But this starting point contains a significant problem of bias. It is an example of picking from a menu of meanings according to one's taste. That is, while ‘az can describe negative aspects of character, such as fierceness (Genesis 49:7; Deuteronomy 28:50; Isaiah 19:4; Daniel 8:23), it also describes many things that are morally neutral, such as the sea (Nehemiah 9:11; Isaiah 43:16), wind (Exodus 14:21), ants (Proverbs 30:25), and a lion (Judges 14:14, 18).
Significantly, its first usage is in Genesis 49:3, where Jacob describes Reuben as My might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power [‘az]. Though Reuben had his problems, Jacob uses the word here as praise. So, the basic problem with this interpretation is that any number of people, animals, and environmental forces have strength or power, but they do not all have fierceness or bad character. In other words, ‘az essentially describes strength, but this starting point concludes that the strength is negative, and thus, indicates Satan.
