n "evil spirit" possesses Saul (1 Sam. xvi. 14),
but it is "from the Lord." The same agency produces discord between
Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judges ix. 23). "A lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets" as Yahweh's messenger entices Ahab to his
doom (1 Kings xxii. 22). Growing human corruption is traced to the
fleshy union of angels and women (Gen. vi. 1-4). But generally evil,
whether as misfortune or as sin, is assigned to divine causality (1 Sam.
xviii. 10; 2 Sam. xxiv. 1; 1 Kings xxii. 20; Isa. vi. 10, lxiii. 17).
After the Exile there is a tendency to protect the divine transcendence
by the introduction of mediating angelic agency, and to separate all
evil from God by ascribing its origin to Satan, the enemy of God and
man. In the prophecy of Zechariah (iii. 1-2) he stands as the adversary
of Joshua, the high priest, and is rebuked by Yahweh for desiring that
Jerusalem should be further punished. In the book of Job he presents
himself before the Lord among the sons of God (ii. 1), yet he is
represented both as accuser and tempter. He disbelieves in Job's
integrity, and desires him to be so tried that he may fall into sin.
While, according to 2 Sam. xxiv. 1, God himself tests David in regard to
the numbering of the people, according to 1 Chron. xxi. 1 it is Satan
who tempts him.

The development of the conception continued in later Judaism, which was
probably more strongly influenced by Persian dualism. It is doubtful,
however, whether the Asmodeus (q.v.) of the book of Tobit is the same as
the A[=e]shma Da[=e]wa of the Bundahesh. He is the evil spirit who slew
the seven husbands of Sara (iii. 8), and the name probably means
"Destroyer." In the book of Enoch Satan is represented as the ruler of a
rival kingdom of evil, but here are also mentioned Satans, who are
distinguished from the fallen angels and who have a threefold function,
to tempt, to accuse and to punish. Satan possesses the ungodly
(Ecclesiasticus xxi. 27), is identified with the serpent of Gen. iii.
(Wisdom ii. 24), and is probably also represented by Asmodeus, to whom
lustful qualities are assigned (Tobit vi. 14); Gen. iii. is probably
referred to in Psalms of Solomon xvii. 49, "a serpent speaking with the
words of transgressors, words of deceit to pervert wisdom." The _Book of
the Secrets of Enoch_ not only identifies Satan with the Serpent, but
also describes his revolt against God, and expulsion from heaven. In the
Jewish _Targums_ Samma