G-d tests us - Key Passages

When G-d created Adam, there was no evil inclination inside of him. Once he fell for the temptation of the snake, it entered him.

Every descendant of Adam now has this evil inclination within them. 

Rabbinic teaching says that the Evil Inclination was meant to exist and was created by G-d to help offer us resistance to stick to good instead of bad, cleave to G-d and not move away from G-d ....

Below passages from Tanakh show that G-d tests us at times with this evil inclination to see if we will love him and cling to him as well as at times G-d does this to punish us for the offences we have committed. 

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am."

Exodus 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 14:25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord instructed him concerning a piece of wood, which he cast into the water, and the water became sweet. There He gave them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them.

Exodus 16:4 So the Lord said to Moses, Behold! I am going to rain down for you bread from heaven, and the people shall go out and gather what is needed for the day, so that I can test them, whether or not they will follow My teaching.

Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon, king of Heshbon, did not wish to let us pass by him, for the Lord your God caused his spirit to be hardened and his heart to be obstinate, in order that He would give him into your hand, as this day.

Deuteronomy 8:2 And you shall remember the entire way on which the Lord, your God, led you these forty years in the desert, in order to afflict you to test you, to know what is in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Deuteronomy 13:4 you shall not heed the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of a dream; for the Lord, your God, is testing you, to know whether you really love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.

Joshua 11:19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon; they took all in battle. 20 For it was from the Lord to harden their hearts, (that they should come) against Israel in battle, that they might destroy them completely, and that they might have no favor, that they might destroy them as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Judges 2:20 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed my covenant which I commanded their forefathers and have not obeyed Me, 21 I too will not continue to drive out any man from before them, of the nations that Joshua left and he died. 22 In order to test Israel through them, whether they would keep the way of the Lord to walk therein as their forefathers did keep it, or not." 23 And the Lord left these nations without driving them out hastily, and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

Judges 9:23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Shechem. And the inhabitants of Shechem betrayed Abimelech. 24 That (there) might come the injustice done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and their blood (which he shed, now) to be placed upon Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and upon the inhabitants of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

Judges 14:1 And Samson went down to Timnath; and he saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he came up, and told his father and mother, and said, "I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; so now take her to me for a wife." 3 And his father and mother said to him, "Is there no woman among the daughters of your brothers and among all my people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson said to his father, "Take her for me, because she is pleasing in my eyes." 4 Now his father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, that he sought a pretense against the Philistines; now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

1 Samuel 2:24 No, my sons, for the rumor which I hear the Lord's people spreading, is not good. 25 If man will sin to man, the judge will judge him. If, however, he will sin against God, who will intercede in the judgment in his behalf?" But they would not hearken to their father's voice, for the Lord desired to kill them.

1 Samuel 18:10 And it was on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God rested upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, and David was playing with his hand like everyday, and the spear was in Saul's hand.

1 Kings 22:19 And he said, "Therefore, listen to the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord seated on His throne, and all the host of heaven were standing by Him on His right and on His left. 20 And the Lord said, 'Who will entice Ahab so that he will go up and fall in Ramoth-Gilead?' One said in this manner and another one said in that manner. 21 And a certain spirit came forth and stood before the Lord and said, 'I will entice him,' and the Lord said to him 'How?' 22 And he said, 'I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And He said, 'You will entice and you will prevail. Go forth and do so.' 23 And now, behold the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, whereas the Lord spoke evil concerning you."

Isaiah 45:7 Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates evil; I am the Lord, Who makes all these.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and when it is sick, who will recognize it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, test the kidneys, to give everyone according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.

Zechariah 13:8 And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the Lord, two parts of it shall be cut off. They shall perish, and the third shall remain therein. 9 And I will bring the third in fire; and I will refine them as one refines silver, and I will test them as one tests gold. He shall call in My name, and I will respond to him. I said, "He is My people"; and he shall say, "The Lord is my God."

Amos 3:6 Will a shophar be sounded in the city and the people not quake? Will there be evil in the city if the Lord has not done it?

Psalms 26:2 Test me, O Lord, and try me; refine my reins and my heart.

Isaiah 48:10 For You tested us, O God; You refined us as though refining silver.

Job 1:12 Now the Lord said to the Adversary, "Behold, all that he has is in your hands; only upon him do not stretch forth your hand." Now the Adversary left the presence of the Lord.

Job 23:10 Because He knows the way that is with me; He has tested me that I will emerge like gold.

1 Chronicles 29:17 And I know, my God, that You test the heart and You desire equity; I, with the sincerity of my heart, have willingly donated all these; and now I have seen with joy Your people, who are present here, offer willingly to You.

Ecclesiastes 3:18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.

Jeremiah 9:6 Therefore, thus says the Lord of Hosts, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of (the wickedness of) the daughter of My people?