שטן

See also: שׂטן

Hebrew

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (reconstructed Biblical) IPA^(key): /ɬaːˈtˤaːn/
• (Tiberian) IPA^(key): /sɔːˈtˤɔːɔn/
• (Modern Israeli) IPA^(key): /saˈtan/

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔn

Noun

שָׂטָן • (satán, śāṭān) m (plural indefinite שְׂטָנִים (staním), singular construct שְׂטַן־, plural construct שִׂטְנֵי־)

1. Satan, adversary, opponent
   • Tanach, 1 Kings 11:25, with the JPS 1917 translation (Sefaria):

     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 the JPS 1917 translation (Sefaria):

     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 the JPS 1917 translation (Sefaria):

     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

Declension

Declension of שָׂטָן

	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
Number:	State:	form	Person:	singular		plural
				m	f	m	f
singular	indefinite	שָׂטָן	first	שְׂטָנִי		שְׂטָנֵנוּ
	definite	הַשָּׂטָן	second	שְׂטָנְךָ	שְׂטָנֵךְ	שְׂטַנְכֶם	שְׂטַנְכֶן
	construct	שְׂטַן־	third	שְׂטָנוֹ	שְׂטָנָהּ	שְׂטָנָם	שְׂטָנָן
plural	indefinite	שְׂטָנִים	first	שטניי / שְׂטָנַי		שְׂטָנֵינוּ
	definite	הַשְּׂטָנִים	second	שְׂטָנֶיךָ	שטנייך / שְׂטָנַיִךְ	שִׂטְנֵיכֶם	שִׂטְנֵיכֶן
	construct	שִׂטְנֵי־	third	שְׂטָנָיו	שְׂטָנֶיהָ	שִׂטְנֵיהֶם	שִׂטְנֵיהֶן

Descendants

• → Classical Syriac: ܣܛܢܐ (sāṭānā) (see there for further descendants)
• → Ancient Greek: Σατάν (Satán), Σᾰτᾶν (Sătân), Σᾰτᾰνᾶς (Sătănâs)
  • → Latin: Satan, Satanas (see there for further descendants)
  • → Old Armenian: սատան (satan)
  • → Old Church Slavonic: Сотона (Sotona)
  • → Russian: Сатана (Satana)
  • → Ukrainian: Сатана (Satana)
  • → Bulgarian: Сатана (Satana)
• → Yiddish: שׂטן (sotn)

References

• “שטן” in Abraham Even-Shoshan (אַבְרָהָם אֶבֶן־שׁוֹשָן) et al., מִלּוֹן אֶבֶן־שׁוֹשָן (milón 'éven-shoshán, “The Even-Shoshan Dictionary”), Hamilon HeChadash Ltd. (הַמִּלּוֹן הֶחָדָשׁ בע״מ)‎ (2003).
• 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
• “12627”, in The Academy Dictionary, Based on Milon HeHoveh (in Hebrew), Academy of the Hebrew Language, 1995–present.