Reference: Divination
American
The Eastern people were fond of divination, magic, and the pretended art of interpreting dreams and acquiring a knowledge of futurity. When Moses published the law, this disposition had long been common in Egypt and the neighboring countries; and to correct the Israelites inclination to consult diviners, wizards, fortune-tellers, and interpreters of dreams, it was forbidden them under very severe penalties, and the true spirit of prophecy was promised to them as infinitely superior, Ex 22:18; Le 19:26,31; 20:27. Those were to be stoned who pretended to have a familiar spirit, or the spirit of divination, De 18:9-12; and the prophecies are full of invectives against the Israelite who consulted such, as well as against false prophets, who seduced the people, Isa 8:19; 47:11-14; Eze 13:6-9. A fresh impulse to these superstitions was gained from intercourse with the Chaldeans, during the reign of the later kings of Judah and the captivities in Babylon, 2Ki 21:6; 2Ch 33:6. See MAGIC, SORCERERS.
Divination was of several kinds: by water, fire, earth, air; by the fight of birds, and their singing; by lots, dreams, arrows, clouds, entrails of sacrifices, pretended communication with spirits, etc., Eze 21:21.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Thou shall not allow a sorceress to live.
Ye shall not eat anything with the blood. Neither shall ye use enchantments, nor practice augury.
Do not turn to those who have familiar spirits, nor to the wizards. Do not seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am LORD your God.
A man or also a woman who has a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death. They shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.
When thou have come into the land, which LORD thy God gives thee, thou shall not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found with thee anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, a psychic, he who practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, read more. or a charmer, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to LORD. And because of these abominations LORD thy God drives them out from before thee.
And he made his son to pass through the fire, and practiced augury, and used enchantments, and dealt with psychics, and with sorcery. He wrought much evil in the sight of LORD to provoke him to anger.
And when they shall say to you, Seek for those who have familiar spirits and for the wizards, who chirp and who mutter, should not a people seek for their God? On behalf of the living [seek] to the dead?
Therefore evil shall come upon thee. Thou shall not know the dawning of it. And mischief shall fall upon thee. Thou shall not be able to put it away. And desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou know not. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou have labored from thy youth, if so be thou shall be able to profit, if so be thou may prevail. read more. Thou are wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble. The fire shall burn them. They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame. It shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before.
They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, LORD says, but LORD has not sent them. And they have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed. Have ye not seen a FALSE vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, in that ye say, LORD says, albeit I have not spoken? read more. Therefore thus says lord LORD: Because ye have spoken falsehood, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, says lord LORD. And my hand shall be against the prophets who see FALSE visions, and who divine lies. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows to and fro. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver.
Easton
of false prophets (De 18:10,14; Mic 3:6-7,11), of necromancers (1Sa 28:8), of the Philistine priests and diviners (1Sa 6:2), of Balaam (Jos 13:22). Three kinds of divination are mentioned in Eze 21:21, by arrows, consulting with images (the teraphim), and by examining the entrails of animals sacrificed. The practice of this art seems to have been encouraged in ancient Egypt. Diviners also abounded among the aborigines of Canaan and the Philistines (Isa 2:6; 1Sa 28). At a later period multitudes of magicians poured from Chaldea and Arabia into the land of Israel, and pursued their occupations (Isa 8:19; 2Ki 21:6; 2Ch 33:6). This superstition widely spread, and in the time of the apostles there were "vagabond Jews, exorcists" (Ac 19:13), and men like Simon Magus (Ac 8:9), Bar-jesus (Ac 13:6,8), and other jugglers and impostors (Ac 19:19; 2Ti 3:13). Every species and degree of this superstition was strictly forbidden by the law of Moses (Ex 22:18; Le 19:26,31; 20:27; De 18:10-11).
But beyond these various forms of superstition, there are instances of divination on record in the Scriptures by which God was pleased to make known his will.
(1.) There was divination by lot, by which, when resorted to in matters of moment, and with solemnity, God intimated his will (Jos 7:13). The land of Canaan was divided by lot (Nu 26:55-56); Achan's guilt was detected (Jos 7:16-19), Saul was elected king (1Sa 10:20-21), and Matthias chosen to the apostleship, by the solem lot (Ac 1:26). It was thus also that the scape-goat was determined (Le 16:8-10).
(2.) There was divination by dreams (Ge 20:6; De 13:1,3; Jg 7:13,15; Mt 1:20; 2:12-13,19,22). This is illustrated in the history of Joseph (Ge 41:25-32) and of Daniel (Da 2:27; 4:19-28).
(3.) By divine appointment there was also divination by the Urim and Thummim (Nu 27:21), and by the ephod.
(4.) God was pleased sometimes to vouch-safe direct vocal communications to men (De 34:10; Ex 3:4; 4:3; De 4:14-15; 1Ki 19:12). He also communed with men from above the mercy-seat (Ex 25:22), and at the door of the tabernacle (Ex 29:42-43).
(5.) Through his prophets God revealed himself, and gave intimations of his will (2Ki 13:17; Jer 51:63-64).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And God said to him in the dream, Yes, I know that in the integrity of thy heart thou have done this. And I also withheld thee from sinning against me. Therefore I did not allow thee to touch her.
And Joseph said to Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one; what God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one. read more. And the seven lean and ill-favored cows that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind, they shall be seven years of famine. That is the thing which I spoke to Pharaoh. What God is about to do he has shown to Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, and there shall arise after them seven years of famine. And all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land. And the plenty shall not be known in the land because of that famine which follows, for it shall be very grievous. And because the dream was doubled to Pharaoh, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
And when LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here I am.
And he said, Cast in on the ground. And he cast it on the ground. And it became a serpent, and Moses fled from before it.
Thou shall not allow a sorceress to live.
And there I will meet with thee. And I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment to the sons of Isra
It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to thee there. And there I will meet with the sons of Israel, and [the tent] shall be sanctified by my glory.
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats, one lot for LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall present the goat upon which the lot fell for LORD, and offer him for a sin-offering. read more. But the goat, on which the lot fell for the scapegoat, shall be set alive before LORD, to make atonement for him, to send him away for the scapegoat into the wilderness.
Ye shall not eat anything with the blood. Neither shall ye use enchantments, nor practice augury.
Do not turn to those who have familiar spirits, nor to the wizards. Do not seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am LORD your God.
A man or also a woman who has a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death. They shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.
Notwithstanding, the land shall be divided by lot. They shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. According to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the many and the fewer.
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before LORD. At his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the sons of Israel with him, even
And LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that ye might do them in the land where ye go over to possess it. Take ye therefore good heed to yourselves, for ye saw no manner of form on the day that LORD spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.
If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives thee a sign or a wonder,
thou shall not hearken to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams, for LORD your God proves you, to know whether ye love LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
There shall not be found with thee anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, a psychic, he who practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
There shall not be found with thee anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, a psychic, he who practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer.
For these nations, that thou shall dispossess, hearken to those who practice augury, and to psychics. But as for thee, LORD thy God has not allowed thee to do so.
And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom LORD knew face to face,
Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow. For thus says LORD, the God of Israel, There is what has been set apart in the midst of thee, O Israel. Thou cannot stand before thine enemies until ye take aw
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. And he brought near the family of Judah, and he took the family of the Zerahites. And he brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. read more. And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said to Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to LORD, the God of Israel, and make confession to him, and tell me now what thou have done. Hide it not from me.
The sons of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the diviner, with the sword among the rest of their slain.
And when Gideon came, behold, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow. And he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream. And, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and smote it so that it fel
And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation of it, that he worshipped. And he returned into the camp of Israel, and said, Arise, for LORD has delivered the army of Midian into your hand.
And the Philistines called for the priests and the psychics, saying, What shall we do with the ark of LORD? Show us with what we shall sent it to its place.
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families, and the family of the Matrites was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken. But when they sought him, he could not be found.
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night, and he said, Divine to me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to
And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, LORD's arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria, for thou shall smite the Syrians in Aphek till thou have con
For thou have forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled [with things] from the east, and [are] soothsayers like the Philistines. And they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
And when they shall say to you, Seek for those who have familiar spirits and for the wizards, who chirp and who mutter, should not a people seek for their God? On behalf of the living [seek] to the dead?
And it shall be, when thou have made an end of reading this book, that thou shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates. And thou shall say, Thus Babylon shall sink, and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring upon her, and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows to and fro. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver.
Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded, neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, can show to the king,
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and sai The tree that thou saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to heaven, and the sight of it to all the earth, read more. whose leaves were fine, and the fruit of it much, and in it was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation, it is thou, O king, who have grown and become strong. For thy greatness has grown, and reaches to heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it. Nevertheless leave the stump of the roots of it in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tend This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: That thou shall be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And thou shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of heaven. And seven times shall pass over thee till thou know t And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, thy kingdom shall be sure to thee, after thou shall have known that the heavens do rule. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquility. All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
Therefore it shall be night to you, that ye shall have no vision. And it shall be dark to you, that ye shall not divine. And the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be black over them. And the seers shall be put to shame, and the diviners confounded. Yea, they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.
The heads of it judge for a bribe, and the priests of it teach for a wage, and the prophets of it divine for money. Yet they lean upon LORD, and say, Is not LORD in the midst of us? No evil shall come upon us.
But while he considered these things, behold, an agent of Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take Mary to be thy wife, for that which was begotten in her is from Holy Spirit.
And divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed into their own country by another way. Now after they departed, behold, an agent of Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, After rising, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and thou be there until I tell thee, for Herod is going to seek the child to
But when Herod perished, behold, an agent of Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And divinely warned in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee.
And they gave their lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
But a certain man in the city, Simon by name, was formerly practicing sorcery, and fascinating the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be some great man,
And after going through the island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a Jewish FALSE prophet, whose name was Bar-jesus,
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) opposed them, seeking to deviate the proconsul from the faith.
But some of the wandering Jewish exorcists, attempted to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul proclaims.
And a considerable number of those who practiced magical things, having brought their books together, burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way diligently, so that nothing may be lacking for them.
Fausets
Eze 13:7. Used in Scripture of false systems of ascertaining the divine will, such as are allied to idolatry: as necromancy, which evoked the dead (1Sa 28:8); prognostication by arrows (Eze 21:21). The arrows marked with names of places to be attacked were shaken (for "He made His arrows bright," translated, "He shook") together in a quiver; whichever came out first intimated the place selected; or else threw them in the air to see in alighting which way they inclined, toward Jerusalem or Ammon. Inspecting entrails. The healthy or unhealthy state of the sacrificial entrails intimated success or failure. In the Nineveh sculptures the king is represented with a cup in his right hand, his left hand resting on a bow, also two arrows in the right hand, possibly for divination. The "magicians" of Egypt in Ge 41:8, (chartumim, from cheret "a style" or pen,) were sacred "scribes" of the hieroglyphics, devoted to astrology, magic, etc.; else from Egyptian chertom, "wonder workers," or cher-tum, "bearers of sacred spells."
Daniel was made "master of the magicians" (Da 5:11); chokmim, wise men, our wizards (Ex 7:11);" sorcerers" (mekaskphim), "mutterers of magic formulae" (Isa 47:9-12). Jannes or Anna in Egyptian means "scribe," a frequent name in papyri of the time of Rameses II. Jambres, the other name of an Egyptian magician preserved by Paul (2Ti 3:8), means "scribe of the south." The earliest prohibition of witchcraft is Ex 22:18, "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Witchcraft was an appeal to a power alien from God. So it was accounted rebellion against Jehovah. Saul's disobedience and rebellion against God's will led him, though zealous to extirpate witches so long as God's law did not interfere with his impatient self-will, at last to consult the witch of Endor; Samuel's words as to his disobedience in the case of Amalek proving prophetic, "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (1Sa 15:23; compare 1Sa 28:3-20).
So Saul died for his transgression (Hebrew shuffling evasion of obedience) ... and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it (1Ch 10:13). "Wizards," yid'oniym, from yaada "to know" (Le 19:31). Consulters of "the dead," 'oboth (Le 20:6), "those having familiar spirits" which they consulted to evoke the dead; literally, "bottles" (leather) inflated by the spirit; compare Job 32:19, "my belly is as wine which hath no vent ... ready to burst like new bottles." The pythonesses (margin of Ac 16:16) spoke with a deep voice as from the belly; by ventriloquism (Septuagint so translated "them that have familiar spirits," ventriloquists) they made a low voice sound ("peep and mutter") as from the grave or departed person's spirit (Isa 19:3; 29:4).
Scripture has written for all ages (Isa 8:19-20):"when they shall say, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits; and unto wizards that peep and that mutter, should not a people seek unto their God? (should they seek) for the (good of) the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony ... if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." This tests and condemns modern spiritualism, the sign of "the latter times and the last days" (1Ti 4:1), "seducing spirits and doctrines suggested by demons" (2Ti 3:1-8). The phenomena seem supernatural and Satanic, and the communications often lying, as was to be expected from "the father of lying" (Joh 8:44). The Angekoks, Esquimaux sorcerers, when converted, have declared that their sorceries, when they were heathen, were not mere impostures, that they were acted on by a power they could not control; but when they believed in Jesus they had neither the will nor the power to do what they used in their pagan state.
Brainerd states the same as to the Indian diviners, namely, that all their former powers of divination departed the moment the word of God entered their souls. Satan's design in spiritualism is, judging from the alleged spirit communications, to supersede Scripture with another authority (namely, spirit communications) in matters of faith. Satan and his demons are the real speakers in these pretended communications from the spirits of the dead. The "associate spirit" of spiritualism answers to the Scripture "familiar spirit" of the wizards. The pythoness and the witch of Endor were each a "medium" between the consulters and the powers of darkness. The consulters are put en rapport with the latter, not really with the departed dead. Scripture (Ec 9:5-6, "the dead know not anything ... neither have they any more a portion forever in anything done under the sun"; 2Ki 2:9; Lu 16:19-31) implies that it is not the spirits of the dead that make the alleged communications, though these communications assert that it is; this assertion is from a lying spirit, such as was in Ahab's prophets (1Ki 22:22).
The dead do not return, they are personated by evil spirits. Spiritualism is virtually condemned in De 18:10; 2Ki 17:17; 21:6. "Sorcerers" are especially mentioned as about to abound with "lying wonders," and to be adjudged to damnation, at the Lord's coming again (2Th 2:9-11; Mal 3:5; Re 21:8; 22:15). The three frog-like demons out of the mouths of the anti-trinity, the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, shall "work miracles" to tempt the ten kings under Antichrist to the last battle for the kingship of the world, against Christ, in "the great day of God Almighty" (Re 16:13-14; compare Zec 13:2; Mt 24:24; Re 13:14-15). Paul was "grieved," so far was he from seeking and welcoming like spiritualists the pythoness' testimony to him (Ac 16:17-18); for the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of divination cannot dwell together in the same soul.
God condemns those who "remain among the graves and lodge in the monuments" (Isa 65:4) for necromancy, to consult the dead. The warning in Isa 8:19-20; Mr 5:3, applies to all times. The witch of Endor was "mistress of a spirit by which the dead are conjured up" (1Sa 28:7, ba'alath 'owb). Saul's request, "bring me him up whom I shall name," explains the previous "divine (qacomi) unto me by the familiar spirit." The witch's recognizing Saul as soon as Samuel appeared proves that her art was not mere jugglery: "Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul"; she was in a state of clairvoyance. On the other hand, her "crying with a loud voice," startled at the sight of Samuel, shows that his appearance differed essentially from anything she had ever by demon art effected before. She tells Saul, "I saw gods (a supernatural being) ascending out of the earth ... an old man covered with a (prophet's) mantle" (me'il).
Saul apparently did not see Samuel's person, but recognized the "mantle." Saul's inconsistency is convicted by Samuel: "wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?" If God was departed from him he should have been the more afraid to increase Jehovah's displeasure by breaking the laws in consulting the dead, as if they were less under God's control than the living. Abject superstition never reasons. Samuel's prophecy of his and his sons' death on the morrow, and Israel's defeat by the Philistines, proves Samuel's appearance to have been of God, and not by demoniac agency nor an illusion (Sir 46:20). God for special reasons awakened His servant out of his repose ("why hast thou disquieted me," etc.) to appear, not at a conjuring call which He forbids, but to show the witch and the king the terrible penalty of disobedience and witchcraft, as he (Samuel) had long ago declared in more general terms when alive (1Sa 15:23; 28:17-19).
Jehovah's principle is (Eze 14:4,7-8), "every man that setteth up his idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him that cometh, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart ... I will answer him by Myself" (by My own special interposition), answering the fool according to his folly, making the sinner's sin his own punishment. In Egypt books containing magic formulae belonged exclusively to the king,
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink. And she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. Let the same be she that thou have appointed for th
And it came to pass in the morning, that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men of it. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was no man who could interpret them to
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. And they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments.
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. And they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments.
Thou shall not allow a sorceress to live.
Thou shall not allow a sorceress to live.
Do not turn to those who have familiar spirits, nor to the wizards. Do not seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am LORD your God.
And the soul that turns to those who have familiar spirits, and to the wizards, to play the harlot after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
There shall not be found with thee anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, a psychic, he who practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
There shall not be found with thee anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, a psychic, he who practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou have rejected the word of LORD, he has also rejected thee from being king.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou have rejected the word of LORD, he has also rejected thee from being king.
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. read more. And when Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of LORD, LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at En-dor.
Then Saul said to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at En-dor. And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night, and he said, Divine to me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night, and he said, Divine to me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to And the woman said to him, Behold, thou know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. Why then do thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die? read more. And Saul swore to her by LORD, saying, As LORD lives, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have thou deceived me? For thou are Saul. And the king said to her, Be not afraid, for what do thou see? And the woman said to Saul, I see gods coming up out of the earth. And he said to her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man comes up, and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. And Samuel said to Saul, Why have thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am greatly distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, no And Samuel said, Why then do thou ask of me, since LORD departed from thee, and has become thine adversary? And LORD has done to thee, as he spoke by me. And LORD has rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David.
And LORD has done to thee, as he spoke by me. And LORD has rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David. Because thou obeyed not the voice of LORD, and did not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore LORD has done this thing to thee this day.
Because thou obeyed not the voice of LORD, and did not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore LORD has done this thing to thee this day. Moreover LORD will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me. LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
Moreover LORD will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me. LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth, and was greatly afraid because of the words of Samuel, and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And LORD said to him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And he said, To Hebron.
And when David inquired of LORD, he said, Thou shall not go up. Make a circuit behind them, and come upon them opposite the mulberry trees.
And he built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls [of the ceiling]. He built [them] for it inside, for an oracle, even for the most holy place.
And LORD said to him, With what? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shall entice him, and shall also prevail. Go forth, and do so.
And Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick. And he sent messengers, and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this sickness. But the agent of LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, Is it because there is no God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? read more. Now therefore thus says LORD, Thou shall not come down from the bed where thou have gone up, but shall surely die. And Elijah departed. And the messengers returned to him, and he said to them, Why is it that ye are returned? And they said to him, There came up a man to meet us, and said to us, Go, turn again to the king that sent you, and say to him, Thus says LORD, Is it because there is no God in Israel that thou send to inquire of Baal-zebub, the go
And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee before I am taken from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
And he made his son to pass through the fire, and practiced augury, and used enchantments, and dealt with psychics, and with sorcery. He wrought much evil in the sight of LORD to provoke him to anger.
So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against LORD, because of the word of LORD, which did not keep, and also because he asked counsel of a spiritist, to inquire [thereby],
Behold, my breast is as wine which has no vent. Like new wine-skins it is ready to burst.
Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything, nor have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, has perished long ago, nor have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.
And when they shall say to you, Seek for those who have familiar spirits and for the wizards, who chirp and who mutter, should not a people seek for their God? On behalf of the living [seek] to the dead?
And when they shall say to you, Seek for those who have familiar spirits and for the wizards, who chirp and who mutter, should not a people seek for their God? On behalf of the living [seek] to the dead? [Seek] to the law and to the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
[Seek] to the law and to the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it, and I will destroy the counsel of it. And they shall seek for the idols, and for the charmers, and for those who have familiar spirits, and for the wizards.
And thou shall be brought down, and shall speak out of the ground. And thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be as of he who has a familiar spirit, out of the ground. And thy speech shall whisper out of the d
But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day: the loss of sons, and widowhood. In their full measure they shall come upon thee, in the multitude of thy sorceries, and the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou have trusted in thy wickedness. Thou have said, None sees me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it has perverted thee. And thou have said in thy heart, I am, and there is none else besides me. read more. Therefore evil shall come upon thee. Thou shall not know the dawning of it. And mischief shall fall upon thee. Thou shall not be able to put it away. And desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou know not. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou have labored from thy youth, if so be thou shall be able to profit, if so be thou may prevail. Thou are wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee.
who sit among the graves, and lodge in the secret places, who eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels,
Have ye not seen a FALSE vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, in that ye say, LORD says, albeit I have not spoken?
Therefore speak to them, and say to them, Thus says lord LORD: Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet, I LORD will
For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, that separates himself from me, and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prop And I will set my face against that man, and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb. And I will cut him off from the midst of my people. And ye shall know that I am LORD.
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows to and fro. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver.
Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. And the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the ki
My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them, for the spirit of whoredom has caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, [departing] from under their God.
And it shall come to pass in that day, says LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered. And I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of t
And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the FALSE swearers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the f
Is it not permitted for me to do what I want with my own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
For there will arise FALSE Christs and FALSE prophets, and they will give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen.
Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously daily. But there was a certain poor man named Lazarus, who had been placed near his gate, covered with sores, read more. and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. But even the dogs that came licked his sores. And it came to pass for the poor man to die and be carried by the heavenly agents to Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died and was buried. And having lifted up his eyes in Hades, being in torments, he sees Abraham from afar and Lazarus by his bosom. And having cried out, he said, Father Abraham, be merciful to me, and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame. But Abraham said, Child, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now here he is comforted and thou are in agony. And besides all these things, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that those here who want to cross over to you are not able, nor may those go across from there to us. And he said, I beg thee therefore, father, that thou would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. But Abraham says to him, They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And he said, No, father Abraham, but if some man would go to them from the dead they will repent. And he said to him, If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if some man would rise from the dead.
Ye are from the father, the devil, and ye want to do the desires of your father. He was a man-killer from the beginning, and he has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his
This is he who became in the congregation in the wilderness with the heavenly agent who spoke to him on the mount Sinai, and of our fathers who received living oracles to give to us.
But a certain man in the city, Simon by name, was formerly practicing sorcery, and fascinating the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be some great man, to whom they gave heed, from small to great, saying, This man is the great power of God. read more. And they heeded him, because he facinated them for a considerable time with the sorceries.
And after going through the island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a Jewish FALSE prophet, whose name was Bar-jesus,
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) opposed them, seeking to deviate the proconsul from the faith.
And it came to pass, as we were going to prayer, for a certain servant girl having a spirit of divination to meet us, who brought her masters much business by soothsaying.
And it came to pass, as we were going to prayer, for a certain servant girl having a spirit of divination to meet us, who brought her masters much business by soothsaying. This woman having followed Paul and us was crying out, saying, These men are bondmen of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation. read more. And she did this on many days. But Paul, after being exasperated, and having turned, he said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out the same hour.
But some of the wandering Jewish exorcists, attempted to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul proclaims.
And a considerable number of those who practiced magical things, having brought their books together, burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Much every way. First, because they were indeed entrusted with the oracles of God.
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strifes, jealousies, wraths, selfish ambitions, dissentions, factions,
Whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and marvels of deceit, and in all deception of unrighteousness in those who are perishing, in return for which, they did not accept the love of the truth in order for them to be saved. read more. And because of this God will send them the force of a delusion, for them to believe a lie,
But the Spirit says expressly that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, impious, read more. devoid of natural affection, irreconcilable, slanderous, without self-control, savage, no lovers of good, traitors, reckless, beclouded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of piety, but repudiating the power of it. Now turn away from these men, for from these are those who creep into houses, and take captive petty women laden with sins, being led away by various impulses, ever learning and never able to come to knowledge of truth. And by which way Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also do these oppose the truth. Men corrupted in mind, worthless about the faith.
And by which way Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also do these oppose the truth. Men corrupted in mind, worthless about the faith.
And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
And it leads my kind astray (those dwelling on the earth) because of the signs that were given it to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast that had the sword-wound and live And it was given it, to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would both speak, and would make as many as would not ever worship the image of the beast be killed.
And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the FALSE prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are spirits of demons, doing signs that go forth to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together to the battle of that great day of the Almighty God.
But for the cowards, and unbelieving, and sinful, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
Outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every man who loves and makes a lie.
Hastings
Morish
The numerous references in scripture to the various forms of occult science, as it is now called, and the strong denunciations against the Israelites having anything to do with it, show that it was a dangerous reality, however much deception might at times have been associated with it. We read of it first in Ge 41:8, when Pharaoh called for all the magicians, chartummim, of Egypt and the wise men, to interpret his dream. All their resources failing, God's man in the prison was called forth to show the dream, and this proved the occasion of working out God's purposes respecting Joseph. Doubtless the above class of men were eminent for their learning, as those were at the court of Babylon, over whom Daniel was made chief. Da 4:7,9.
Among those in Egypt there were some at least who were able to exercise powers beyond what they obtained by human learning. When Moses was endeavouring by means of signs to convince Pharaoh of the power of God, the magicians of Egypt were able to turn their rods into serpents, and to simulate the first two plagues with their enchantments. Ex 7:22; 8:7. These plagues were 'turning the water into blood' and 'bringing up frogs upon the land.' This was beyond mere human power, and certainly the magicians did not work by the power of God; it must therefore have been by the power of Satan. We know not the nature of the enchantments used, the word is lat, and signifies 'secret, magic arts.' Satan can suggest what incantations to employ, if man is willing, and can exercise his powers as far as permitted by God. After the first two plagues the power was stopped, and the magicians had to own, when lice were produced, "This is the finger of God."
In De 18:10-11 there is a list of things bearing on our subject which were denounced by the Lord:
1. DIVINATION, qesem, 'prediction.' A remarkable passage in Eze 21:21-22 gives some instances of how the heathen divined. The king of Babylon had come to two roads, and wanting to know whether he should take the road to Rabbath or to Jerusalem, resorted to divination. First 'he shook his arrows' (as it should be translated). Doubtless two or more arrows were marked each with the name of one of the cities, and shaken in the quiver, whichever arrow was taken by the right hand decided which road was to be taken. Jerusalem fell to the right hand. Perhaps the king was doubtful, so he consulted with images, teraphim; it is not known how these were used for divination: cf. Zec 10:2. The king still sought another guide: 'he looked in the liver.' By certain set rules the intestines of a sacrifice were said to be propitious or the reverse. The king using three sets of prognostications shows that he had no great confidence in his divinations: he may have been often deceived by them previously. How different from an answer from God vouchsafed to Israel!
Other means of divination are named, as, 'divining by the cup.' Ge 44:5,15. This was practised by the Egyptians and Persians and is thus described: small pieces of metal and stones, marked with signs were thrown into the cup, and answers gathered from the marks as they fell. Sometimes the cup was filled with water, and, as the sun fell upon the water, images were seen or fancied on its surface. Another reference is "My people ask counsel at their stocks and their staff declareth unto them." Ho 4:12. The Arabs used two rods, on one of which was written God bids, and on the other God forbids, these were shaken together, and the first that fell, or was drawn, was taken for the answer; or one rod was thrown up and the direction in which it pointed when it fell was answer. It will be seen here that a 'stock' or god was invoked that what the staff declared should be controlled by him. So in all divination, incantations were used, and the gods invoked to let the replies given be the most favourable. Behind all this we know there were demons who controlled the results given, so as to work out the purposes of Satan.
In the Acts we find a damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, or of Python. This was the prophetic oracle at Delphi, held to be the centre and focus of Gentile divination. An evil spirit connected with that oracle possessed this young woman. The testimony of the evil spirit to the servants of the most high God is remarkable: it may have been compelled to speak thus when brought face to face with the power of God (as the demons owned Christ): but the apostle could not tolerate commendation from such a source
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And it came to pass in the morning, that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men of it. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was no man who could interpret them to
Is not this that in which my lord drinks, and how he indeed divines? Ye have done evil in so doing.
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this that ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I can indeed divine?
And the magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not hearken to them, as LORD had spoken.
And the magicians did in like manner with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
There shall not be found with thee anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, a psychic, he who practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
There shall not be found with thee anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, a psychic, he who practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer.
or a charmer, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer.
or a charmer, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer.
And he made his son to pass through the fire, and practiced augury, and used enchantments, and dealt with psychics, and with sorcery. He wrought much evil in the sight of LORD to provoke him to anger.
He also made his sons to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. And he practiced augury, and used enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with psychics, and with wizards. He wrought much evil in the sight
which hearkens not to the voice of charmers, charming ever so wisely.
They also joined themselves to Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
And when they shall say to you, Seek for those who have familiar spirits and for the wizards, who chirp and who mutter, should not a people seek for their God? On behalf of the living [seek] to the dead?
And when they shall say to you, Seek for those who have familiar spirits and for the wizards, who chirp and who mutter, should not a people seek for their God? On behalf of the living [seek] to the dead?
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it, and I will destroy the counsel of it. And they shall seek for the idols, and for the charmers, and for those who have familiar spirits, and for the wizards.
And thou shall be brought down, and shall speak out of the ground. And thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be as of he who has a familiar spirit, out of the ground. And thy speech shall whisper out of the d
But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day: the loss of sons, and widowhood. In their full measure they shall come upon thee, in the multitude of thy sorceries, and the great abundance of thine enchantments.
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou have labored from thy youth, if so be thou shall be able to profit, if so be thou may prevail. Thou are wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee.
Thou are wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee.
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows to and fro. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver. In his right hand was the divination [for] Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, to build forts.
Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told the dream before them, but they did not make the interpretation of it known to me.
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubles thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them, for the spirit of whoredom has caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, [departing] from under their God.
because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, who sells nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and they have told FALSE dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.
But a certain man in the city, Simon by name, was formerly practicing sorcery, and fascinating the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be some great man, to whom they gave heed, from small to great, saying, This man is the great power of God. read more. And they heeded him, because he facinated them for a considerable time with the sorceries.
And after going through the island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a Jewish FALSE prophet, whose name was Bar-jesus,
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) opposed them, seeking to deviate the proconsul from the faith.
And it came to pass, as we were going to prayer, for a certain servant girl having a spirit of divination to meet us, who brought her masters much business by soothsaying. This woman having followed Paul and us was crying out, saying, These men are bondmen of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation. read more. And she did this on many days. But Paul, after being exasperated, and having turned, he said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out the same hour. But when her masters saw that the hope of their business was gone, having seized Paul and Silas, they dragged them into the marketplace to the rulers.
And a considerable number of those who practiced magical things, having brought their books together, burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strifes, jealousies, wraths, selfish ambitions, dissentions, factions,
Let no man umpire against you insisting on self-mortification, and worship of the heavenly agents, intruding in things that he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,
Since therefore the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might make him who has the power of death impotent, that is, the devil.
And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
And the light of a lamp will, no, not shine in thee any more. And a voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will, no, not be heard in thee any more. Because thy merchants were the chief men of the earth, because all the nations were l
And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
But for the cowards, and unbelieving, and sinful, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
Outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every man who loves and makes a lie.
Smith
is a "foretelling future events, or discovering things secret by the aid of superior beings, or other than human means." It is used in Scripture of false systems of ascertaining the divine will. It has been universal in all ages, and all nations alike civilized and savage. Numerous forms of divination are mentioned, such as divination by rods,
divination by arrows,
divination by cups,
consultation of teraphim,
1Sa 15:23; Eze 21:21; Zec 10:2
[TERAPHIM]; divination by the liver,
See Teraphim
divination by dreams,
consultation of oracles.
Moses forbade every species of divination, because a prying into the future clouds the mind with superstition, and because it would have been an incentive to idolatry. But God supplied his people with substitutes for divination which would have rended it superfluous, and left them in no doubt as to his will in circumstances of danger, had they continued faithful. It was only when they were unfaithful that the revelation was withdrawn.
etc. Superstition not unfrequently goes hand in hand with skepticism, and hence, amid the general infidelity prevalent throughout the Roman empire at our Lord's coming, imposture was rampant. Hence the lucrative trade of such men as Simon Magus,
Bar-jesus,
the slave with the spirit of Python,
the vagabond jews, exorcists,
Lu 11:19; Ac 19:13
and others,
etc., as well as the notorious dealers in magical books at Ephesus.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Is not this that in which my lord drinks, and how he indeed divines? Ye have done evil in so doing.
and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou have not known, and let us serve them, thou shall not hearken to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams, for LORD your God proves you, to know whether ye love LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
And when Gideon came, behold, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow. And he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream. And, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and smote it so that it fel
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou have rejected the word of LORD, he has also rejected thee from being king.
And when Saul inquired of LORD, LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
Produce your case, says LORD. Bring forth your strong reasons, says the King of Jacob. Let them bring forth, and declare to us what shall happen. Declare ye the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them, or show us things to come. read more. Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods. Yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work is of naught. An abomination is he who chooses you.
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? And let them declare the things that are coming, and that shall come to pass.
Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says LORD, and tell them. And cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting. Yet I sent them not, nor commanded them, neither do they profit this people at al
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows to and fro. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver.
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows to and fro. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver.
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows to and fro. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver.
My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them, for the spirit of whoredom has caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, [departing] from under their God.
For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and they have told FALSE dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.
And if I cast out the demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Because of this they will be your judges.
But a certain man in the city, Simon by name, was formerly practicing sorcery, and fascinating the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be some great man,
And after going through the island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a Jewish FALSE prophet, whose name was Bar-jesus,
And it came to pass, as we were going to prayer, for a certain servant girl having a spirit of divination to meet us, who brought her masters much business by soothsaying.
But some of the wandering Jewish exorcists, attempted to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul proclaims.
And a considerable number of those who practiced magical things, having brought their books together, burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
But evil men and impostors will go forward to worse, leading astray and being led astray.
And the beast was taken, and the FALSE prophet with it who did the signs in its sight by which he led astray those who received the mark of the beast and those who worship its image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire
Watsons
DIVINATION, a conjecture or surmise, formed concerning future events, from things which are supposed to presage them. The eastern people were always fond of divination, magic, the curious arts of interpreting dreams, and of obtaining a knowledge of future events. When Moses published the law, this disposition had long been common in Egypt and the neighbouring countries. To prevent the Israelites from consulting diviners, fortune tellers, interpreters of dreams, &c, he forbade them, under very severe penalties, to consult persons of this description, and promised to them the true spirit of prophecy as infinitely superior. He commanded those to be stoned who pretended to have a familiar spirit, or the spirit of divination, De 18:9-10,15. The writings of the prophets are full of invectives against the Israelites who consulted diviners, and against false prophets who by such means seduced the people.
2. Different kinds of divination have passed for sciences, as
1. Aeromancy, divining by the air. 2. Astrology, by the heavens. 3. Augury, by the flight and singing of birds, &c. 4. Cheiromancy, by inspecting the lines of the hand.
5. Geomancy, by observing cracks or clefts in the earth. 6. Haruspicy, by inspecting the bowels of animals. 7. Horoscopy, a branch of astrology, marking the position of the heavens when a person is born. 8. Hydromancy, by water. 9. Physiognomy, by the countenance. 10. Pyromancy, a divination made by fire.
3. The kinds of divination, to which superstition in modern times has given belief, are not less numerous, or less ridiculous, than those which were practised in the days of profound ignorance. The divining rod, which is mentioned in Scripture, is still in some repute in the north of England, though its application is now confined principally to the discovery of veins of lead ore, seams of coal, or springs. In order that it may possess the full virtue for this purpose, it should be made of hazel. Divination by Virgilian, Horatian, or Bible lots, was formerly very common; and the last kind is still practised. The works are opened by chance, and the words noticed which are covered by the thumb: if they can be interpreted in any respect relating to the person, they are reckoned prophetic. Charles I. is said to have used this kind of divination to ascertain his fate. The ancient Christians were so much addicted to the sortes sanctorum, or divining by the Bible, that it was expressly forbidden by a council. Divination by the speal, or blade bone of a sheep, is used in Scotland. In the Highlands it is called sleina-reached, or reading the speal bone. It was very common in England in the time of Drayton, particularly among the colony of Flemings settled in Pembroke- shire. Camden relates of the Irish, that they looked through the bare blade bone of a sheep; and if they saw any spot in it darker than ordinary, they believed that somebody would be buried out of the house. The Persians used this mode of divination.
4. Of all attempts to look into futurity by such means, as well as resorting to charms and other methods of curing diseases, and discovering secrets, we may say, that they are relics of Paganism, and argue an ignorance, folly, or superstition, dishonourable to the Christian name; and are therefore to be reproved and discouraged.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
When thou have come into the land, which LORD thy God gives thee, thou shall not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found with thee anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, a psychic, he who practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
LORD thy God will raise up for thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brothers, like me. Ye shall hearken to him