Diabolus

DIABOLUS. This word comes from the Greek, Diabalos, which signifies a Calumniator. We very rarely meet with it in the Old Διάβολος, Calumniator. Accusator.Testament. Sometimes it answers to the Hebrew, Belial; and at other times to the word Satan. The first signifies one who is good for nothing, a Libertine; and the second, an Adversary, or an Accuser in a Court of Justice. The Author of the Vulgate has likewise made use of Diabolus in Habbakuk. Egredietur Diabolus ante pedes ejus, instead of the Hebrew Rescheph, which signifies a coal. The translation therefore should be, Death or the Pestilence shall go before him, and Coals shall go forth at his feet. In the Books of the Old Testament which were written in the Greek, Diabolus is taken for the Devil, or simply for the Enemy: but in the New Testament it signifies always the Devil, the grand Enemy of Mankind.

We have spoken at large in the Article Demons, of the fall of Lucifer and his followers. We have seen that Eblis, according to the Mahometans, was the same with him whom we call Lucifer. It may be proper to add a word or two farther in this place of Eblis, whose name comes pretty near that of Diabolus. The Mussulmen call him likewise Azazel, which is the name in Scripture for the Scape-goat; and is probably the same with that Azazel, whom the Book of Enoch mentions by this name, as one of the chief of the revolted Angels. They maintain that Eblis was called by this name, which signifies refractory, by reason of his rebellion against God; and that having received orders to prostrate himself before Adam, he would not comply, under pretence that he being of the nature of fire, ought not to bend the knee to Adam, who was formed only of earth. They say the Angels were created many thousand years before Adam, and that the fire whereof they were composed, was of a much greater activity than ordinary fire; that it was of the nature of lightning.

We have already observed, that they were capable of ingendering, and in reality did ingender other Genius’s of the same nature with themselves, and imitators of their disobedience and rebellion. They believe that Eblis desired of God to have some respite allowed him, before he was to be tormented in hell. God granted the delay he asked, but without declaring to him for what term of time. They add, that it will continue till the sounding of the first trumpet before the day of Judgment; that then Eblis will die, and remain dead forty years, that is to say, to the sounding of the second trumpet, and then will rise again with all men. They never pronounce the word Eblis without adding to it, the Cursed of God, or al-Regim, the stoned, the person driven away with stones.

In the books of the Old Testament, Diabolus signifies sometimes the Devil, as in this place: Invidiâ Diaboli mors introivit Wisd. ii. 24.in orbem terrarum. Through envy of the Devil came death into the World. Sometimes it is taken for an accuser, and adversary who prosecutes us before the Judges; for example, Diabolus stet a dextris ejus; Psalm cviii. 6.let him appear in judgment; let his accuser be at his right hand, and when he is to be judged, let him be condemned. And elsewhere, Ecclus. xxi. 30.Cum maledicit impius Diabolum, maledicit ipse animam suam. When the wicketh curseth his adversary, he curseth himself: He drew this enemy upon himself by his own bad conduct; had he been wise, he would have had no enemy. Others understand it as signifying the Devil: he that curseth the Devil who tempts him, and occasions his falling into sin, should complain only of himself; he has indeed incurred the guilt of sin, but should impute it to his own will only.

Sometimes Diabolus is taken for a wicked man, a libertine, a man who is under no restraints of law or honesty; a child 1 Kings xxi. 13.of Belial; for example, Adductis duobus viris filiis diaboli: they brought two false witnesses, two of the Devil’s children, two forgers of lyes, two sons of Belial. Lastly, in the first book of Maccabees, it is said that 1 Macc. i. 38.the strangers put a garrison into the citadel of Jerusalem, and that this was a snare, and an evil Devil in Israel¹; that is to say, it was an occasion of divisions, quarrels, wars, and profanations; it was as it were a snare, and matter of falling, to many.

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