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.