God or Satan: A Literary Study of 1 Chronicles 21:1

Scholarly debate regarding the interpretation of the term satan (‘adversary’) in 1 Chron 21:1 centers on (1) the development of the concept of the Devil or (2) intermediate beings in Jewish thought or (3) human enemies. However, 1 Chron 21’s intertextual links to Num 22 suggest that the Chronicler still had God/the angel of YHWH in mind. Many of the textual variations between 2 Sam 24 and 1 Chron 21 (added material: satan, ‘stand’, ‘three’, ‘drawn sword’, and ‘angel of YHWH’) strengthen the latter’s links to Num 22, where God sends the angel of YHWH as a satan. In further support of satan as God/the angel of YHWH: Like other appearances of the angel of YHWH in the Hebrew Bible, in 1 Chron 21 and a comparison of 2 Sam 24 and 1 Chron 21, the roles of God and the angel of YHWH overlap. Thus, 2 Sam 24:1 and 1 Chron 21:1 agree that God/the angel of YHWH (satan) was angry/stood against Israel and incited David. While the Chronicler makes changes to material from the Torah and Deuteronomistic literature to fit his theology, there is no evidence in 1–2 Chronicles that the Chronicler is uncomfortable with God misleading individuals or groups (2 Chron 18; 20:20-23; cf. Judg 7:19-23; 1 Kgs 3), which would necessitate the change from God to Satan in 1 Chron 21:1