The Book of Enoch, an apocryphal Jewish work composed in the last few centuries before the Christian era, significantly influences certain interpretations of the azazel goat in Leviticus 16. Though bearing the name of one of God's faithful servants, this book was not written by the prophet Enoch but by individuals during the intertestamental period, with scholars estimating its earlier parts around 300 BC and the remainder before 100 BC. While it includes biblical themes and names, much of its content contradicts the rest of the biblical canon. In the Book of Enoch, Azazel is depicted as a fallen angel who teaches mankind unrighteous ways, leading to his binding and sentencing to the desert forever. Additionally, it presents a tradition often associated with the Day of Atonement, asserting that Azazel is the author of human sin, with the statement, "And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin." This perspective from the Book of Enoch contributes to the tradition that identifies azazel as a demonic being, shaping some understandings of the azazel goat's role in the atonement ritual.

The Book of Enoch, an apocryphal Jewish work, is referenced by some, including Seventh-Day Adventist scholars, to support the doctrine that the azazel goat in Leviticus 16 represents Satan. In this text, Azazel is depicted as a demon blamed for all the sins of mankind, though not the chief demon, being subservient to another named Semjaza. According to the Book of Enoch, Azazel is bound and cast into darkness, confined to the desert until the day of judgment, which some correlate with the azazel goat being sent into the wilderness. However, this connection is textual rather than scriptural, and there is no parallel between the purposes or outcomes of the azazel goat and the binding of Satan as described in other contexts. The reliance on such apocryphal literature, alongside other non-biblical traditions, is questioned as a valid foundation for doctrine within God's church, emphasizing that only the Word of God should serve as the basis for understanding spiritual truths.

The Hebrew word azazel appears to be a compound noun, so the possibility exists that it is a name. Between the testaments, Jewish folklore invented a lesser demon named Azazel, who was blamed for all human sin. A millennium after Leviticus 16, the word azazel had been turned into a name. Many Jews of this time used a saying that reveals how they intertwined Scripture with folklore: On the day of atonement, a gift to Sammael. These Jews viewed the live goat as an offering sent to Samael, the Devil, who blended with their myth of Azazel, as folklore is wont to do.