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In the Hebrew Bible God is depicted as the source of both light and darkness, as in Isaiah 45:6-7.[1] However this concept of "darkness" or "evil" was not yet personified as "the devil," a laterdevelopment in Jewish thought.[2]

The author of the Books of Chronicles is thought to have first introduced the notion of "divineintermediaries", not found in the earlier parts of the Hebrew Bible. The main evidence adduced bytheologians to support this is 1 Chronicles 21, a reworked version of 2 Samuel 24.

This change is made most evident in the Chronicler's treatment of 2 Samuel 24:1

"And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David againstthem to say, Go, number Israel and Judah." (KJV)

which in 1 Chronicles 21:1 becomes:

"And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." (KJV)

While in the book of Samuel, YHWH himself is the agent in punishing Israel, while in 1Chronicles, an "adversary" is introduced. This is usually taken as the result of Persian dualism onIsraelite demonology.

Scholars are divided on whether in Chronicles, "the adversary" had already become a propername, "the Adversary" (Satan). The traditional opinion has been that this is the case, arguing from

the absence of the definite article in "adversary". S. Japhet in her The Ideology of the Book

of Chronicles and its Place in Biblical Thought (1989) argued against mainstream opinion in

suggesting that still had the generic meaning and only became the proper name "Satan" at

a later date, by about the 2nd century BC.[3]

The Evil Spirit Of The Lord, 1

"And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, andplayed with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him."(I Samuel 16:23)

The Evil Spirit Of The Lord, 2

"And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in hishand: and David played with his hand." (I Samuel 19:9)

God Casts Stones

"And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron,that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: theywere more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword."(Joshua 10:11)

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God's Fiery Serpents

"And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out ofEgypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul

loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit thepeople; and much people of Israel died." (Numbers 21:5-6)

God-- Man Of War

"The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name." (Exodus 15:3)

God & Satan The Same?

"AND Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." (I Chronicles 21:1)

"AND again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against themto say, Go, number Israel and Judah." (II Samuel 24:1)

Jesus Not Entirely Good

"And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I mayhave eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one,that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:16-17)

Jesus Reveals Himself

"I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." (Revelation 22:16)