Quick Specs
- Type: Hardcover occult reference book
- Size: 7.34″ x 10.22″
- Size/Quantity: One hardcover volume, edited by Joseph Peterson
- Best for: Ceremonial magic, Solomonic tradition, grimoire study, folk magic research
Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses: A German Grimoire in Western Esoteric Literature
The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses is a German grimoire that presents itself as the magical books of Moses. First published in Germany in the early nineteenth century as Die sechste und siebente Buch Mosis, the text circulated as a chapbook through Pennsylvania Dutch immigrant communities and was later taken up in hoodoo and in Caribbean obeah. Joseph Peterson’s scholarly hardcover edition restores the text to its fullest known form, drawing on multiple manuscript traditions and providing critical annotations that place each seal and conjuration in its proper historical context.
Peterson is one of the foremost editors of Western esoteric manuscripts working today, known for rigorous source comparison and transparent editorial methodology. His edition includes extensive footnotes tracing the Latin, Hebrew, and German source material, making this version valuable both as a working grimoire and as a serious scholarly resource. Peterson’s hardcover edition works from primary sources.
Seals, Conjurations, and Cross-Cultural Roots
The book is organized around a series of powerful seals, each associated with specific spirits and ritual purposes, ranging from healing and protection to treasure finding and command over elemental forces. Practitioners may copy the seals by hand onto parchment or paper to use as petition papers, carrying them or burning them in candle work. The seals have also been used in hoodoo. The text also draws heavily on the Key of Solomon and other Solomonic grimoires, situating the Moses Books within the broader tradition of goetic and Solomonic ceremonial magic that shaped European occultism for centuries.
This hardcover format is deliberately chosen for practitioners who intend to use the book regularly at the altar. Softcover editions of this text tend to deteriorate quickly under candlelight conditions and with repeated handling. The hardcover binding holds up to the kind of sustained ritual use that a reference grimoire demands. I stock Peterson’s edition because it is the most textually complete version available to English-language readers, and because the annotations make it usable by practitioners who lack Latin or Hebrew language skills.
How to Use the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses
A step-by-step guide to using the seals and conjurations in this grimoire edition.
- Locate the Appropriate Seal
Find the seal corresponding to your working intent by consulting Peterson’s index. Each seal is numbered and annotated with its traditional use, the spirits associated with it, and the Hebrew or Latin invocations tied to that seal’s operation.
- Prepare Your Working Space
Set up your altar with candles, incense, and any materials called for in the conjuration. The text recommends timing workings to planetary hours, and Peterson’s notes clarify which seals are solar, lunar, or planetarily governed.
- Work with the Seal Directly
Copy the seal onto fresh parchment or use the printed version as a focal point. Speak the associated prayer or conjuration aloud, directing intent through the seal. Many practitioners add the seal to a charm bag after the working.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I carry Peterson’s hardcover edition because it is a scholarly, annotated English-language version of this grimoire. If you are building a serious magical library, this belongs on the shelf. Browse my spellcraft and witchcraft books for more essential titles, and check my esoteric and occult books for companion resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Peterson’s edition uses multiple primary manuscripts with footnotes tracing Hebrew, Latin, and German sources. This edition is a scholarly restoration with annotations.
It works as both. Seals and conjurations appear in full for practical use, and Peterson’s annotations clarify historical context. Practitioners use it at the altar; researchers use it for source comparison. Both purposes are served well.
Yes. It is a German grimoire that has also been used in hoodoo and in Caribbean obeah. Each seal is associated with a specific spirit and working purpose.
Yes. The hardcover holds up to regular altar use and repeated handling. Softcover editions degrade quickly under candle heat. For a grimoire you intend to work with frequently, the hardcover binding makes a real difference in longevity.
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