xxiii. 24, 25. "Aaron made it a molten calf: and they said, This is _thy Elohe_, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." Exod. xxxii. 4, rendered, "_These be thy gods_, O Israel." Undoubtedly the meaning is: This molten image is a visible token or representative of Jehovah thy Elohe--a visible mediator or medium of intercourse with thy Elohe, in place of Moses. So Jeroboam, having made _two_ such images, two calves of gold, said: "Behold thy _Elohe_, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." 2 Kings xii. 28: rendered, Behold thy _gods_, O Israel. This usage characterizes the translation. Besides the absurdity of supposing that the Israelites, with the revelation of the one Supreme Being by which they were distinguished, or that the heathen should admit the notion of a plurality of such beings, it is apparent from the nature of the case that the counterfeit of the true system must originally, in order to its success, have been a counterfeit in this, the first and most essential of all its particulars. The very nature of the antagonism, and the false system of mediation by which idolatry was sustained and rendered practically successful, required this. Even when Astarte, as Queen of heaven, was associated with Baal, it was only in a subordinate relation, as mediatrix, the moon being her shekina, and her office being the prototype of that of the Popish Mary; while Baal arrogated the prerogatives of Jehovah, and the sun as his shekina. To this evil being, among others, the following designations are applied in the Hebrew Scriptures: _Serpent_, as in Gen. iii.: "Jehovah Elohim said unto the _serpent_, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed." Thee, the "tempter," "the dragon, that old _serpent_ which is the Devil and Satan." Rev. xx. "The great dragon, that old _serpent_, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world." Rev. xii. The apostle expresses his fear "lest by any means" the false teachers should corrupt his converts, "as the _serpent_ beguiled Eve through his subtlety." 2 Cor. xi. The original word, when not employed as a personal designation, is often rendered "enchantment, divination," &c. _Satan_ is commonly rendered _adversary_; but frequently Satan, as a personal designation of the Evil One, where his local agency is particularly mentioned, as Job i, and ii.; 1 Chron. xxi. 1; Zech. iii. 1, 2.