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Did God or Satan Incite David?

Did God or Satan Incite David?

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Starting explanation, not independently reviewed

The current answer

The same census, incited by God in Samuel and by Satan in Chronicles. Watch the adversary arrive.

What remains uncertain

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Claims & evidence

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unreviewedseed-1

2 Samuel 24:1 credits God with inciting David's census, while 1 Chronicles 21:1 credits Satan.

Imported citation, not independently checked: 2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1

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Hebrew does not put the article on proper names.

Imported citation, not independently checked: Peggy L. Day, An Adversary in Heaven

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In Numbers 22:22, the angel of YHWH stands in the road to block Balaam, and the Hebrew says he stood there as a satan against him.

Imported citation, not independently checked: Numbers 22:22

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David is called a potential satan to the Philistines (1 Samuel 29:4), and Solomon reports that God has given him no satan, no adversary (1 Kings 5:4).

Imported citation, not independently checked: 1 Samuel 29:4; 1 Kings 5:4

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