שטן

From a root relating to opposition or accusation. Compare Arabic شَيْطَان (šayṭān), Aramaic סָטָנָא, Ge'ez ሰይጣን (säyṭan), and Classical Syriac ܣܛܢܐ (sāṭānā).

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שָׂטָן • (śāṭān) m (plural indefinite שְׂטָנִים)

1. Satan, adversary, opponent
   • Tanach, 1 Kings 11:25, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     כה וַיְהִי שָׂטָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל-יְמֵי שְׁלֹמֹה, וְאֶת-הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר הֲדָד; וַיָּקָץ, בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיִּמְלֹךְ, עַל-אֲרָם.

     And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did; and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Aram.

   • Tanach, 1 Chronicles 21:1, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיַּעֲמֹד שָׂטָן, עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיָּסֶת, אֶת-דָּוִיד, לִמְנוֹת, אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל.

     And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.

   • Tanach, Job 1:7, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-הַשָּׂטָן, מֵאַיִן תָּבֹא; וַיַּעַן הַשָּׂטָן אֶת-יְהוָה, וַיֹּאמַר, מִשּׁוּט בָּאָרֶץ, וּמֵהִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּהּ.

     And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Whence comest thou?' Then Satan answered the LORD, and said: 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.'

2. devil

• → Ancient Greek: Σατάν (Satán), Σατᾶν (Satân), Σατανᾶς (Satanâs)
  • → Latin: Satan, Satanas (see there for further descendants)
  • → Old Armenian: սատան (satan)
  • → Old Church Slavonic: сотона (sotona)
• → Japanese: サタン (satan) (via English)
• → Korean: 사탄 (satan) (via Latin)
• → Chinese: 撒但 (Sādàn)
• → Thai: ซาตาน (saa-dtaan)
• → Classical Syriac: ܣܛܢܐ (sāṭānā)
  • → Old Armenian: սատանայ (satanay), սատան (satan)
    • Armenian: սատանա (satana)
    • → Aghwan: 𐕚𐔰𐕜𐔰𐕎𐔰𐔺 (saṭanay)
  • → Old Georgian: სატანაჲ (saṭanay)
    • Georgian: სატანა (saṭana)
• → Yiddish: שׂטן (sotn)

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1979) “սատանայ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume IV, Yerevan: University Press, page 419b