Had the word satan been in every case either consistently transferred to, or translated in the A.V., the reader could have seen its literal meaning and more readily perceived personification. Being the work of Dualists,1 we have Satan in those passages only, wherein they thought they discerned their (imported pagan) Devil.2 In the O.T. there are 19 such cases;3 but there are 12 others in which, also, the original is satan but the A.V. reads adversary. This differing treatment has been the tombstone of truth re[garding] satan, which when lifted becomes a beacon light before which the Satan of superstition flees away. An angel was a satan to Balaam. 4 The Philistines feared, if David marched with them,… “lest in battle he become a satan.”5 The sons of Zeruiah, in opposing his resolve to spare Shimei, were by David styled satans.6 Again, “Because I follow good, those who render evil for good are my satans.”7 He prayed for help against satans who sought his hurt.”8 “For my love they are my satans.” “…the reward of my satans from the Lord…those who speak evil against me.” Let my satans (who curse) be clothed with shame.”9 Solomon told Hiram there was “neither satan nor evil occurrent.”10 But “the Lord stirred up a satan to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite;” also another satan, “Rezon…a satan to Israel all the days of Solomon.”11 This valuable light on the meaning and use of satan, released from the original, helps greatly the right understanding of those other passages of symbolic scene, vision, or figurative allusion.
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Author: F. Whiteley
Keywords: Satan, Adversary, Rezon, Hadad, Sons of Zeruiah
Bible reference(s): Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, 2 Samuel 19:22, Psalms 38:20, Psalms 71:13, Psalms 109:4, Psalms 109:20, Psalms 109:29, 1 Kings 5:4, 1 Kings 11:14, 1 Kings 11:23, 1 Kings 11:25
Source: “Satan,” The Testimony, Vol. 27, No. 314, February 1957, pg. 65.
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