1 Chronicles 21:1Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. King David at the height of his power suddenly feels compelled to count his military strength. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: sobered by recording how even great kings can fall
The original word
satan (שָׂטָן) — adversary, the accuser who opposes God's people
Why it matters
This is one of the first times Satan is named as a personal entity in Hebrew Scripture
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Chronicles 21:1
The parallel account in 2 Samuel says GOD incited David — showing how God's sovereignty and Satan's temptation work together
Common misconceptionPeople think Satan made David sin against his will. But temptation only works when it appeals to something we already want — David's pride in his military might.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Chronicles 21:1
Bible Genome reading
1 Chronicles 21:1 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Chronicles 21:1 comes from the book of 1 Chronicles, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include temptation, spiritual warfare. Notable phrases: Satan stood up; moved David.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Chronicles 21:1 mean to you, today?
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