawn.
Where Do These Seals Come From?
The earliest known manuscript of the Lemegeton is Sloane MS 2733, held at the British Library, dated to the mid-17th century. But the seals themselves are older. The geometric patterns of the Seal of Command appear in the Liber Juratus (circa 1300), attributed to Honorius of Thebes, and in the Heptameron of Pietro d’Abano (circa 1295). The Seal of Righteousness appears later, likely a 16th-century addition from the German magical tradition of the Clavicula Salomonis.
The key difference in origin: the Seal of Command belongs to the Solomonic tradition of ritual magic, where the magician operates from a position of divine authority. The Seal of Righteousness belongs to the protective and judicial tradition, where the magician must prove their own worth before the spirit will submit.
John Dee and Edward Kelley, the Elizabethan magicians who produced the Enochian system, worked extensively with the Sigillum Dei Aemeth (the Seal of God of Truth), which shares structural elements with the Seal of Command. Dee’s seal, drawn in his Liber Mysteriorum (1583), contains the seven names of God arranged in a heptagram. The Goetic Seal of Command uses a similar heptagram but with different divine names, reflecting the different hierarchy of spirits being addressed.
What Each Seal Actually Does
The Seal of Command: Compulsion and Authority
The Seal of Command is drawn inside the magic circle before any spirit is summoned. Its function is straightforward: it asserts the magician’s authority over the spirit by invoking the divine names that the spirit cannot resist. When the seal is present and consecrated, the spirit must appear, must answer truthfully, and must obey lawful commands.
The seal works through hierarchical binding. Each line and intersection corresponds to a divine name or angelic power that the spirit has sworn obedience to. The magician does not command from personal power. The seal channels the authority of the names written into it.
In practice, the Seal of Command is placed on the ground within the circle, or worn as a lamen (a pendant worn over the chest). The magician points to it when giving a command. If the spirit hesitates or lies, the magician touches the seal and repeats the command. The seal does the heavy lifting.
The Seal of Righteousness: Judgment and Protection
The Seal of Righteousness is drawn outside the circle, or on a separate talisman held in the left hand. Its function is to test the spirit’s nature. A lawful spirit will approach the seal without fear. A deceptive spirit will recoil, distort, or attempt to flee.
The seal does not compel. It discerns. It acts as a spiritual litmus test, revealing whether the spirit operates under divine law or has slipped through a crack in the hierarchy. The Seal of Righteousness is also used to protect the magician from spirits that have been improperly bound or that carry residual malice from previous summonings.
In the Ars Goetia, the Seal of Righteousness is specifically recommended for spirits of the second and third hierarchies (the ones more likely to deceive). It is less necessary for the first hierarchy of spirits, who are bound by higher oaths.
How the Seals Are Used Together
A competent Goetic operation uses both seals in sequence. The magician draws the circle, places the Seal of Command inside it, and begins the invocation. Once the spirit appears, the magician presents the Seal of Righteousness. If the spirit passes the test, the magician proceeds with the working. If the spirit fails, the magician dismisses it immediately and rechecks the consecration of the seals.
The two seals form a dialectic of power and discernment. The Seal of Command gives the magician authority. The Seal of Righteousness keeps that authority from becoming dangerous.
This is where most beginners make their mistake. They use the Seal of Command alone, assuming that compulsion is enough. It is not. A spirit compelled without discernment may obey the letter of the command while violating its spirit. The Seal of Righteousness closes that loophole.
Symbolism and Meaning
The Geometry of the Seal of Command
The Seal of Command is built on a heptagram (seven-pointed star), which corresponds to the seven planetary spheres and the seven days of creation. Each point of the star carries a divine name: El, Elohim, Tetragrammaton, Shaddai, Adonai, Yah, and Eheieh. The heptagram is enclosed in a circle inscribed with the names of the seven archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Samael, Zadkiel, and Metatron.
The seal’s meaning is hierarchical totality. It asserts that the magician operates under the full authority of the divine hierarchy, from the highest name to the lowest angel. No spirit can claim exemption because the seal covers every level of the chain.
The Geometry of the Seal of Righteousness
The Seal of Righteousness uses a hexagram (six-pointed star), the Star of David, which represents the union of the divine and the material. It is inscribed with the name Tetragrammaton (YHWH) and the words Tzadik (righteous) and Mishpat (judgment).
The hexagram is not a symbol of compulsion. It is a symbol of balance. The seal tests whether the spirit can stand in the presence of divine justice without being consumed. A spirit that passes the test has demonstrated that it operates within the lawful order. A spirit that fails has revealed itself as an intruder.
Common Misconceptions
“The Seal of Command is the same as the Sigillum Dei.”
They are related but not identical. The Sigillum Dei (Seal of God) from the Liber Juratus and Dee’s system is a more complex geometric figure containing 49 squares and 72 divine names. The Goetic Seal of Command is a simplified version adapted for the 72 spirits of the Ars Goetia. Using the full Sigillum Dei for a Goetic operation is possible but unnecessary. It is like using a siege engine to open a door.
“The Seal of Righteousness protects against all spirits.”
It does not. It protects against deceptive spirits. A lawful spirit of the first hierarchy will not be affected by it at all. The seal is a filter, not a shield. For physical protection during a summoning, the magician relies on the circle and the divine names, not the seal.
“You can use either seal for any spirit.”
No. Each seal is calibrated for specific hierarchies. Using the Seal of Command on a spirit that requires the Seal of Righteousness first may result in a spirit that appears but refuses to speak. Using the Seal of Righteousness on a spirit that requires compulsion will produce no result at all. The spirit will simply ignore it.
Notable Texts and Figures
The most detailed instructions for both seals appear in Sloane MS 2733 (circa 1650), which contains the earliest complete version of the Lemegeton. The manuscript describes the consecration process, the materials required, and the specific invocations for each seal.
Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (1854-1918) translated and edited the Lemegeton for the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, publishing The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage (1898) and The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon (1904). Mathers added extensive footnotes on the seals, drawing on his knowledge of Hebrew and Kabbalistic symbolism.
Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) published his own edition of The Goetia in 1904, with additional commentary and a new translation. Crowley’s version includes detailed instructions for drawing and consecrating both seals, though he modified some of the divine names to align with his Thelemic system.
Joseph H. Peterson, in his 2001 critical edition The Lesser Key of Solomon, provided the most accurate transcription of the original manuscripts, correcting errors introduced by Mathers and Crowley. Peterson’s edition is the standard reference for modern practitioners.
FAQ
Can I use the Seal of Command without the Seal of Righteousness?
You can, but you should not. The Seal of Righteousness is a safety measure that prevents deception. Without it, you have no way to verify that the spirit you summoned is who it claims to be.
Which seal is drawn first in a ritual?
The Seal of Command is drawn first, inside the circle. The Seal of Righteousness is drawn afterward, on a separate talisman or outside the circle. The order matters because the Seal of Command establishes authority before the Seal of Righteousness tests the spirit.
Do the seals need to be consecrated every time?
No. Once consecrated, a seal retains its power as long as it is stored properly (wrapped in silk, kept away from sunlight and moisture). However, if the seal is damaged or exposed to profane influences, it must be reconsecrated.
Can I engrave the seals on metal instead of drawing them on parchment?
Yes. Traditional materials include brass for the Seal of Command and silver for the Seal of Righteousness. The metal must be purified and consecrated before engraving. Parchment is acceptable for temporary use, but metal is preferred for permanent talismans.
The Seal of Command and the Seal of Righteousness are not competing symbols. They are complementary tools, each addressing a different aspect of the same operation. One compels. One discerns. Together, they form the foundation of safe and effective Goetic practice. For a deeper understanding of the hierarchy these seals govern, see our guide to demonology and the Goetia. For the specific geometric construction of each seal, consult the glossary of sigils. And for the full ritual sequence, read our guide on preparing the circle and tools.