דברי הימים ב, פרק י״ח, פסוק כ׳

Amidst a gathering of the heavenly court, a solitary figure steps forward from the crowd to volunteer for a mission to entice the king of Israel. This sudden appearance leads to a direct dialogue with God.

There are two ways to understand the identity of the spirit who steps forward. The straightforward approach is that this figure is simply one of the angels [רש״י]. This aligns with the broader setting of the event, as the entire heavenly host is already gathered before God. The spirit merely steps out from the ranks of these assembled angels, a concept supported by other biblical accounts where angels are described as spirits. Alternatively, a classical tradition offers a very specific identity, suggesting that the figure standing before God is the spirit of Naboth the Jezreelite [רש י ומצודת דוד].

After the spirit offers to take on the mission, God engages him directly, as He asks for the practical details of the plan. He seeks to know the exact method the spirit will use to carry out the enticement [ביאור שטיינזלץ].