1 Chronicles 21:1

And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Ver. 1. And Satan stood up against Israel.] That is, The devil, as Job 1:6 Psa 109:6 Zechariah 3:1,2. Satan signifieth an adversary. So the devil is to God and his people, Revelation 12:9 ; Rev 20:2 an adversary at law a 1Pe 5:8 hating them with an inward, spiteful hatred, as do also his instruments. Psa 55:4 The Emperor Commodus - cunctis incommodus, saith Orosius; semper incommodus, saith Vopiscus, in vita Taciti - was commonly called the enemy of God and men, the very name of the devil. Howbeit God so chained him up, that, of all the emperors until Constantine, he was most favourable unto Christians, b by the mediation of Marcia, who favoured their doctrine, saith Dion; but especially by the overruling power and providence of God, who also had a holy hand in this that David here did: See Trapp on " 2Sa 24:1 "

a Aντιδικος .

b Mountag., Act. and Mon., cap. 7, par. 115.