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
A sorceress, shalt thou not suffer to live.
Ye shall eat nothing with the blood thereof, - Ye shall not practise divination neither shall ye use magic.
Do not turn unto mediums, Nor, for oracles, make search, To render yourselves unclean with them, I - Yahweh, am your God.
And as touching man or woman, when there shall be in them a familiar spirit, or the spirit of an circle, they shall, surely be put to death, - with stones, shall they be stoned - their blood, shall be upon themselves.
When thou art coming into the land which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominable doings of those nations. There shall not be found in thy midst - One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire, - Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments Or who muttereth incantations; read more. Or who bindeth with spells, - Or who asketh of a familiar spirit or an oracle, Or who seeketh unto the dead. For, an abomination unto Yahweh, is everyone who doeth these things, - and on account of these abominations, is Yahweh thy God dispossessing them from before thee.
and caused his son to pass through the fire, and practiced hidden arts and used divination, and dealt with a familiar spirit and wizards, - he exceeded in doing the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, provoking him to anger;
But, when they say unto you - Seek ye unto the necromancers and unto the wizards, who chirp, and who mutter, Should not u people seek, unto its God? In behalf of the living, should it seek unto the dead?
Therefore shall come on thee - Mischief, Thou shalt not know how to charm it away Yea there shall fall on thee, Ruin, Thou shalt not be able to appease it, - And there shall come on thee suddenly. Desolation. Thou shalt not know. Take thy stand, I pray thee, With thy spells. And with the throng of thine incantations wherein thou hast wearied thyself from thy youth, - Peradventure thou mayest be able to profit Peradventure thou mayest strike me with terror. read more. Thou hast worn thyself out with the mass of thy consultations, - Let them take their stand I pray thee that they may save thee - The dividers of the heavens - The gazers at the stars, They who make known by new moons, Somewhat of the things which shall come upon thee. Lo! they have become as straw - a fire, hath burned them up, They shall not deliver their own soul from the grasp of the flame, - There is, no live coal to warm them, nor blaze to sit before.
They have had Visions of falsehood, and Divinations of lies, Who say. Declareth Yahweh, when, Yahweh, hath not sent them, - Yet have they waited for fulfilling of the word. Is it not a Vision of falsehood, ye have seen, and a Divination of lies, ye have spoken, Since ye are saying. Declareth Yahweh! when I have not spoken read more. Therefore Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, Because ye have spoken falsehood, And have had visions of lies, Therefore behold me! against you, Declareth My Lord Yahweh. So then my hand shall be against the prophets who have Visions of falsehood and who divine Divinations of lies - In the council of my people, shall they not be found. And in the register of the house of Israel, shall they not be written, And Upon the so of Israel, shall they not enter, - So shall ye know that, I, am The Lord Yahweh,
For the king of Babylon hath come tea stand At the parting of the way. At the head of the two ways To divine a divination:He hath shaken with arrows He hath asked of the household gods, He hath inspected 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 unto him in a dream, I, also, knew, that in the integrity of thy heart, thou didst this, so then, even I myself, withheld thee from sinning against me, for this reason, have I not suffered thee to touch her.
Then said Joseph unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh, is, one. What God is about to do hath he announced to Pharaoh. The seven good heifers, are, seven years, and, the seven good ears are, seven years, - the dream, is, one. read more. And the seven lean and uncomely heifers that were coming up after them, are seven years, and the seven lean ears, shrivelled by an east wind, will turn out to be - seven years of famine. The very word that I spake unto Pharaoh, what, God, is about to do, hath he showed unto Pharaoh. Lo! seven years, coming in, - of great plenty, in all the land of Egypt. Then shall arise seven years of famine, after them, so shall be forgotten all the plenty in the land of Egypt, - and the famine shall consume the land; neither shall the plenty in the land be discernible, because of that famine coming after, - for it shall be livery severe. And for that there was a repeating of the dream unto Pharaoh, twice, it is because the thing, is established, from God, and God is hastening to do it.
And Yahweh saw, that he turned aside to see, - so God called unto him out of the midst of the thorn-bush, and said - Moses! Moses! And he said - Behold me!
Then said he - Cast it to the earth. And he cast it to the earth, and it became a serpent, - and Moses fled from the face thereof.
A sorceress, shalt thou not suffer to live.
And I will meet with thee there, and will speak with thee from off the propitiatory, from between the two cherubim, which are upon the ark of the testimony, - whatsoever I may give thee in charge, for toe sons of Israel.
a continual ascending-sacrifice to your generations, at the opening of the tent of meeting, before Yahweh, where will meet with you, to speak unto thee there. So will I meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be hallowed by my glory.
And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, - one lot for Yahweh, and one lot for Azazel. Then shall Aaron bring near the goat over which came up the lot for Yahweh, - and shall make of hint a sin-bearer; read more. but, the goat over which came up the lot for Azazel, shall he cause to stand alive - before Yahweh to put a propitiatory-covering over him, - to send him away unto Azazel, towards the desert.
Ye shall eat nothing with the blood thereof, - Ye shall not practise divination neither shall ye use magic.
Do not turn unto mediums, Nor, for oracles, make search, To render yourselves unclean with them, I - Yahweh, am your God.
And as touching man or woman, when there shall be in them a familiar spirit, or the spirit of an circle, they shall, surely be put to death, - with stones, shall they be stoned - their blood, shall be upon themselves.
Nevertheless by lot, shall the land be apportioned, - by the names of the tribes of their fathers, shall they inherit. At the bidding of the lot, shall be apportioned his inheritance, - between large and small.
And, before Eleazar the priest, shall he stand, and shall ask by him for the decision of the Lights, before Yahweh, - at the bidding thereof, shall they go out, and at the bidding thereof, shall they come in - he, and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the assembly.
And unto me, gave Yahweh command, at that time, to teach you statutes and regulations, - that ye should do them, in the land whereinto ye are passing over to possess it. Ye must take diligent heed, therefore unto your own souls, for ye saw no manner of form, on the day Yahweh spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire;
When there shall arise in thy midst - a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, - and he shall give unto thee a sign or a wonder;
thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams, - for Yahweh your God, is putting you to the proof, to know whether ye do love Yahweh your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.
There shall not be found in thy midst - One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire, - Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments Or who muttereth incantations;
There shall not be found in thy midst - One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire, - Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments Or who muttereth incantations; Or who bindeth with spells, - Or who asketh of a familiar spirit or an oracle, Or who seeketh unto the dead.
for, these nations whom thou art dispossessing, unto them who use hidden arts and unto diviners, do hearken, but as for thee, not so, doth Yahweh thy God suffer thee.
And there arose not a prophet any more in Israel, like unto Moses, - whom Yahweh acknowledged, face to face;
Up! hallow the people, and thou shalt say, Hallow yourselves by to-morrow, - for, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel: A devoted thing, is in the midst of thee O Israel, Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye have put away the devoted thing out of your midst.
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes, - and, the tribe of Judah, was seized; and he brought near the family of Judah, and, the family of the Zarhites, was seized, - and he brought near the family of the Zarhites, man by man, and, Zabdi, was seized; read more. and he brought near his household, man by man, - and, Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was seized. And Joshua said unto Achan - My son give I pray thee glory unto Yahweh God of Israel and make to him confession, - and tell me I pray thee what thou hast done, do not hide it from me.
Balaam also son of Beor, the diviner, did the sons of Israel slay with the sword among their slain.
And Gideon came in, and lo! a man relating to his neighbour a dream, - and he said - Lo! a dream, have I dreamt, and lo! a round cake of barley bread tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came as far as the tent - and smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, and the tent lay along.
And it was so, when Gideon heard the story of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he bowed himself down, - and returned unto the camp of Israel, and said - Arise! for Yahweh hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
Then called the Philistines for the priests and for the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Let us know, wherewith we shall send it to its own place.
And, when Samuel had brought near all the tribes of Israel, then was taken the tribe of Benjamin. And, when he had brought near the tribe of Benjamin, by their families, then was taken the family of Matri, - and, when he had brought near the family of Matri, man by man, then was taken Saul the son of Kish; so they sought him, but he was not to be found.
Saul therefore disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and departed - he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, - and he said - Divine for me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me - whomsoever I shall name unto thee.
and said - Open the lattice eastward. And he opened it. Then said Elisha - Shoot! And he shot. Then he said, - The arrow of victory by Yahweh, yea the arrow of victory over Syria, therefore shalt thou smite Syria in Aphek, till it be consumed.
Therefore hast thou abandoned thy people the house of Jacob, Because they have become full of the And use hidden arts like the Philistines, - And with the children of foreigners, strike hands; -
But, when they say unto you - Seek ye unto the necromancers and unto the wizards, who chirp, and who mutter, Should not u people seek, unto its God? In behalf of the living, should it seek unto the dead?
And it shall be when thou hast made an end of reading this scroll, that thou shalt bind thereunto a stone, and cast it in the midst of the Euphrates, Then shalt thou say, - In like manner, shall Babylon sink and not rise Because of the calamity which I am about to bring thereupon: So shall they perish. Thus far, are, the words of Jeremiah.
For the king of Babylon hath come tea stand At the parting of the way. At the head of the two ways To divine a divination:He hath shaken with arrows He hath asked of the household gods, He hath inspected the liver.
Daniel answered before the king, and said, - The secret which the king hath asked, the wise men, the magicians, the sacred scribes, the astrologers, are not able to declare unto the king;
Then, Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for about one moment, and, his thoughts, troubled him. The king spake and said, O Belteshazzar, let neither, the dream, nor the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My Lord, The dream, be for them who hate thee, and, the interpretation, for them who are thy foes. The tree which thou sawest, which grew and became strong, whose, height, reached unto the heavens, and, the view, thereof to all the earth: read more. Whose, foliage, was beautiful, and whose, fruit, abundant, and, food for all, was in it, - under it, dwelt the wild beasts of the field, and, in the branches thereof, nestled the birds of the heavens: Thyself, it is, O king, in that thou art grown, and become strong, - and, thy greatness hath grown, and reached to the heavens, and, thy dominion, to the end of the earth. And, whereas the king saw a watcher and holy one coming down out of the heavens, who said, Hew ye down the tree and despoil it, nevertheless, the stock of its roots - in the earth, leave ye, even in a bond of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, - and, with the dew of the heavens, let it he drenched, and, along with the wild beasts of the field, be its portion, until that, seven seasons, pass over it. This, is the interpretation, O king, - and, the decree of the Most High, it is, which hath come upon my lord the king: That, thee, are they going to drive forth from among men, and, along with the wild beasts of the field, shall be thy dwelling, and, grass - like oxen, will they suffer, thee, to eat, and, with the dew of the heavens, will they suffer, thee, to be drenched, and, seven seasons, shall pass over thee, - until that thou come to know, that the Most High, hath dominion, over the kingdom of men, and, to whomsoever he pleaesth, he giveth it. And, whereas they gave word to leave the stock of the roots of the tree, thy kingdom, unto thee, is sure, - after that thou come to know, that the heavens, have dominion. Wherefore, O king, let, my counsel, be pleasing unto thee, thy sin, then, - by righteousness, break thou off, and, thine iniquities, by shewing favour to the oppressed, - if so be it may become the lengthening out of thy security. All this, came upon Nebuchadnezzar the king.
Therefore, shall it be night to you, for lack of vision, and darkness to you, for lack of divination, - and the sun, shall go in, over the prophets, and the day, shall be overcast because of them; And the men of vision, shall turn pale, and the diviners, shall blush, and shall put a covering upon their lip, all of them, - because there is no answer of God.
Her heads, for a bribe, pronounce sentence, and, her priests, for a price, give direction, and, her prophets, for silver, divine, - yet, on Yahweh, they lean, saying, Is not, Yahweh, in our midst? there shall not come upon us, calamity.
But, when, these things, he had pondered, lo! a messenger of the Lord, by dream, appeared to him, saying, - Joseph, son of David! do not fear to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for, that which, in her, hath been begotten, is of the , Holy, Spirit.
and, being instructed by dream, not to return unto Herod, by another way, retired they unto their own country. Now, when they had retired, lo! a messenger of the Lord, appeareth by dream unto Joseph, saying, Arise, take unto thee the child and its mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there, until I tell thee, - for Herod is about to seek the child, to destroy it.
But, when Herod was, dead, lo! a messenger of the Lord, appeareth by dream unto Joseph in Egypt;
Hearing, however, that, Archelaus, was reigning over Judaea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid, thither, to go, - and so, being instructed by dream, he retired into the parts of Galilee;
And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
But, a certain man named Simon, was already in the city, practising magical arts, and astonishing the nation of Samaria, - saying that himself was someone great:
And, passing through the whole island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a false-prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus;
But Elymas the magician, - for so, when translated, is his name, - withstood them; seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.
But certain also of the wandering Jews, exorcists, took in hand to be naming, over them that had the wicked spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying - I adjure you, by Jesus whom Paul proclaimeth!
And, a good many of them who had practised the curious arts, bringing together the books, were burning them before all; and they reckoned up the prices of them, and found them fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos, do thou diligently set forward on their way, in order that, nothing, unto them, may be wanting.
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
so it shall come to pass that the young woman unto whom I shall say. Let down pray. thy pitcher that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink, and to thy camels also, will I give to drink, that, her! hast thou appointed for thy servant for Isaac, And, hereby, shall I get to know, that thou hast dealt in lovingkindness with my lord!
And it came to pass in the morning, that his spirit became restless, so he sent and called for all the sacred scribes of Egypt and all her wise men, - and Pharaoh related to them his dreams, a but there was no one that could interpret them. to Pharaoh.
Then called Pharaoh also for the wise men and for the magicians, - and they too, the sacred scribes of Egypt with their secret arts, did in like manner;
Then called Pharaoh also for the wise men and for the magicians, - and they too, the sacred scribes of Egypt with their secret arts, did in like manner;
A sorceress, shalt thou not suffer to live.
A sorceress, shalt thou not suffer to live.
Do not turn unto mediums, Nor, for oracles, make search, To render yourselves unclean with them, I - Yahweh, am your God.
The person also that turneth unto mediums and unto oracles, in going unchastely after them, then will I set my face against that person, and will cut him off out of the midst of his people.
There shall not be found in thy midst - One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire, - Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments Or who muttereth incantations;
There shall not be found in thy midst - One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire, - Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments Or who muttereth incantations;
For, as the sin of divination, is, rebelliousness, - and, as transgression with household gods, is, stubbornness, - Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, therefore hath he rejected thee from being king.
For, as the sin of divination, is, rebelliousness, - and, as transgression with household gods, is, stubbornness, - Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, therefore hath he 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, - Saul, moreover had put away them who had familiar spirits and them who were oracles, out of the land. So then the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came in, and encamped in Shunem, - and Saul gathered together all Israel, and they encamped in Gilboa. read more. And, when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled exceedingly. Then Saul enquired of Yahweh, but Yahweh answered him not, - neither by Dreams, nor by the Lights, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants - Seek me out a woman that owneth a familiar spirit, that I may even go unto her, and enquire of her. And his servants said unto him, Lo! there is a woman that owneth a familiar spirit in En-dor.
Then said Saul unto his servants - Seek me out a woman that owneth a familiar spirit, that I may even go unto her, and enquire of her. And his servants said unto him, Lo! there is a woman that owneth a familiar spirit in En-dor. Saul therefore disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and departed - he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, - and he said - Divine for me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me - whomsoever I shall name unto thee.
Saul therefore disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and departed - he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, - and he said - Divine for me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me - whomsoever I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him - Lo! thou, knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off them who have familiar spirits and him who is an oracle, out of the land, - wherefore, then, art thou striking at my life, to put me to death? read more. So then Saul sware unto her by Yahweh, saying, - By the life of Yahweh, there shall no punishment befall thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up for thee? And he said, Samuel, bring thou up for me. And, when the woman saw Samuel, she made outcry with a loud voice, - and the woman spake unto Saul, saying - Wherefore hast thou deceived me, thou thyself being Saul? And the king said unto her - Be not afraid, but what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, A god, saw I, coming up out of the earth. And he said to her - What was his form? And she said - An old man, coming up, he being wrapped about with a robe. Then Saul knew, that it was, Samuel, so he inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himself down. And Samuel said unto Saul, Wherefore hast thou disquieted me, by bringing me up? And Saul said - I am in sore distress, for, the Philistines, are making war against me, and, God, hath turned away from me, and answereth me no more - either by means of the prophets, or by dreams, therefore have I even called for thee, to let me know, what I am to do. Then said Samuel, Wherefore, then, shouldst thou ask me, - when, Yahweh, hath turned away from thee, and hath come to be with thy neighbour? Therefore hath Yahweh done for him, as he spake by me, - yea Yahweh hath rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to a neighbour of thine - to David.
Therefore hath Yahweh done for him, as he spake by me, - yea Yahweh hath rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to a neighbour of thine - to David. As thou didst not hearken unto the voice of Yahweh, neither didst execute the glow of his anger upon Amalek, therefore, this thing, hath Yahweh done unto thee this day;
As thou didst not hearken unto the voice of Yahweh, neither didst execute the glow of his anger upon Amalek, therefore, this thing, hath Yahweh done unto thee this day; that Yahweh may deliver, Israel also, with thee, into the hand of the Philistines, and, to-morrow, thou and thy sons with thee are about to fall, - the host of Israel also, will Yahweh deliver, into the hand of the Philistines.
that Yahweh may deliver, Israel also, with thee, into the hand of the Philistines, and, to-morrow, thou and thy sons with thee are about to fall, - the host of Israel also, will Yahweh deliver, into the hand of the Philistines. Then Saul hastened, and fell prostrate - the whole length of him - to the earth, and was sore afraid, at the words of Samuel, and indeed, no, strength, was left in him, for he had not eaten food all the day and all the night.
And it came to pass, after this, that David enquired of Yahweh, saying - Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Yahweh said unto him, Go up. And David said - Whither shall I go up? And he said - Unto Hebron.
So David enquired of Yahweh, and he said - Thou shalt not go up, - Get round behind them, and come in upon them, over against the mulberry-trees.
And he built twenty cubits, at the hinder part of the house, with boards of cedar, from the floor as far as the cross-beams, - and he built it within, for a shrine, even for the holy of holies;
And Yahweh said unto him - Wherewith? And he said - I will go forth, and become a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets, - So he said, - Thou mayest persuade, yea and prevail, go forth, and do so.
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness. But, the messenger of Yahweh, spake unto Elijah the Tishbite, Rise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, - and say unto them - Is it, because there is no God in Israel, that, ye, are going to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron? read more. Wherefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, From the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die. And Elijah departed. And, when the messengers returned unto him, he said unto them - How is it that ye have returned? And they said unto him - A man, came up to meet us, and said unto us - Go, return unto the king who sent you, and ye shall say unto him, Thus, saith Yahweh - Is it, because there is no God in Israel, that, thou, art sending to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die.
And it came to pass, as they went over, that, Elijah, said unto Elisha - Ask, what I shall do for thee, ere yet I be taken from thee. And Elisha said, Let there be, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit upon me.
and caused his son to pass through the fire, and practiced hidden arts and used divination, and dealt with a familiar spirit and wizards, - he exceeded in doing the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, provoking him to anger;
Thus died Saul, for his unfaithfulness wherewith he dealt unfaithfully against Yahweh, over the word of Yahweh, which he kept not, - and, also, in asking by necromancy when he desired to enquire;
Hear the voice of my supplication, when I cry to thee for help, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy shrine.
For, the living, knew that they should die, - -but, the dead, knew not, anything, neither had they any longer a reward, because forgotten was their memory. Both their love and their hatred and their envy, already had perished, - and, portion, had they none any longer, unto times age-abiding, in aught that was done under the sun.
But, when they say unto you - Seek ye unto the necromancers and unto the wizards, who chirp, and who mutter, Should not u people seek, unto its God? In behalf of the living, should it seek unto the dead?
But, when they say unto you - Seek ye unto the necromancers and unto the wizards, who chirp, and who mutter, Should not u people seek, unto its God? In behalf of the living, should it seek unto the dead? To the law and to the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, It is , because they have no dawning day.
To the law and to the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, It is , because they have no dawning day.
And the spirit of Egypt, shall vanish, within them, Yea the sagacity thereof, will I swallow up, - And they will seek Unto the idols and Unto them that mutter, and Unto them that have familiar spirits, and Unto the wizards;
And thou shalt be brought low - Out of the earth, shalt thou speak, And out of the dust, shalt thou lower thine utterance, - And as one that hath a familiar spirit, Out of the earth, shall come thy voice, And out of the dust, thy speech shall chirp;
Yet shall there come to thee - both these, in a moment, in one day, Loss of children and widowhood, - To their full, have they come on thee, Spite of the mass of thine incantations, Spite of the great throng of thy spells. And so thou didst trust in thy wickedness, Thou saidst, no one, seeth me, Thy wisdom and knowledge, the same, seduced thee, - Therefore saidst thou in thy heart, I am , and there is no one besides. read more. Therefore shall come on thee - Mischief, Thou shalt not know how to charm it away Yea there shall fall on thee, Ruin, Thou shalt not be able to appease it, - And there shall come on thee suddenly. Desolation. Thou shalt not know. Take thy stand, I pray thee, With thy spells. And with the throng of thine incantations wherein thou hast wearied thyself from thy youth, - Peradventure thou mayest be able to profit Peradventure thou mayest strike me with terror. Thou hast worn thyself out with the mass of thy consultations, - Let them take their stand I pray thee that they may save thee - The dividers of the heavens - The gazers at the stars, They who make known by new moons, Somewhat of the things which shall come upon thee.
Who tarry among groves, And in the secret places, do lodge, Who eat the flesh of swine, And the broth of refuse things is in their vessels, -
Is it not a Vision of falsehood, ye have seen, and a Divination of lies, ye have spoken, Since ye are saying. Declareth Yahweh! when I have not spoken
Therefore speak unto them and say unto them, Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, Any man whatsoever of the house of Israel Who shall bring up his manufactured gods upon his heart, And set his stumbling, block of iniquity, straight before his face, And then some in unto the prophet. Yahweh, have myself answered him thereby. By the multitude of his manufactured gods:
For what man soever of the house of Israel Or of the sojourners who sojourn in Israel, Who shall estrange himself from following me And who shall bring up his manufactured gods, on his heart, And whose stumbling-block of iniquity, he shall set straight before his face, And then come in unto the prophet, to enquire by him of me. Yahweh will myself answer him on my own account; And will set my face against that man And will make of him a sign and a proverb, And will cut him off out of the midst of my people: So shall ye know that, I, am Yahweh.
For the king of Babylon hath come tea stand At the parting of the way. At the head of the two ways To divine a divination:He hath shaken with arrows He hath asked of the household gods, He hath inspected the liver.
So the king gave word to call for the sacred scribes and for the magicians, and for the users of incantations, and for the Chaldeans, that they might tell the king his dreams, - they came in therefore, 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 intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him, - and, King Nebuchadnezzar thy father, appointed him, chief of the sacred scribes, the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers, - thy father, O king!
My people, of their Wood, do ask, - Let, their Staff, then tell them, - for, the spirit of unchastity, hath led them astray, and they have unchastely departed from under their God.
And it shall come to pass, in that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, That I will cut off the names of idols out of the land, and they shall not be remembered any more, - Moreover also, even the prophets and the spirit of impurity, will I cause to pass away out of the land.
Therefore will I draw near unto you for judgment, and will become a swift witness against the mutterers of incantations, and against the adulterers, and against them that swear to a falsehood, - and against them who rob the hire of the hireling, the widow and the fatherless, and that drive away the sojourner, and do not revere me, saith Yahweh of hosts.
Is it not allowed me to do, what I please, with my own? or is, thine eye, evil, because I good?
For there will arise, false Christs, and false prophets, - and they will show great signs and wonders, so that, if possible, even the chosen, should be deceived: -
who had his dwelling among the tombs, and, not even with a chain, any longer, was anyone able to bind him, -
Now, a certain man, was rich, and he used to clothe himself with purple and fine linen, making merry day by day, brilliantly. And, a certain beggar, by name Lazarus, used to be cast near his gate, full of sores, read more. and to long to be fed from the crumbs that fell from the table of the rich man: nay! even, the dogs, used to come and lick his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried away by the messengers, into the bosom of Abraham. And, the rich man also, died, and was buried. And, in hades, lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And, he, calling out, said - Father Abraham! have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, - because I am in anguish in this flame. But Abraham said - Child! remember - That thou didst duly received thy good things in thy life, and, Lazarus, in like manner, the evil things; but, now, here, he is comforted, and, thou, art in anguish. And, besides all these things, betwixt us and you, a great chasm, hath been fixed, - so that, they who might wish to cross over from hence unto you, should not be able, nor any, from thence unto us, be crossing over. But he said - I request thee then, father, that thou wouldst send him unto my father's house, - for I have five brethren; - that he may solemnly testify unto them, lest, they also, come into this place of torment. But Abraham saith - They have Moses and the Prophets: Let them hearken unto them. But, he, said - Nay! father Abraham, but, if one, from the dead, should go unto them, they would repent. But he said unto him - If, unto Moses and the Prophets, they do not hearken, neither, if one, from among the dead, should arise, would they be persuaded.
Ye, are, of your father - the adversary, and, the covetings of your father, ye choose to be doing. He, was, a murderer, from the beginning, and, in the truth, he stood not; because truth is not in him: Whensoever he speaketh falsehood, of his own, he speaketh; because, false, he is, and, the father of it.
The same, is he that came to be in the assembly in the desert, with the messenger who was speaking with him in Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, he who welcomed living utterances, to give unto us:
But, a certain man named Simon, was already in the city, practising magical arts, and astonishing the nation of Samaria, - saying that himself was someone great: Unto whom all were giving heed, from small even to great, saying - This, is the Power of God, which is called Great. read more. And they were giving heed to him, because that, for a considerable time, with his magical arts, he had astonished them.
And, passing through the whole island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a false-prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus;
But Elymas the magician, - for so, when translated, is his name, - withstood them; seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.
And it came to pass, as we were on our way unto the place of prayer, a certain damsel, having a spirit of Python, met us, - who, indeed, much gain, was presenting unto her masters, by divining.
And it came to pass, as we were on our way unto the place of prayer, a certain damsel, having a spirit of Python, met us, - who, indeed, much gain, was presenting unto her masters, by divining. The same, following after Paul and us, kept crying aloud, saying - These men, are servants of the Most High God, - who, indeed, are declaring unto you a way of salvation. read more. And, this, she continued to do for many days. But Paul, worn out, and turning unto the spirit, said - I charge thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out from her. And it came out the same hour.
But certain also of the wandering Jews, exorcists, took in hand to be naming, over them that had the wicked spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying - I adjure you, by Jesus whom Paul proclaimeth!
And, a good many of them who had practised the curious arts, bringing together the books, were burning them before all; and they reckoned up the prices of them, and found them fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Much, every way: - First, indeed, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
idolatry, enchantment, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, factions, divisions, parties,
Whose, presence, shall be according to an inworking of Satan, with all manner of mighty work and sign and wonders of falsehood, And with all manner of deceit of unrighteousness, in them who are destroying themselves, because, the love of the truth, they did not welcome, that they might be saved; - read more. And, for this cause, God sendeth them an inworking of error, to the end they should believe in the falsehood, -
Howbeit, the Spirit, expressly saith - that, in later seasons, some will revolt from the faith, giving heed unto seducing spirits, and unto teachings of demons -
But, of this, be taking note - that, in last days, there will set in perilous seasons; For men will be - fond of themselves, fond of money, ostentatious, arrogant, defamers, to parents, unyielding, unthankful, unkind, read more. without natural affection, accepting no truce, given to intrigue, without self-control, uncivilized, unfriendly to good men, traitors, reckless, beclouded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but, the power thereof, denying! and, from these, turn away; For, of these, are they who enter into the houses, and captivate silly women, women laden with sins, led on by manifold covetings, Ever learning and never, unto a personal knowledge of truth, able to come; Moreover, like as, Jannes and Jambres, withstood Moses, so, these men also, withstand the truth, - men utterly corrupted in their mind, disapproved concerning their faith;
Moreover, like as, Jannes and Jambres, withstood Moses, so, these men also, withstand the truth, - men utterly corrupted in their mind, disapproved concerning their faith;
Neither repented they of their murders, or of their sorceries, or of their lewdnesses, or of their thefts.
and he deceiveth them who are dwelling upon the earth, by reason of the signs which it was given him to do before the wild-beast, - saying unto them who are dwelling upon the earth, that they should make an image unto the wild-beast who hath the stroke of the sword, and yet did live. And it was given unto it, to give spirit unto the image of the wild-beast, in order that the image of the wild-beast should both speak and should cause that, as many as should not do homage unto the image of the wild-beast, should be slain.
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 impure spirits, as frogs; for they are spirits of demons, doing signs, which are to go forth unto the kings of the whole habitable earth, to gather them together unto the battle of the great day of God the Almighty. -
But, as for the timid, and disbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the false, their part, is in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, - which is the second death.
Outside, are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the unchaste, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one loving and doing falsehood.
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 became restless, so he sent and called for all the sacred scribes of Egypt and all her wise men, - and Pharaoh related to them his dreams, a but there was no one that could interpret them. to Pharaoh.
Is not this that in which my lord drinketh, and whereby, he himself, doth divine? Ye have done evil in what ye have done.
And Joseph said to them, What is this deed which ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I, can even divine?
And the sacred scribes of Egypt did in like manner with their secret arts, - so the heart of Pharaoh waxed bold and he hearkened not unto them, as spake Yahweh.
And the sacred scribes did in like manner, with their secret arts, - and brought up frogs over the land of Egypt.
There shall not be found in thy midst - One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire, - Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments Or who muttereth incantations;
There shall not be found in thy midst - One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire, - Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments Or who muttereth incantations; Or who bindeth with spells, - Or who asketh of a familiar spirit or an oracle, Or who seeketh unto the dead.
Or who bindeth with spells, - Or who asketh of a familiar spirit or an oracle, Or who seeketh unto the dead.
Or who bindeth with spells, - Or who asketh of a familiar spirit or an oracle, Or who seeketh unto the dead.
and caused his son to pass through the fire, and practiced hidden arts and used divination, and dealt with a familiar spirit and wizards, - he exceeded in doing the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, provoking him to anger;
And, he, caused his sons to pass through the fire, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and practised hidden arts and used divination, and practised sorcery, and appointed a necromancer, and a wizard, - he exceeded in doing the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger;
That will not hearken to the voice of whisperers, Though the wise one try to bind him with spells.
Yet they let themselves be bound to Baal-peor, - and did eat sacrifices to the dead:
But, when they say unto you - Seek ye unto the necromancers and unto the wizards, who chirp, and who mutter, Should not u people seek, unto its God? In behalf of the living, should it seek unto the dead?
But, when they say unto you - Seek ye unto the necromancers and unto the wizards, who chirp, and who mutter, Should not u people seek, unto its God? In behalf of the living, should it seek unto the dead?
And the spirit of Egypt, shall vanish, within them, Yea the sagacity thereof, will I swallow up, - And they will seek Unto the idols and Unto them that mutter, and Unto them that have familiar spirits, and Unto the wizards;
And thou shalt be brought low - Out of the earth, shalt thou speak, And out of the dust, shalt thou lower thine utterance, - And as one that hath a familiar spirit, Out of the earth, shall come thy voice, And out of the dust, thy speech shall chirp;
Yet shall there come to thee - both these, in a moment, in one day, Loss of children and widowhood, - To their full, have they come on thee, Spite of the mass of thine incantations, Spite of the great throng of thy spells.
Take thy stand, I pray thee, With thy spells. And with the throng of thine incantations wherein thou hast wearied thyself from thy youth, - Peradventure thou mayest be able to profit Peradventure thou mayest strike me with terror. Thou hast worn thyself out with the mass of thy consultations, - Let them take their stand I pray thee that they may save thee - The dividers of the heavens - The gazers at the stars, They who make known by new moons, Somewhat of the things which shall come upon thee.
Thou hast worn thyself out with the mass of thy consultations, - Let them take their stand I pray thee that they may save thee - The dividers of the heavens - The gazers at the stars, They who make known by new moons, Somewhat of the things which shall come upon thee.
For the king of Babylon hath come tea stand At the parting of the way. At the head of the two ways To divine a divination:He hath shaken with arrows He hath asked of the household gods, He hath inspected the liver. On his right hand, hath come the divination - Jerusalem! To plant battering-rams. To open a hole by breach To lift up the voice with a war-shout, - To plant battering-rams against the gates, To cast up an earth-work To bud a siege-wall.
Then came in the sacred scribes, the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers, - and, the dream, told I before them, but, the interpretation, could they not make known to me.
O Belteshazzar, chief of the sacred scribes, because I know that, the spirit of the holy gods, is in thee, - and no secret giveth thee trouble, therefore , the visions of my dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof, do thou tell.
My people, of their Wood, do ask, - Let, their Staff, then tell them, - for, the spirit of unchastity, hath led them astray, and they have unchastely departed from under their God.
Because of the multitude of the unchaste doings of the unchaste one, fair in grace, mistress of secret arts, - who hath been selling nations by her unchaste doings, families by her secret arts,
For, the household gods, have spoken vanity, and, the diviners, have had vision of falsehood, and, deceitful dreams, do they relate, vainly, do they console, - for this reason, have they moved about like a flock, they suffer ill, because there is no shepherd.
But, a certain man named Simon, was already in the city, practising magical arts, and astonishing the nation of Samaria, - saying that himself was someone great: Unto whom all were giving heed, from small even to great, saying - This, is the Power of God, which is called Great. read more. And they were giving heed to him, because that, for a considerable time, with his magical arts, he had astonished them.
And, passing through the whole island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a false-prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus;
But Elymas the magician, - for so, when translated, is his name, - withstood them; seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.
And it came to pass, as we were on our way unto the place of prayer, a certain damsel, having a spirit of Python, met us, - who, indeed, much gain, was presenting unto her masters, by divining. The same, following after Paul and us, kept crying aloud, saying - These men, are servants of the Most High God, - who, indeed, are declaring unto you a way of salvation. read more. And, this, she continued to do for many days. But Paul, worn out, and turning unto the spirit, said - I charge thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out from her. And it came out the same hour. And, her masters, seeing that their hope of gain had gone out, laying hold on Paul and Silas, dragged them into the market-place, unto the rulers;
And, a good many of them who had practised the curious arts, bringing together the books, were burning them before all; and they reckoned up the prices of them, and found them fifty thousand pieces of silver.
idolatry, enchantment, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, factions, divisions, parties,
Let, no one, against you, be arbitrating, however wishful, - in respect of lowliness of mind, and of a religious observance of the messengers: upon what things he hath seen, taking his stand, in vain, puffed up by his carnal mind, -
Seeing therefore the children have received a fellowship of blood and flesh, he also, in like manner, took partnership in the same, - in order that, through death, - he might paralyse him that held the dominion of death, that is, the Adversary, -
Neither repented they of their murders, or of their sorceries, or of their lewdnesses, or of their thefts.
And light of lamp, - in nowise shine in thee any more; and voice of bridegroom and bride, - in nowise be heard in thee any more; because, thy merchants, were the great ones of the earth, because, with thy sorcery, were all the nations deceived:
And, death and hades, were cast into the lake of fire. This, is, the second death - the lake of fire.
But, as for the timid, and disbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the false, their part, is in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, - which is the second death.
Outside, are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the unchaste, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one loving and doing falsehood.
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 drinketh, and whereby, he himself, doth divine? Ye have done evil in what ye have done.
and the sign or the wonder shall come in, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, - Let us go after other gods, which ye know not and let us serve them thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams, - for Yahweh your God, is putting you to the proof, to know whether ye do love Yahweh your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.
And Gideon came in, and lo! a man relating to his neighbour a dream, - and he said - Lo! a dream, have I dreamt, and lo! a round cake of barley bread tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came as far as the tent - and smote it that it fell, and turned it upside down, and the tent lay along.
For, as the sin of divination, is, rebelliousness, - and, as transgression with household gods, is, stubbornness, - Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, therefore hath he rejected thee from being king.
Then Saul enquired of Yahweh, but Yahweh answered him not, - neither by Dreams, nor by the Lights, nor by prophets.
Bring near your contention, Saith Yahweh, - Advance your defences, Saith the King of Jacob: Let them advance them, and tell us, What shall happen, - Things known in advance - what they were, tell ye, That we may lay them to our heart and mark the after-story of them, Or, things yet to come, let us hear: read more. Tell ye the events which shall be here-after, That we may perceive that gods, ye are, - Surely ye must do something - good or bad, That we may be amazed and behold it, at once. Lo! ye, are, of nought, And your work is a puff of breath, - An abomination, he that chooseth you!
Who then, like me, can call, and declare it, and order it, for me, Seeing that I appointed an age-abiding people, - Or things yet to be, and that shall come to pass, Let them declare on their part.
Behold me! against such as prophesy the dreams of falsehood, Declareth Yahweh, who have related them and led astray my people, with their falsehoods and with their recklessness, - whereas, I, had not sent them nor commanded them, so that they could be of no, profit, to this people, Declareth Yahweh.
For the king of Babylon hath come tea stand At the parting of the way. At the head of the two ways To divine a divination:He hath shaken with arrows He hath asked of the household gods, He hath inspected the liver.
For the king of Babylon hath come tea stand At the parting of the way. At the head of the two ways To divine a divination:He hath shaken with arrows He hath asked of the household gods, He hath inspected the liver.
For the king of Babylon hath come tea stand At the parting of the way. At the head of the two ways To divine a divination:He hath shaken with arrows He hath asked of the household gods, He hath inspected the liver.
My people, of their Wood, do ask, - Let, their Staff, then tell them, - for, the spirit of unchastity, hath led them astray, and they have unchastely departed from under their God.
For, the household gods, have spoken vanity, and, the diviners, have had vision of falsehood, and, deceitful dreams, do they relate, vainly, do they console, - for this reason, have they moved about like a flock, they suffer ill, because there is no shepherd.
But, if, I, in Beelzebul, am casting out the demons, In whom are, your sons, casting them out? Wherefore, they, shall be, your judges.
But, a certain man named Simon, was already in the city, practising magical arts, and astonishing the nation of Samaria, - saying that himself was someone great:
And, passing through the whole island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a false-prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus;
And it came to pass, as we were on our way unto the place of prayer, a certain damsel, having a spirit of Python, met us, - who, indeed, much gain, was presenting unto her masters, by divining.
But certain also of the wandering Jews, exorcists, took in hand to be naming, over them that had the wicked spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying - I adjure you, by Jesus whom Paul proclaimeth!
And, a good many of them who had practised the curious arts, bringing together the books, were burning them before all; and they reckoned up the prices of them, and found them fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Whereas, wicked men and howling impostors, will force their way to the worse, deceiving and being deceived.
And the wild-beast, was taken, and, with him, the false prophet who wrought the signs before him, whereby he deceived them who received the mark of the wild-beast and them who were doing homage unto his image, - alive, were they two cast into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone.
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 art coming into the land which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominable doings of those nations. There shall not be found in thy midst - One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire, - Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments Or who muttereth incantations;
A prophet out of thy midst of thy brethren like unto me, will Yahweh thy God, raise up unto thee - unto him, shall ye hearken: