My Mormon Musings

Adversary

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Satan – adversary (שָׂטָן) The Hebrew is usually prefixed ה (ha) identifying a noun, not a name – so it's best translated as "the adversary." Even where satan could be a proper name (1 Chronicles 21:1), it actually turns out that the adversary is Yahweh Himself (2 Samuel 24:1) "Again the anger of YHVH was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go, number Israel and Judah.". Examples of where the word "satan" means "adversary" as in "one who stands against  another" include 1 Kings 11:14, "And the Lord raised up an adversary (satan) against Shlomo, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal house in Edom."


The ancient prophet draws on the Canaanite myth regarding the “Day Star” (Vulgate, “Lucifer”) wanting to rise above all other stars, only to be cast down to hell by the sun. Jesus uses Isaiah’s imagery to describe both the fall of the city of Capernaum and the devil (Luke 10:15, 18), but nowhere in the New Testament is Lucifer a synonym for Satan or the devil. Adam Clarke complained about this common misinterpretation of Isaiah 14:12: “Although the context speaks explicitly concerning Nebuchadnezzar, yet this has been, I know not why, applied to the chief of the fallen angels, who is most incongruously denominated Lucifer, (the bringer of light!) … But the truth is, the text speaks nothing at all concerning Satan nor his fall, nor the occasion of that fall, which many divines have with great confidence deduced from this text.”33 The insertion about Satan appears in Cowdery’s handwriting in the manuscript of the Old Testament and therefore dates to sometime after June and before Cowdery’s departure from New York about October 17, 1830. In September, Smith dictated a revelation that not only touched on spiritual and physical creation but also on the origin of the devil: “Behold the Devil was before Adam for he rebelled against me saying give me thine honour which is my Power & also a third part of the host of Heaven turned he away from me Because of their agency & they were thrust down & thus came the Devil & his Angels.”34 This time Smith used Revelation 12:3–4 to describe the premortal fall of the devil and his angels, where he is described as “a great red dragon” that draws a “third part of the stars” with its tail and casts them down to Earth. While some of Smith’s contemporaries interpreted this as occurring at the creation, most commentators interpreted it as a future event, since Revelation itself states that John was to be shown “things which must shortly come to pass” (Rev. 1:1).

—Charisma Under Pressure: Joseph Smith, American Prophet, 1831-1839. Dan Vogel



Isaiah 14:12

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How you are fallen from heaven, O Morning Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! (Isaiah 14:12, NRSVue)

πῶς ἐξέπεσεν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὁ ἑωσφόρος ὁ πρωὶ ἀνατέλλων; συνετρίβη εἰς τὴν γῆν ὁ ἀποστέλλων πρὸς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. (Isaiah 14:12, SWETE)

אֵיךְ נָפַלְתָּ מִשָּׁמַיִם הֵילֵל בֶּן־שָׁחַר נִגְדַּעְתָּ לָאָרֶץ חֹולֵשׁ עַל־גֹּויִֽם׃ (Isaiah 14:12, WLC)

https://crossbible.com/NRSVue,SWETE,WLC/Isaiah/14:12

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tn The Hebrew text has הֵילֵל בֶּן־שָׁחַר (helel ben shakhar, “Helel son of Shachar”), which is probably a name for the morning star (Venus) or the crescent moon. See HALOT 245 s.v. הֵילֵל.

sn What is the background for the imagery in vv. 12-15? This whole section (vv. 4b-21) is directed to the king of Babylon, who is clearly depicted as a human ruler. Other kings of the earth address him in vv. 9ff., he is called “the man” in v. 16, and, according to vv. 19-20, he possesses a physical body. Nevertheless the language of vv. 12-15 has led some to see a dual referent in the taunt song. These verses, which appear to be spoken by other pagan kings to a pagan king (cf. vv. 9-11), contain several titles and motifs that resemble those of Canaanite mythology, including references to Helel son of Shachar, the stars of El, the mountain of assembly, the recesses of Zaphon, and the divine title Most High. Apparently these verses allude to a mythological story about a minor god (Helel son of Shachar) who tried to take over Zaphon, the mountain of the gods. His attempted coup failed, and he was hurled down to the underworld. The king of Babylon is taunted for having similar unrealized delusions of grandeur. Some Christians have seen an allusion to the fall of Satan here, but this seems contextually unwarranted (see J. Martin, “Isaiah,” BKCOT, 1061).

Isaiah 14:12 (NETv1)

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sn Zaphon, the Canaanite version of Olympus, was the “mountain of assembly” where the gods met.
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sn In Canaanite mythology the stars of El were astral deities under the authority of the high god El.

https://youtu.be/BMYpoL_azI0?si=Knt4Kpc8CmNsXKVr


References to Satan in Old Testament

Numbers 22:22

HEB: יְהוָ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ לְשָׂטָ֣ן ל֑וֹ וְהוּא֙

NAS: in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding

KJV: in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding

INT: of the LORD the way an adversary now he was riding

And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants [were] with him.

God’s anger was kindled because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the road as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.

Numbers 22:32

HEB: אָנֹכִי֙ יָצָ֣אתִי לְשָׂטָ֔ן כִּֽי־ יָרַ֥ט

NAS: I have come out as an adversary, because

KJV: behold, I went out to withstand thee, because [thy] way

INT: I have come an adversary because was contrary

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because [thy] way is perverse before me:

The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I have come out as an adversary because your way is perversed before me.

1 Samuel 29:4

HEB: יִֽהְיֶה־ לָּ֥נוּ לְשָׂטָ֖ן בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וּבַמֶּ֗ה

NAS: he may become an adversary to us. For with what

KJV: lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile

INT: or may become an adversary the battle what

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 to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? [should it] not [be] with the heads of these men?

But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, so that he may return to the place that you have assigned to him; he shall not go down with us to battle, or else he may become an adversary to us in the battle. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here?

2 Samuel 19:22

HEB: לִ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם לְשָׂטָ֑ן הַיּ֗וֹם י֤וּמַת

NAS: that you should this day be an adversary to me? Should any man

KJV: that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man

INT: become day be an adversary day be put

1 Kings 5:4

HEB: מִסָּבִ֑יב אֵ֣ין שָׂטָ֔ן וְאֵ֖ין פֶּ֥גַע

NAS: is neither adversary nor

KJV: on every side, [so that there is] neither adversary nor evil

INT: every there adversary is neither occurrent

1 Kings 11:14

HEB: וַיָּ֨קֶם יְהוָ֤ה שָׂטָן֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֵ֖ת

NAS: raised up an adversary to Solomon,

KJV: stirred up an adversary unto Solomon,

INT: raised the LORD an adversary to Solomon Hadad

1 Kings 11:23

HEB: אֱלֹהִ֥ים לוֹ֙ שָׂטָ֔ן אֶת־ רְז֖וֹן

NAS: also raised up [another] adversary to him, Rezon

KJV: stirred him up [another] adversary, Rezon

INT: raised God up adversary Rezon the son

1 Kings 11:25

HEB: וַיְהִ֨י שָׂטָ֤ן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כָּל־

NAS: So he was an adversary to Israel all

KJV: And he was an adversary to Israel

INT: become was an adversary to Israel all

1 Chronicles 21:1

HEB: וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֥ד שָׂטָ֖ן עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל

NAS: Then Satan stood up against

KJV: And Satan stood up against Israel,

INT: stood Satan against Israel

Job 1:6

HEB: וַיָּב֥וֹא גַֽם־ הַשָּׂטָ֖ן בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

NAS: the LORD, and Satan also

KJV: themselves before the LORD, and Satan came

INT: came also and Satan among

Job 1:7

HEB: יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־ הַשָּׂטָ֖ן מֵאַ֣יִן תָּבֹ֑א

NAS: said to Satan, From where

KJV: said unto Satan, Whence

INT: God to Satan where comest

Job 1:7

HEB: תָּבֹ֑א וַיַּ֨עַן הַשָּׂטָ֤ן אֶת־ יְהוָה֙

NAS: do you come? Then Satan answered

KJV: comest thou? Then Satan answered

INT: comest answered to Satan God and said

Job 1:8

HEB: יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן הֲשַׂ֥מְתָּ לִבְּךָ֖

NAS: said to Satan, Have you considered

KJV: said unto Satan, Hast thou considered

INT: the LORD to Satan appoint care for

Job 1:9

HEB: וַיַּ֧עַן הַשָּׂטָ֛ן אֶת־ יְהוָ֖ה

NAS: Then Satan answered the LORD,

KJV: Then Satan answered the LORD,

INT: answered Satan the LORD and said

Job 1:12

HEB: יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ הַשָּׂטָ֗ן הִנֵּ֤ה כָל־

NAS: said to Satan, Behold,

KJV: said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power;

INT: the LORD to Satan Behold all

Job 1:12

HEB: יָדֶ֑ךָ וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן מֵעִ֖ם פְּנֵ֥י

NAS: your hand on him. So Satan departed

KJV: thine hand. So Satan went forth

INT: your hand departed Satan from the presence

Job 2:1

HEB: וַיָּב֤וֹא גַֽם־ הַשָּׂטָן֙ בְּתֹכָ֔ם לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב

NAS: the LORD, and Satan also

KJV: themselves before the LORD, and Satan came

INT: came also and Satan among to present

Job 2:2

HEB: יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן אֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה

NAS: said to Satan, Where

KJV: said unto Satan, From whence

INT: the LORD to Satan Where have you

Job 2:2

HEB: תָּבֹ֑א וַיַּ֨עַן הַשָּׂטָ֤ן אֶת־ יְהוָה֙

NAS: have you come from? Then Satan answered

KJV: comest thou? And Satan answered

INT: come answered Satan the LORD and said

Job 2:3

HEB: יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ הַשָּׂטָ֗ן הֲשַׂ֣מְתָּ לִבְּךָ֮

NAS: said to Satan, Have you considered

KJV: said unto Satan, Hast thou

INT: the LORD to Satan thou considered

Job 2:4

HEB: וַיַּ֧עַן הַשָּׂטָ֛ן אֶת־ יְהוָ֖ה

NAS: Satan answered the LORD

KJV: And Satan answered the LORD,

INT: answered Satan the LORD and said

Job 2:6

HEB: יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־ הַשָּׂטָ֖ן הִנּ֣וֹ בְיָדֶ֑ךָ

NAS: said to Satan, Behold,

KJV: said unto Satan, Behold, he [is] in thine hand;

INT: God to Satan behold your power

Job 2:7

HEB: וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן מֵאֵ֖ת פְּנֵ֣י

NAS: Then Satan went out from the presence

KJV: So went Satan forth from the presence

INT: went Satan the presence of the LORD

Psalm 109:6

HEB: עָלָ֣יו רָשָׁ֑ע וְ֝שָׂטָ֗ן יַעֲמֹ֥ד עַל־

NAS: over him, And let an accuser stand

KJV: thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand

INT: over A wicked an accuser stand over

Zechariah 3:1

HEB: מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֑ה וְהַשָּׂטָ֛ן עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־

NAS: of the LORD, and Satan standing

KJV: of the LORD, and Satan standing

INT: the angel of the LORD and Satan standing at

Zechariah 3:2

HEB: יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ הַשָּׂטָ֗ן יִגְעַ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה

NAS: said to Satan, The LORD

KJV: said unto Satan, The LORD

INT: the LORD to Satan rebuke the LORD

Zechariah 3:2

HEB: יְהוָ֤ה בְּךָ֙ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן וְיִגְעַ֤ר יְהוָה֙

NAS: rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD

KJV: rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD

INT: rebuke the LORD Satan rebuke the LORD

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