SATAN. The solution is surprisingly straightforward. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word satan ( שטן) is not a proper personal name.

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SATAN David s Census One of the more vexing problems in the Old Testament is how to parse the parallel accounts of 1 Chronicles 21:1 17 and 2 Samuel 24:1 25.

1 SATAN David s Census One of the more vexing problems in the Old Testament is how to parse the parallel accounts of 1 Chronicles 21:1 17 and 2 Samuel 24:1 25. First Chronicles 21 (ESV) Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number. Second Samuel 24 (ESV) Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he [God] incited David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people. The two accounts are nearly identical, save for one glaring disparity: The Chronicler s version has satan as David s instigator, while 2 Samuel names Yahweh, the God of Israel, as the provocateur. The Chronicler s account notes that David s act was evil in the sight of God, but this line is omitted in 2 Samuel. Both accounts have God posing three punishments before David, but David leaves the decision to the Lord. The Angel of Yahweh executes a plague on the land in both versions. The two accounts seem contradictory. If we want to blame satan, we must identify Yahweh as satan. The reverse strategy requires that we identify satan with the sovereign Yahweh. If satan can somehow be removed from the picture, then we are faced with the fact that Yahweh incited David to do something, and then punished him for doing so. Is there any way out of this mess? The solution is surprisingly straightforward. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word satan ( שטן) is not a proper personal name.

2 This is because the definite article in Hebrew (the word the ) is nearly always attached to it. Like English, Hebrew does not permit its definite article to be paired with a proper personal name (I don t call myself, the Mike ). The noun satan, paired with the definite article, simply means the adversary. There are only a handful of places in the Hebrew Bible where satan is not preceded by the definite article. First Chronicles 21:1 is one of them, and thus many interpreters see this as a rare instance of the being known as satan appearing in the Old Testament. If this is the case, though, we have a blatant contradiction. There is a better explanation. Another place in the Old Testament where satan lacks the definite article and the term is used of a divine figure is Numbers 22:22, where we read that the Angel of Yahweh stood in the way of Balaam and his donkey as an adversary (satan). The Angel was opposing Balaam; he was a divinely appointed adversary, like the satan in 1 Chronicles 21. The Hebrew word for satan in Numbers 22:22 is lə śā ṭān. The only other place where satan is used as a proper name without the definite article the and is describing a person is 1 Kings 11:14,23. Hadad the Edomite was Solomon s Adversary in verse 14 and Eliadah son of Rezon in verse 23. All of which is translated an adversary. This connection between the word satan and the Angel of Yahweh is crucial to understanding the discrepancy between 1 Chronicles 21:1 and 2 Sam 24:1. In both accounts, the Angel dispenses God s judgment upon David (1 Chronicles 21:14 15; 2 Sam 24:15 16). God and the Angel of the Lord were frequently identified with each other in the Old Testament (e.g., Exodus 3 [compare Josh 5:13 15]; Judges 6). Thus, it seems that we don t have satan (God s cosmic enemy) in the Chronicles passage. Instead, the writer is referring to the Angel, who is Yahweh in human form. This means that both the writers of Chronicles and 2 Samuel have Yahweh initiating the census and there is no contradiction. One question looms, despite this solution: Why? Why would Yahweh incite David to do something for which He would later punish him? Both accounts begin by saying Yahweh was angry with Israel, not David. Yahweh chose to use David as His instrument of judgment against the nation, similar to the way He would use Nebuchadnezzar centuries later. As the Babylonian king was still

3 accountable for His actions, so was David. Judgment (and its means) both belong to the Lord, but human agents are still accountable. Names of Satan 1. Is Satan the name of this Great Adversary? At the onset itself, we must understand that the English word Satan originates from the Hebrew word Saw-tawn. The Strong s Concordance defines this Hebrew word as given here: H7854 שטן sá tạ n saw-tawn an opponent; adversary. As per the definition above, it should be clear to you that the word Saw-tawn is not a name for a specific character or individual, but a word used generally for opponent or adversary. Let us look at the usage of this word in the Scriptures. The Angel of God called Satan Numbers 22:22 And God s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary (H7854 שטן sá tạ n saw-tawn ) against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. Numbers 22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand (H7854 שטן sá tạ n saw-tawn ) thee, because thy way is perverse before me. David called Satan 1 Samuel 29:4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary (H7854 שטן sá tạ n saw-tawn ) to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men? Sons of Zeruiah called Satan 2 Samuel 19:22

And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries (H7854 שטן sá tạ n saw-tawn ) unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel?

4 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries (H7854 שטן sá tạ n saw-tawn ) unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? Hadad the Edomite called Satan 1 Kings 11:14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary (H7854 שטן sá tạ n saw-tawn ) unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king s seed in Edom. In the above examples Num 22:22&32 both regard the Angel of God who stopped Baalam as an adversary (Saw-tawn). In the 3rd instance, the princes of Philistine spoke of David as an adversary (Saw-tawn) towards them. Surely, neither the Angel of God or David was Satan in these instances. It is clear proof that this word Saw-tawn cannot be used as a proper name to refer to a certain individual, but that it was generally used for any person who opposes or acts as an adversary. H7854 saw-tawn is translated as adversary in the following verses: Numbers 22:22, 1Sam 29:4, 2Sam 19:22, 1Kin 5:4, 1Kin 11:14,23,25 H7854 saw-tawn is translated as withstand in the following verse: Numbers 22:32 H7854 saw-tawn is translated as Satan in the following verses:

5 1Chr 21:1, Job 1:6,7,8,9,12, 2:1,2,3,4,6,7, Psalms 109:6, Zechariah 3:1,2 A Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word Sawtawn has been used extensively in the New Testament, further enforcing the above conclusion. G4567 Σατανα ς Satanas sat-an-as Of Chaldees origin corresponding to G4566 (with the definite article affixed); the accuser, that is, the devil: G4567 is translated Satan in the following verses: Mat_4:10; Mat_12:26; Mat_16:23; Mar_1:13; Mar_3:23; Mar_3:26; Mar_4:15; Mar_8:33; Luk_4:8; Luk_10:18; Luk_11:18; Luk_13:16; Luk_22:3; Luk_22:31; Joh_13:27; Act_5:3; Act_26:18; Rom_16:20; 1Co_5:5; 1Co_7:5; 2Co_2:11; 2Co_11:14; 1Th_2:18; 2Th_2:9; 1Ti_1:20; 1Ti_5:15; Rev_2:9; Rev_2:13; Rev_2:24; Rev_3:9; Rev_12:9; Rev_20:2; Rev_20:7; If you have read the study we have done on the definition of Christ, you would understand this dynamic a bit better. In the same way that Christ or Messiah cannot be exclusively used for Yeshua (Jesus true name), as Saul, the Levitical Priests and even the Persian king Cyrus were called Messiah (Mashiyach) the word saw-tawn (Satan) cannot be used as a proper name for The Adversary, as it is a general term for one who withstands or is an adversary. 2. If his name is not Satan, what is it? A. Lucifer Many believe that the name of the Great adversary is Lucifer as mentioned in Isaiah 14:12: How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! The word translated as Lucifer in our English Translations come from the word Helel (H1966 he yle l hay-lale From H1984 (in the sense of brightness); the morning star) in the הילל original Hebrew Manuscripts. It is used only once in the whole of the Old Testament Scriptures and would read Shining one if properly translated. The word Lucifer originates from the Latin word Lucifer which means light bringing which has been carried onto the English translations as a name although this cannot be used as a proper name according to the Scriptures. B. Beelzebub Another name commonly used for the Adversary is Beelzebub. This name originates from the Old Testament, where a false god of the Philistines known as Baal-Zebub (Baal of the flies) of Ekron was enquired by King Ahaziah in the time of Elijah( 2Kin 1:2,3,6,16).

This same name was used to defame Yeshua and was apparently used to denote the chief Adversary as seen in Luke 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the

6 This same name was used to defame Yeshua and was apparently used to denote the chief Adversary as seen in Luke 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. G954 Βεελζεβου λ Beelzeboul beh-el-zeb-ool Of Chaldee origin (by parody upon [H1176]); dung god; Beelzebul, a name of Satan: Beelzebub. G954 Beelzebub is mentioned in Mat 10:25; 12:24; 12:27; Mar 3:22; Luke 11:15; 11:18; 11:19 H1176 בעל זב וב ba al zebu b bah -al zeb-oob From H1168 and H2070; Baal of (the) Fly; Baal Zebub, a special deity of the Ekronites: Baal-zebub. H1176 Baal-zebub is mentioned in 2 Kings 1:2,3,6,16 C. Belial A not so common epitaph of Satan is Belial. This word mentioned only once in the whole of the New Testament by Paul in 2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?, originates from the Hebrew Word Belial which meant worthless, wicked or evil and was commonly used to speak of people who did things contrary to God s ways. G955 Βελιάλ Belial bel-ee -al Of Hebrew origin [H1100]; worthlessness; Belial, as an epithet of Satan: Belial. H1100 בל יעל belıŷa al bel-e-yah -al From H1097 and H3276; without profit, worthlessness; by extension destruction, wickedness (often in connection with H376, H802. H1121, etc.): Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men), wicked. H1100 bel-ee -al is translated as Belial in the following verses

7 Deuteronomy 13:13; Judges 19:22; 20:13; 1 Samuel 1:16; 2:12; 10:27; 25:17; 25:25; 30:22; 2 Samuel 16:7; 20:1; 23:6; 1 Kings 21:10; 21:13; 2 Chronicles 13:7; H1100 bel-ee -al is translated as wicked in the following verses: Deuteronomy 15:9; Job 34:18; Psalms101:3; Nah 1:11; 1:15 H1100 bel-ee -al is translated as Ungodly in the following verses: 2Sam 22:5; Psalms 18:4; Proverbs 16:27; 19:28 H1100 bel-ee -al is translated as Evil/Naughty in the following verses: Psalms 41:8; Proverbs 6:12 Belial, much like Satan, seems to be a title more than a name, used by many for the great adversary. D. Devil Maybe the most common name used for the Adversary other than Satan, would be devil. The word Devil stems from several layers of transliterations of the Greek word Diabolos (Greek to Latin to German to Middle English to Modern English). Diabolos in the Greek meant accuser or slanderer and is not exclusively used as a name for the adversary. Hence devil is also merely a title. G1228 δια βολος diabolos dee-ab -ol-os From G1225; a traducer; specifically Satan (compare [H7854]): false accuser, devil, slanderer G1228 diabolos is translated as Devil in the following verses Matthew 4:1; 4:5; 4:8; 4:11; 13:39; 25:41; Luke 4:2; 4:3; 4:5; 4:6; 4:13; 8:12; John 6:70; 8:44; 13:2; Acts 10:38; 13:10; Ephesians 4:27; 6:11; 1 Timothy 3:6; 3:7; 2Tim 2:26; Hebrews 2:14; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 John 3:8; 3:10; Jude 1:9; Revelation 2:10; 12:9; 12:12; 20:2; 20:10 G1228 diabolos is translated as false accusers in: 2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things

8 G1228 diabolos is translated as slanderers in: 1 Timothy 3:11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. As we see above, the same word diabolos is used to mention slanderers and false accusers making clear that this word much like satan is a general term and not a name. E. Serpent Another name used for the adversary, is the serpent. We see this name used in a variety of verses. Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. Revelations 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. The words serpent, dragon and leviathan all refer to a creature/monster, comparing the adversary and his qualities to be monstrous. Here again, it must be noted that these names are only titles and not names.

3. Nameless, but known by many titles As we have seen above, the great adversary has been known by many titles even though no name is mentioned in all of the Scriptures.

9 3. Nameless, but known by many titles As we have seen above, the great adversary has been known by many titles even though no name is mentioned in all of the Scriptures. A few more instances where titles were used to refer to the adversary are: The Adversary, False Accuser/Slanderer, Old Serpent 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil (false accuser/slanderer), as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour Revelations 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil (false accuser/slanderer), and Satan(adversary), and bound him a thousand years. Father of Lies John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Destroyer Revelations 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.(G623 Α πολλυών Apolluo n ap-ol-loo -ohn Active participle of G622; a destroyer: Apollyon.) H11 אב דון abaddo n ab-ad-done Intensively from H6; abstractly a perishing; concretely destruction)

10 Conclusion When we read the Scriptures, in our day and age, it is a must that we examine and find out true meanings of words and the translations that have been handed down to us. To stand up to an adversary, you must first know about the character. We must not be carried away with popular interpretations and depictions of a dark creature reigning in Hell with red skin, horns and a tail carrying a pitchfork much as his name is not devil, lucifer or satan.

The Bible. God. Salvation

The Bible. God. Salvation The Bible God Salvation Understanding Angels 0 Origin 0 Nature and Purpose 0 Work and Ministry 0 Satan and the problem of evil. The Adversary 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the