The Hebrew word śāṭān (שָׂטָן) means “adversary,” “accuser,” or “opponent.”
🜂 Core Meaning in Biblical Hebrew
In the Hebrew Bible, satan is not originally a personal name but a role:
- One who opposes or obstructs
- An accuser in a legal or spiritual sense
- An adversary raised up against someone
The verb form means “to accuse, to oppose, to obstruct.”