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the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
o
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan is traditionally identified as the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, as he was
in Judaism.[30] Thus Satan has often been depicted as a serpent. Christian agreement with this can
be found in the works of Justin Martyr, in Chapters 45 and 79 of Dialogue with Trypho, where Justin
identifies Satan and the serpent.[31] Other early church fathers to mention this identification
include Theophilusand Tertullian.[32]
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1.
2.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
3.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Mythology. Oxford University Press. p. 347. ISBN 978-0-19-515669-0.
4.
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
5.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly WarmanStallings 2012
6.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
7.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
8.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
9.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
in its context, Oxford University Press, 2009
10.
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
11.
12.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
13.
14.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
15.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
16.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
pp. 24. ISBN 0826470890.
17.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
18.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
19.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
continuously above the bottomless" 2 Enoch 29:4
20.
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
21.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
22.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Demonology, by R.H. Charles.
23.
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
24.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
25.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
26.
27.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
28.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
29.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
30.
title= (help)
31.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-521-84339-3.
32.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-521-84339-3.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
"Dictionary of deities and demons in the Bible", p. 155
38.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
Millennium.". The People's New Testament. Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Retrieved November 30,2009.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
and their Sanctuaries. London: John Murray, 1941. [1]
45.
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Illinois, USA: Bah' Publishing Trust. pp. 294295. ISBN 0-87743-172-8.
46.
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Oneworld. pp. 135136, 304. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
47.
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press. p. 112. ISBN 0-521-86251-5.
48.
49.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
50.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
51.
52.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
Lee Fry, Associated University Presse, 2008, pp. 9298
53.
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
Harold Brunvand, ABC-CLIO, 31 Jul 2012 pp. 694695
54.
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
55.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
LittlefieldPublishers, 16 Nov 2009, pp. 4243
56.
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
62.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
63.
64.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
65.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Mythology. Oxford University Press. p. 347. ISBN 978-0-19-515669-0.
66.
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
67.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly WarmanStallings 2012
68.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
69.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
70.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
71.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
in its context, Oxford University Press, 2009
72.
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
73.
74.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
75.
76.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
77.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
78.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
pp. 24. ISBN 0826470890.
79.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
80.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
81.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
continuously above the bottomless" 2 Enoch 29:4
82.
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
83.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
84.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Demonology, by R.H. Charles.
85.
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
86.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
87.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
88.
89.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
90.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
91.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
92.
title= (help)
93.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-521-84339-3.
94.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-521-84339-3.
95.
96.
97.
98.
99.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
"Dictionary of deities and demons in the Bible", p. 155
100.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
102.
103.
104.
105.
106.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
111.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
112.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
113.
114.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
Lee Fry, Associated University Presse, 2008, pp. 9298
115.
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
Harold Brunvand, ABC-CLIO, 31 Jul 2012 pp. 694695
116.
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
117.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
LittlefieldPublishers, 16 Nov 2009, pp. 4243
118.
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
119.
120.
121.
122.
123.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
124.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
125.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
126.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
127.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
129.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
130.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
131.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
132.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
133.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
135.
136.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
137.
138.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
139.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
140.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
142.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
143.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
145.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
146.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
148.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
149.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
150.
151.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
152.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
153.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
154.
title= (help)
155.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
158.
159.
160.
161.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
164.
165.
166.
167.
168.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
173.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
174.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
175.
176.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
179.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
181.
182.
183.
184.
185.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
186.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
187.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
188.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
189.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
191.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
192.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
193.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
194.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
195.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
197.
198.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
199.
200.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
201.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
202.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
204.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
205.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
207.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
208.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
210.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
211.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
212.
213.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
214.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
215.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
216.
title= (help)
217.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
220.
221.
222.
223.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
224.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
226.
227.
228.
229.
230.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
235.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
236.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
237.
238.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
241.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
243.
244.
245.
246.
247.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
248.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
249.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
250.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
251.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
253.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
254.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
255.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
256.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
257.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
259.
260.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
261.
262.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
263.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
264.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
266.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
267.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
269.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
270.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
272.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
273.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
274.
275.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
276.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
277.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
278.
title= (help)
279.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
282.
283.
284.
285.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
288.
289.
290.
291.
292.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
297.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
298.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
299.
300.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
303.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
305.
306.
307.
308.
309.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
310.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
311.
312.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
313.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
315.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
316.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
317.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
318.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
319.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
321.
322.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
323.
324.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
325.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
326.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
328.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
329.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
331.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
332.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
334.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
335.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
336.
337.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
338.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
339.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
340.
title= (help)
341.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
344.
345.
346.
347.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
348.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
350.
351.
352.
353.
354.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
359.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
360.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
361.
362.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
365.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
367.
368.
369.
370.
371.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
372.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
373.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
374.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
375.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
377.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
378.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
379.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
380.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
381.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
383.
384.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
385.
386.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
387.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
388.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
390.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
391.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
393.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
394.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
396.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
397.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
398.
399.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
400.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
401.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
402.
title= (help)
403.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
406.
407.
408.
409.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
412.
413.
414.
415.
416.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
421.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
422.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
423.
424.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
427.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
429.
430.
431.
432.
433.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
434.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
435.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
436.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
437.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
439.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
440.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
441.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
442.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
443.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
445.
446.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
447.
448.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
449.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
450.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
452.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
453.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
455.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
456.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
458.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
459.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
460.
461.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
462.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
463.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
464.
title= (help)
465.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
468.
469.
470.
471.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
472.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
474.
475.
476.
477.
478.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
483.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
484.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
485.
486.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
489.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
491.
492.
493.
494.
495.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
496.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
497.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
498.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
499.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
501.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
502.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
503.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
504.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
505.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
507.
508.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
509.
510.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
511.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
512.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
514.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
515.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
517.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
518.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
520.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
521.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
522.
523.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
524.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
525.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
526.
title= (help)
527.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
530.
531.
532.
533.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
536.
537.
538.
539.
540.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
545.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
546.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
547.
548.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
551.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
553.
554.
555.
556.
557.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
558.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
559.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
560.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
561.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
563.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
564.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
565.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
566.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
567.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
569.
570.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
571.
572.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
573.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
574.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
576.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
577.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
579.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
580.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
582.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
583.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
584.
585.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
586.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
587.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
588.
title= (help)
589.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
592.
593.
594.
595.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
596.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
598.
599.
600.
601.
602.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
607.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
608.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
609.
610.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
Harold Brunvand, ABC-CLIO, 31 Jul 2012 pp. 694695
612.
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
613.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
615.
616.
617.
618.
619.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
620.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
621.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
622.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
623.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
625.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
626.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
627.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
628.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
629.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
631.
632.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
633.
634.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
635.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
636.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
638.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
639.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
641.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
642.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
644.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
645.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
646.
647.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
648.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
649.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
650.
title= (help)
651.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
654.
655.
656.
657.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
660.
661.
662.
663.
664.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
669.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
670.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
671.
672.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
675.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
677.
678.
679.
680.
681.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
682.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
683.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
684.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
685.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
687.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
688.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
689.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
690.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
691.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
693.
694.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
695.
696.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
697.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
698.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
700.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
701.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
703.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
704.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
706.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
707.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
708.
709.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
710.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
711.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
712.
title= (help)
713.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
716.
717.
718.
719.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
720.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
722.
723.
724.
725.
726.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
731.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
732.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
733.
734.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
737.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
739.
740.
741.
742.
743.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
744.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
745.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
746.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
747.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
749.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
750.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
751.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
752.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
753.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
755.
756.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
757.
758.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
759.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
760.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
762.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
763.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
765.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
766.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
768.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
769.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
770.
771.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
772.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
773.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
774.
title= (help)
775.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
778.
779.
780.
781.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
784.
785.
786.
787.
788.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
793.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
794.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
795.
796.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
799.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
801.
802.
803.
804.
805.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
806.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
807.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
808.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
809.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
811.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly WarmanStallings 2012
812.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
813.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
814.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
815.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
817.
818.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
819.
820.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
821.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
822.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
824.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
825.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
827.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
828.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
830.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
831.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
832.
833.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
834.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
835.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
836.
title= (help)
837.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
840.
841.
842.
843.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
844.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
846.
847.
848.
849.
850.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
855.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
856.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
857.
858.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
861.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
863.
864.
865.
866.
867.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
868.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
869.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
870.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
871.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
873.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
874.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
875.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
876.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
877.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
879.
880.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
881.
882.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
883.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
884.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
886.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
887.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
889.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
890.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
892.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
893.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
894.
895.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
896.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
897.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
898.
title= (help)
899.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
902.
903.
904.
905.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
908.
909.
910.
911.
912.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
917.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
918.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
919.
920.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
923.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
925.
926.
927.
928.
929.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
930.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
931.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
932.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
933.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
935.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
936.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
937.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
938.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
939.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
941.
942.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
943.
944.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
945.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
946.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
948.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
949.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
951.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
952.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
954.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
955.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
956.
957.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
958.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
959.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
960.
title= (help)
961.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
964.
965.
966.
967.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
968.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
970.
971.
972.
973.
974.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
979.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
980.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
981.
982.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
985.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
987.
988.
989.
990.
991.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
992.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
993.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
994.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
995.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
997.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
998.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
999.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1000.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1001.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1003.
1004.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1005.
1006.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1007.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1008.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1010.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1011.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1013.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1014.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1016.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1017.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1018.
1019.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1020.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1021.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1022.
title= (help)
1023.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1026.
1027.
1028.
1029.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1032.
1033.
1034.
1035.
1036.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1041.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1042.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1043.
1044.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1047.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1049.
1050.
1051.
1052.
1053.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1054.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1055.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1056.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1057.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1059.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1060.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1061.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1062.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1063.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1065.
1066.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1067.
1068.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1069.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1070.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1072.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1073.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1075.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1076.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1078.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1079.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1080.
1081.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1082.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1083.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1084.
title= (help)
1085.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1088.
1089.
1090.
1091.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
1092.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1094.
1095.
1096.
1097.
1098.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1103.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1104.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1105.
1106.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1109.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1111.
1112.
1113.
1114.
1115.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1116.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1117.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1118.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1119.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1121.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1122.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1123.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1124.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1125.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1127.
1128.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1129.
1130.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1131.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1132.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1134.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1135.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1137.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1138.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1140.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1141.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1142.
1143.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1144.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1145.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1146.
title= (help)
1147.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1150.
1151.
1152.
1153.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1156.
1157.
1158.
1159.
1160.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1165.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1166.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1167.
1168.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1171.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1173.
1174.
1175.
1176.
1177.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1178.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1179.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1180.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1181.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1183.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1184.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1185.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1186.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1187.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1189.
1190.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1191.
1192.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1193.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1194.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1196.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1197.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1199.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1200.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1202.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1203.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1204.
1205.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1206.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1207.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1208.
title= (help)
1209.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1212.
1213.
1214.
1215.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
1216.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1218.
1219.
1220.
1221.
1222.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1227.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1228.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1229.
1230.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1233.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1235.
1236.
1237.
1238.
1239.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1240.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1241.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1242.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1243.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1245.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1246.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1247.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1248.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1249.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1251.
1252.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1253.
1254.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1255.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1256.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1258.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1259.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1261.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1262.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1264.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1265.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1266.
1267.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1268.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1269.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1270.
title= (help)
1271.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1274.
1275.
1276.
1277.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1280.
1281.
1282.
1283.
1284.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1289.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1290.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1291.
1292.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1295.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1297.
1298.
1299.
1300.
1301.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1302.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1303.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1304.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1305.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1307.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1308.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1309.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1310.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1311.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1313.
1314.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1315.
1316.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1317.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1318.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1320.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1321.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1323.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1324.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1326.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1327.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1328.
1329.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1330.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1331.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1332.
title= (help)
1333.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1336.
1337.
1338.
1339.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
1340.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1342.
1343.
1344.
1345.
1346.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1351.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1352.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1353.
1354.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1357.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1359.
1360.
1361.
1362.
1363.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1364.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1365.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1366.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1367.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1369.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1370.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1371.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1372.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1373.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1375.
1376.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1377.
1378.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1379.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1380.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1382.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1383.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1385.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1386.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1388.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1389.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1390.
1391.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1392.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1393.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1394.
title= (help)
1395.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1398.
1399.
1400.
1401.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1404.
1405.
1406.
1407.
1408.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1413.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1414.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1415.
1416.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1419.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1421.
1422.
1423.
1424.
1425.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1426.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1427.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1428.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1429.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1431.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1432.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1433.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1434.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1435.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1437.
1438.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1439.
1440.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1441.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1442.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1444.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1445.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1447.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1448.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1450.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1451.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1452.
1453.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1454.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1455.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1456.
title= (help)
1457.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1460.
1461.
1462.
1463.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
1464.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1466.
1467.
1468.
1469.
1470.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1475.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1476.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1477.
1478.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1481.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1483.
1484.
1485.
1486.
1487.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1488.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1489.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1490.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1491.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1493.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1494.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1495.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1496.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1497.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1499.
1500.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1501.
1502.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1503.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1504.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1506.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1507.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1509.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1510.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1512.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1513.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1514.
1515.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1516.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1517.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1518.
title= (help)
1519.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1522.
1523.
1524.
1525.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1528.
1529.
1530.
1531.
1532.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1537.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1538.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1539.
1540.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1543.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1545.
1546.
1547.
1548.
1549.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1550.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1551.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1552.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1553.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1555.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1556.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1557.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1558.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1559.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1561.
1562.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1563.
1564.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1565.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1566.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1568.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1569.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1571.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1572.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1574.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1575.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1576.
1577.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1578.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1579.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1580.
title= (help)
1581.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1584.
1585.
1586.
1587.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
1588.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1590.
1591.
1592.
1593.
1594.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1599.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1600.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1601.
1602.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1605.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1607.
1608.
1609.
1610.
1611.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1612.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1613.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1614.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1615.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1617.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1618.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1619.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1620.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1621.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1623.
1624.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1625.
1626.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1627.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1628.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1630.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1631.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1633.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1634.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1636.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1637.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1638.
1639.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1640.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1641.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1642.
title= (help)
1643.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1646.
1647.
1648.
1649.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1652.
1653.
1654.
1655.
1656.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1661.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1662.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1663.
1664.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1667.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1669.
1670.
1671.
1672.
1673.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1674.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1675.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1676.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1677.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1679.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1680.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1681.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1682.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1683.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1685.
1686.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1687.
1688.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1689.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1690.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1692.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1693.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1695.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1696.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1698.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1699.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1700.
1701.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1702.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1703.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1704.
title= (help)
1705.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1708.
1709.
1710.
1711.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
1712.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1714.
1715.
1716.
1717.
1718.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1723.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1724.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1725.
1726.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1729.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1731.
1732.
1733.
1734.
1735.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1736.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1737.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1738.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1739.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1741.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1742.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1743.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1744.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1745.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1747.
1748.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1749.
1750.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1751.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1752.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1754.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1755.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1757.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1758.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1760.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1761.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1762.
1763.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1764.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1765.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1766.
title= (help)
1767.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1770.
1771.
1772.
1773.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1776.
1777.
1778.
1779.
1780.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1785.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1786.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1787.
1788.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1791.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1793.
1794.
1795.
1796.
1797.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1798.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1799.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1800.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1801.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1803.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1804.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1805.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1806.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1807.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1809.
1810.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1811.
1812.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1813.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1814.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1816.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1817.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1819.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1820.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1822.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1823.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1824.
1825.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1826.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1827.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1828.
title= (help)
1829.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1832.
1833.
1834.
1835.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
1836.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1838.
1839.
1840.
1841.
1842.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1847.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1848.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1849.
1850.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1853.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1855.
1856.
1857.
1858.
1859.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1860.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
over Joshua the High Priest in the Septuagint into a conflict between "Jesus and the devil", identical
with the Greek text ofMatthew.
Dead Sea scrolls and Pseudepigrapha
In Enochic Judaism, the concept of Satan being an opponent of God and a chief evil figure in among
demons seems to have taken root in Jewish pseudepigrapha during theSecond Temple period,
[16]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
From the fourth century, Lucifer is sometimes used in Christian theology to refer to Satan, as a result
of identifying the fallen "son of the dawn" of Isaiah 14:12 with the "accuser" of other passages in the
Old Testament.[citation needed]
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1861.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1862.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1863.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1865.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1866.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1867.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1868.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1869.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1871.
1872.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1873.
1874.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1875.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1876.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1878.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1879.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1881.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1882.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1884.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1885.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1886.
1887.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1888.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1889.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1890.
title= (help)
1891.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1894.
1895.
1896.
1897.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1900.
1901.
1902.
1903.
1904.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1909.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1910.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1911.
1912.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1915.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1917.
1918.
1919.
1920.
1921.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1922.
References
Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm. Jewish Publication Society of
America. ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 1
(Jan., 1913), pp. 2933 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature", The
Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98102 in JSTOR
Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament", The Biblical World, Vol. 41, No. 3
(Mar., 1913), pp. 167172 in JSTOR
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Old Enemy: Satan & the Combat Myth. Princeton University Press; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-691-01474-4.
Forsyth, Neil (1987). The Satanic Epic. Princeton University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-691-113394.
Gentry, Kenneth L. Jr (2002). The Beast of Revelation. American Vision. ISBN 0-915815-41-9.
Graves, Kersey (1995). Biography of Satan: Exposing the Origins of the Devil. Book Tree. ISBN 1885395-11-6.
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia;ed. Buttrick, George Arthur;
Abingdon Press 1962
Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) online pp 6871
Kelly, Henry Ansgar. Satan: A Biography. (2006). 360 pp. excerpt and text search ISBN 0-521-60402-8,
a study of the Bible and Western literature
Kent, William. "Devil." The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908) Vol. 4. online older article
Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," Novum Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul.,
1973), pp. 187190 in JSTOR on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Pagels, Elaine (1995). The Origin of Satan. Vintage; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-679-72232-7.
Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as
Revolutionary," Studies in English Literature, 15001900, Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter,
1973), pp. 8193 in JSTOR
Rudwin, Maximilian (1970). The Devil in Legend and Literature. Open Court. ISBN 0-87548-248-1.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive
Christianity (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (1987) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages (1986) excerpt and text search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World (1990) excerpt and text
search
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in
History (1992) excerpt and text search
Scott, Miriam Van. The Encyclopedia of Hell (1999) excerpt and text search comparative religions; also
popular culture
Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots (2005) excerpt
and text search
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
Satan (Hebrew:
satan, meaning "adversary";[1] Arabic: shaitan, meaning "astray" or
"distant", sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions[2][3] who
brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious
groups teach that he originated as an angel who fell out of favor with God, seducing humanity into
the ways of sin, and who has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament,
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who
possesses demonic qualities.
In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a positive force and deity who is either worshipped or
revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is regarded as holding virtuous characteristics.[4][5]
Contents
[hide]
1 Judaism
1.1 Hebrew Bible
1.2.1 Septuagint
3 Christianity
3.1 Terminology
4 Islam
5 Yazidism
6 Bah' Faith
7 Satanism
o
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Judaism
Hebrew Bible
The original Hebrew term satan is a noun from a verb meaning primarily "to obstruct, oppose", as it
is found in Numbers 22:22, 1 Samuel 29:4, Psalms 109:6.[6] Ha-Satan is traditionally translated as
"the accuser" or "the adversary". The definite article ha-(English: "the") is used to show that this is a
title bestowed on a being, versus the name of a being. Thus, this being would be referred to as "the
satan".[7]
Thirteen occurrences
Ha-Satan with the definite article occurs 13 times in the Masoretic Text, in two books of the Hebrew
Bible: Job ch.12 (10x)[8] and Zechariah 3:12 (3x).[9]
Satan without the definite article is used in 10 instances, of which two are translated diabolos in the
Septuagint and "Satan" in the King James Version:
1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel" (KJV) or "And there standeth up an
adversary against Israel" (Young's Literal Translation)[10]
Psalm 109:6b "and let Satan stand at his right hand" (KJV)[11] or "let an accuser stand at his
right hand." (ESV, etc.)
The other eight instances of satan without the definite article are traditionally translated
(in Greek, Latin and English) as "an adversary", etc., and taken to be humans or obedient angels:
Numbers 22:22,32 "and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him."
1 Samuel 29:4 The Philistines say: "lest he [David] be an adversary against us"
2 Samuel 19:22 David says: "[you sons of Zeruaiah] should this day be adversaries (plural)
unto me?"
1 Kings 5:4 Solomon writes to Hiram: "there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent."
1 Kings 11:14 "And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite"[12]
1 Kings 11:23 "And God stirred him up an adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah"
Book of Job
The examination of Job, Satan pours on the plagues of Job, by William Blake
At the beginning of the book, Job is a good person "who revered God and turned away from evil"
(Job 1:1), and has therefore been rewarded by God. When the angels present themselves to God,
Satan comes as well. God informs Satan about Job's blameless, morally upright character. Between
Job 1:910 and 2:45, Satan points out that God has given Job everything that a man could want,
so of course Job would be loyal to God; Satan suggests that Job's faith would collapse if all he has
been given (even his health) were to be taken away from him. God therefore gives Satan permission
to test Job.[13] In the end, Job remains faithful and righteous, and there is the implication that Satan is
shamed in his defeat.[14]
particularly in the apocalypses.[17] The Book of Enoch contains references to Satariel, thought also
to be Sataniel and Satan'el (etymology dating back to Babylonian origins). The similar spellings
mirror that of his angelic brethren Michael, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel, previous to the fall from
Heaven.
The Second Book of Enoch, also called the Slavonic Book of Enoch, contains references to
a Watcher (Grigori) called Satanael.[18] It is a pseudepigraphic text of an uncertain date and unknown
authorship. The text describes Satanael as being the prince of the Grigori who was cast out of
heaven[19] and an evil spirit who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful". [20] A
similar story is found in the book of 1 Enoch; however, in that book, the leader of the Grigori is
called Semjz.
In the Book of Wisdom, the devil is represented as the being who brought death into the world. [21]
In the Book of Jubilees, Mastema induces God to test Abraham through the sacrifice of Isaac. He is
identical to Satan in both name and nature.[22]
Rabbinical Judaism
In Judaism, Satan is a term used since its earliest biblical contexts to refer to a human opponent.
[23]
Occasionally, the term has been used to suggest evil influence opposing human beings, as in
the Jewish exegesis of the Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5). Micaiah's "lying spirit" in 1
Kings 22:22 is sometimes related. Thus, Satan is personified as a character in three different places
of the Tenakh, serving as an accuser (Zechariah 3:12), a seducer (1 Chronicles 21:1), or as a
heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (Job 2:1). In any case, Satan is always
subordinate to the power of God, having a role in the divine plan. Satan is rarely mentioned
in Tannaiticliterature, but is found in Babylonian aggadah.[17]
In medieval Judaism, the Rabbis rejected these Enochic literary works into the Biblical canon,
making every attempt to root them out.[16] Traditionalists and philosophers in medieval Judaism
adhered to rational theology, rejecting any belief in rebel or fallen angels, and viewing evil as
abstract.[24] The Yetzer hara ("evil inclination" Genesis 6:5) is a more common motif for evil in
rabbinical texts. Rabbinical scholarship on the Book of Job generally follows the Talmud and
Maimonides as identifying the "Adversary" in the prologue of Job as a metaphor.[25]
In Hasidic Judaism, the Kabbalah presents Satan as an agent of God whose function is to tempt one
into sin, then turn around and accuse the sinner on high.[vague] The Chasidic Jews of the 18th century
associated ha-Satan with Baal Davar.[26]
Subsequent development of Satan as a "deceiver" has parallels with the evil spirit in
Christianity
Satan as depicted in the Ninth Circle of Hell in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, illustrated by Gustave Dor
For most Christians, Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God. His goal is to lead
people away from the love of God; i.e., to lead them to evil. [citation needed]
In the New Testament he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world",
and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Book of Revelation describes how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, having "great anger" and waging war against "those who obey God's commandments".
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.[33]
The early Christian church encountered opposition from pagans such as Celsus, who claimed that "it
is blasphemy...to say that the greatest God...has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do
good" and said that Christians "impiously divide the kingdom of God, creating a rebellion in it, as if
there were opposing factions within the divine, including one that is hostile to God". [34]
Terminology
In Christianity, there are many synonyms for Satan. The most common English synonym for "Satan"
is "Devil", which descends from Middle English devel, from Old Englishdofol, that in turn represents
an early Germanic borrowing of Latin diabolus (also the source of "diabolical"). This in turn was
borrowed from Greek diabolos "slanderer", fromdiaballein "to slander": dia- "across, through"
+ ballein "to hurl".[35] In the New Testament, "Satan" occurs more than 30 times in passages
alongside Diabolos (Greek for "the devil"), referring to the same person or thing as Satan. [36]
Beelzebub, meaning "Lord of Flies", is the contemptuous name given in the Hebrew Bible and New
Testament to a Philistine god whose original name has been reconstructed as most probably "Ba'al
Zabul", meaning "Baal the Prince".[37] This pun was later used to refer to Satan as well.
The Book of Revelation twice refers to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan" (12:9, 20:2). The Book of Revelation also refers to "the deceiver", from which is derived the
common epithet "the great deceiver".[38]
Islam
Main article: Devil (Islam)
See also: Azazel Azazel in Islam
Shaitan ( )is the equivalent of Satan in Islam. While Shaitan (, from the root t n
)(is
an adjective (meaning "astray" or "distant", sometimes translated as "devil") that can be applied to
both man ("al-ins", )and Jinn, Iblis (Arabic pronunciation: [iblis]) is the personal name of the Devil
who is mentioned in the Qur'anic account of Genesis.[39]According to the Qur'an, Iblis
(the Arabic name used) disobeyed an order from Allah to bow to Adam, and as a result Iblis was
forced out of heaven. However, he was given respite from further punishment until the day of
judgment.
When Allah commanded all of the angels to bow down before Adam (the first Human), Iblis, full
of hubris and jealousy, refused to obey God's command (he could do so because he had free will),
seeing Adam as being inferior in creation due to his being created from clay as compared to him
(created of fire).[40]
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and
they prostrate; not so Iblis (Lucifer); He refused to be of those who prostrate. (Allah) said: "What
prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."
Qur'an 7:1112
It was after this that the title of "Shaitan" was given, which can be roughly translated as "Enemy",
"Rebel", "Evil", or "Devil". Shaitan then claims that, if the punishment for his act of disobedience is to
be delayed until the Day of Judgment, then he will divert many of Adam's own descendants from the
straight path during his period of respite.[41] God accepts the claims of Iblis and guarantees
recompense to Iblis and his followers in the form of Hellfire. In order to test mankind and jinn alike,
Allah allowed Iblis to roam the earth to attempt to convert others away from his path. [42] He was sent
to earth along with Adam and Eve, after eventually luring them into eating the fruit from the forbidden
tree.[43]
Yazidism
An alternative name for the main deity in the tentatively Indo-European pantheon of
the Yazidi, Malek Taus, is Shaitan.[44] However, rather than being Satanic, Yazidism is better
understood as a remnant of a pre-Islamic Middle Eastern Indo-European religion, and/or
a ghulat Sufi movement founded by Shaykh Adi. The connection with Satan, originally made by
Muslim outsiders, attracted the interest of 19th century European travelers and esoteric writers.
Bah' Faith
In the Bah' Faith, Satan is not regarded as an independent evil power as he is in some faiths, but
signifies the lower nature of humans. `Abdu'l-Bah explains: "This lower nature in man is symbolized
as Satan the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside." [45][46] All other evil spirits described
in various faith traditionssuch as fallen angels, demons, and jinnsare also metaphors for the
base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God. [47]
Satanism
Main article: Satanism
Within Satanism, two major trends exists, theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism, both having
different views regarding the essence of Satan.
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, commonly referred to as 'devil-worship', [48] holds that Satan is an actual deity or
force to revere or worship that individuals may contact and supplicate to, [49][50]and represents loosely
affiliated or independent groups and cabals which hold the belief that Satan is a real entity[51] rather
than an archetype.
Among non-Satanists, much modern Satanic folklore does not originate with the beliefs or practices
of theistic or atheistic Satanists, but a mixture of medieval Christian folk beliefs, political or
sociological conspiracy theories, and contemporary urban legends.[52][53][54][55] An example is the Satanic
ritual abuse scare of the 1980sbeginning with the memoir Michelle Rememberswhich depicted
Satanism as a vast conspiracy of elites with a predilection for child abuse and human sacrifice.[53]
[54]
This genre frequently describes Satan as physically incarnating in order to receive worship. [55]
Atheistic Satanism
Atheistic Satanism, most commonly referred to as LaVeyan Satanism, holds that Satan does not
exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather
a symbol of pride, carnality,liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which
Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by
humans over the course of time. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an
external metaphorical projection of [the Satanists] highest personal potential. [56][57][58][59][60][61]
In his essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, Peter
H. Gilmore, further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all
of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not
a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at
will."[62]
Notes
1923.
the general connotation of "adversary," being applied (1) to an enemy in war (I Kings v. 18 [A. V. 4]; xi.
14, 23, 25), from which use is developed the concept of a traitor in battle (I Sam. xxix. 4); (2) to an
accuser before the judgment-seat (Ps. cix. 6); and (3) to any opponent (II Sam. xix. 23 [A. V. 22]). The
word is likewise used to denote an antagonist who puts obstacles in the way, as in Num. xxii. 32,
where the angel of God is described as opposing Balaam in the guise of a satan or adversary; so that
the concept of Satan as a distinct being was not then known."
1924.
Jump up^ Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, page 290, Wendy Doniger
1925.
Jump up^ Leeming, David Adams (2005). The Oxford Companion to World
Jump up^ Contemporary Religious Satanisim: A Critical Reader, Jesper Aagaard Petersen
2009
1927.
Jump up^ Who's ? Right: Mankind, Religions and the End Times, page 35, Kelly Warman-
Stallings 2012
1928.
Jump up^ ed. Buttrick, George Arthur; The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated
Encyclopedia
1929.
Jump up^ Crenshaw, James L. Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV), 1989
1930.
Jump up^ Stephen M. Hooks 2007 "As in Zechariah 3:12 the term here carries the definite
article (has'satan="the satan") and functions not as a ... the only place in the Hebrew Bible where the
term "Satan" is unquestionably used as a proper name is 1 Chronicles 21:1."
1931.
Jump up^ Coogan, Michael D.; A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible
Jump up^ Rachel Adelman The Return of the Repressed: Pirqe De-Rabbi Eliezer p65
"However, in the parallel versions of the story in Chronicles, it is Satan (without the definite article),"
1933.
1934.
Jump up^ Ruth R. Brand Adam and Eve p88 2005 "Later, however, King Hadad 1 Kings
11:14) and King Rezon (verses 23, ... Numbers 22:22, 23 does not use the definite article but
identifies the angel of YHWH as "a satan."
1935.
1936.
Jump up^ Steinmann, AE. "The structure and message of the Book of Job". Vetus
testamentum.
1937.
Jump up^ Henry Ansgar Kelly Satan: a biography 2006 "However, for Hadad and Rezon they
left the Hebrew term untranslated and simply said satan.. in the three passages in which a supraHuman satan appears: namely, Numbers, Job, Zechariah
1938.
^ Jump up to:a b Jackson, David R. (2004). Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.
^ Jump up to:a b Berlin, editor in chief, Adele (2011). The Oxford dictionary of the Jewish
religion(2nd ed. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 0199730040.
1940.
Jump up^ 2 Enoch 18:3. On this tradition, see A. Orlov, "The Watchers of Satanael: The
Fallen Angels Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch," in: A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in
Early Jewish Demonology (Albany: SUNY, 2011) 85106.
1941.
Jump up^ "And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air
Jump up^ "The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from
the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did
not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" 2 Enoch 31:4
1943.
Jump up^ See The Book of Wisdom: With Introduction and Notes, p. 27, Object of the book,
by A. T. S. Goodrick.
1944.
Jump up^ [ Introduction to the Book of Jubilees, 15. Theology. Some of our Author's Views:
Jump up^ Based on the Jewish exegesis of 1 Samuel 29:4 and 1 Kings 5:18 Oxford
dictionary of the Jewish religion, 2011, p. 651 "Satan is rarely mentioned in tannaitic literature; later,
chiefly Babylonian, aggadah enlarges the scope of his influence and activities. Perhaps because of
the influential presence of Satan as a name or character in the New Testament and the"
1946.
Jump up^ Bamberger, Bernard J. (2006). Fallen angels : soldiers of satan's realm (1.
paperback ed. ed.). Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publ. Soc. of America. p. 148,149. ISBN 0827607970.
1947.
Jump up^ Robert Eisen Associate Professor of Religious Studies George Washington
UniversityThe Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy 2004 p120 "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us
insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan
and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the
imagination."
1948.
1949.
Jump up^ Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to
Primitive ...1977, page 102 "This conflict between truth and the lie was one of the main sources of
Zarathushtra's dualism: the prophet perceived Angra Mainyu, the lord of evil, as the personification of
the lie. For Zoroastrians (as for the Egyptians), the lie was the essence ... "
1950.
Jump up^ Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith 1998, page 152
"There are so many features that Zoroastrianism seems to share with the Judeo-Christian tradition
that it would be difficult to ... Historically the first point of contact that we can determine is when the
Achaemenian Cyrus conquered Babylon ..539 BC"
1951.
Jump up^ Winn, Shan M.M. (1995). Heaven, heroes, and happiness : the Indo-European
roots of Western ideology. Lanham, Md.: University press of America. p. 203. ISBN 0819198609.
1952.
title= (help)
1953.
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Jump up^ Kelly, Harry Ansgar (2007). Satan: a Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University
1956.
1957.
1958.
1959.
Jump up^ K. van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst, Baalzebub,
1960.
Jump up^ B. W. Johnson (1891). "The Revelation of John. Chapter XX. The
1962.
1963.
1964.
1965.
1966.
Jump up^ Drower, E.S. The Peacock Angel. Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult
Jump up^ Abdul-Bah (1982) [1912]. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Wilmette,
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith. Oxford, UK:
Jump up^ Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge
1971.
Jump up^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82.
Retrieved 2008-05-12.
1972.
Jump up^ Satanism and Demonology, by Lionel & Patricia Fanthorpe, Dundurn Press, 8 Mar
2011,p. 74, "If, as theistic Satanists believe, the devil is an intelligent, self-aware entity..." "Theistic
Satanism then becomes explicable in terms of Lucifer's ambition to be the supreme god and his
rebellion against Yahweh. [...] This simplistic, controntational view is modified by other theistic
Satanists who do not regard their hero as evil: far from it. For them he is a freedom fighter..."
1973.
1974.
Jump up^ Cinema of the Occult: New Age, Satanism, Wicca, and Spiritualism in Film, Carrol
^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopedia of Urban Legends, Updated and Expanded Edition, by Jan
^ Jump up to:a b Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media, by Bill Ellis,
University Press of Kentucky p. 125 In discussing myths about groups accused of Satanism, "...such
myths are already pervasive in Western culture, and the development of the modern "Satanic Scare"
would be impossible to explain without showing how these myths helped organize concerns and
beliefs." Accusations of Satanism are traced from the witch hunts, to the Illuminati, to the Satanic
Ritual Abuse panic in the 1980s, with a distinction made between what modern Satanists believe and
what is believed about Satanists.
1977.
^ Jump up to:a b Satan in America: The Devil We Know, by W. Scott Poole, Rowman &
Jump
up^name="altreligion.about.com">http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.ht
m
1979.
1980.
1981.
1982.
1983.
Jump up^ Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, page 45, Jesper Aagaard
Petersen, 2009
1984.
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