Paul Evans, «Divine Intermediaries in 1 Chronicles 21. An Overlooked Aspect of the Chronicler’s Theology», Vol. 85 (2004) 545-558
This paper challenges current scholarly opinion in regard to
the Chronicler’s belief in divine intermediaries. In 1 Chronicles 21, unlike in
the Chronicler’s Vorlage, the angel is clearly distinguished from Yahweh
himself, communicates Yahweh’s word to Gad, and flies. The Chronicler’s
replacement of Yahweh with N+# also reflects this
belief. Persian Dualism may have been influential but there is no
evidence that the Chronicler felt the need to remove all aspects of evil from
originating in God. Although not representing a complete doctrine of Satan, as
developed in later Jewish writings, 1 Chronicles 21 is an important stage its
development.
Divine Intermediaries in 1 Chronicles 21 553
evidence, it is clear that in the end we must deal with the text of
Chronicles itself and reckon with its implications in regards to Ch’s
theology (32).
2. Satan in Place of Yahweh
Ch’s belief in divine intermediaries can also be seen in the
appearance of ˆfç in 1 Chr 21,1. In 2 Sam 24,1 we read that
“Yahweh’s wrath again flared up against Israel, and he incited David
against themâ€. However, 1 Chronicles 21 reads ˆfç as the inciter of
David, in place of Yahweh — “Satan stood up against Israel, and he
incited David to number Israel†(1 Chr 21,1). As noted above, ˆfç here
is anarthrous, which suggests that the word is a proper name in this
text. This is opposed to the use of ˆfç in Zechariah 3 and Job 1–2,
where in both occasions, the definite article is employed, which would
indicate that ˆfç is a title or connotes the function of the character —
the Adversary or adversary. Therefore, in Chronicles, ˆfç without the
article, represents the transformation of ˆfç from “official title†to a
proper name.
There are verbal connections which link ˆfç with the appearances
of ˆfçh elsewhere in the OT. In 1 Chr 21,1 ˆfç is said to l[ dm[ “stand
up against†Israel. This is a legal phrase that recalls Zechariah 3,1
where, in a heavenly court, ˆfçh stands beside (l[ dm[) Joshua the
priest and opposes him (33). Also, ˆfç is said to tws “incite†David in 1
Chr 21,1. This verb is also used of ˆfçh in Job 2,3 where Yahweh says
that the adversary has incited him against Job for no reason. These
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It would seem that the scribe may have been so familiar with the Micah text that
he inadvertently relapsed to its wording when he ran into similar word triggers in
Isaiah 34 (the three texts and their connections can be seen below).
Isaiah 34, 3b-4 (MT) lk wqmnw µmdm µyrh wsmnw
1QIsa µyq µ[h µmdm µyrhh wsmnw
Micah 1,4 (MT) µyq µ[hw wytjjt µyrhh wsmnw
(32) Rofé suggests that all the angelological elements found in 1 Chronicles
21 predate Ch and that Ch could not have written 1 Chronicles 21, not based on
the textual evidence as much as on his belief that Ch had a negative view of the
belief in angels, like the Deuteronomist and Priestly schools (“4Q Samaâ€, 115)
This argument is obviously circular and fails to account for subtle angelological
reworkings in other parts of Ch’s work.
(33) G. VON RAD, “a[ggelo"â€, 74. E.A. Martens also recognizes that dm[ is used
as court language (“dm[â€, New International Dictionary of Old Testament
Theology & Exegesis [ed. WILLEM A. VAN GEMERAN] [Grand Rapids 1997] III,
432.