the Second Week of Advent
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Dictionaries
Demon
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
DEMON . The word does not occur in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] . In RV [Note: Revised Version.] it is substituted for ‘devil’ in the margin of many passages, and the American Committee was in favour of its adoption in the text. Twice it stands in the text ( Deuteronomy 32:17 , Psalms 106:37 ), representing a root found in both Assyr. [Note: Assyrian.] and Arab. [Note: Arabic.] , and denoting a species of genli or demi-gods, who were conceived as invested with power for good or evil, and to whom even human sacrifices were offered. So in Bar 4:7; and in the same sense probably ‘devils’ is used in 1 Corinthians 10:20 and Revelation 9:20 . For the conception of demon as an influence or spirit, exclusively evil, see Devil; and for the phenomena, see Possession and Exorcism.
R. W. Moss.
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Hastings, James. Entry for 'Demon'. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​hdb/​d/demon.html. 1909.