Reference: Enchantments
American
1. Deceptive arts and charms practiced by designing men, and classed in the Bible with sorcery, magic, divination, witchcraft, and necromancy, or professed communication with departed spirits. All these are expressly forbidden and denounced in Scripture, Ex 22:18; Le 19:26; 20:27; De 18:10-11. The pretended power and skill of enchanters was ascribed to infernal agency, and the art was essentially hostile to true religion. Their seeming wonders were usually wrought by juggling tricks or sleight of hand, or by mysteries of science, known to but few. The magicians of Egypt are said to have done several things "with their enchantments," Ex 7:1-9:29; Ac 19:19.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then said Yahweh unto Moses - See! I have appointed thee to be God unto Pharaoh, - and, Aaron thy brother, shall be thy prophet! Thou, shalt speak all that which I may command thee, and, Aaron thy brother, shall speak unto Pharaoh, and he shall let the sons of Israel go out of his land. read more. But, I, will suffer Pharaoh to harden his heart, - so will I multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh will not hearken unto you, so will I lay my hand on Egypt, - and bring forth my hosts - my people the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, with great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I, am Yahweh, when I have stretched forth my hand over Egypt, - and brought forth the sons of Israel out of their midst. And Moses and Aaron did so , - as Yahweh commanded them, so, did they. Now Moses, was eighty years old, and, Aaron, eighty-three years old, - when they spake unto Pharaoh. And Yahweh spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying: When Pharaoh shall speak unto you saying, Shew for yourselves a wonder, then shalt thou say unto Aaron, Take thy staff, and cast it down before Pharaoh let it become a sea-serpent.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Easton
(1.) The rendering of Hebrew latim or lehatim, which means "something covered," "muffled up;" secret arts, tricks (Ex 7:11,22; 8:7,18), by which the Egyptian magicians imposed on the credulity of Pharaoh.
(2.) The rendering of the Hebrew keshaphim, "muttered spells" or "incantations," rendered "sorceries" in Isa 47:9,12, i.e., the using of certain formulae under the belief that men could thus be bound.
(3.) Hebrew lehashim, "charming," as of serpents (Jer 8:17; comp. Ps 58:5).
(4.) Hebrew nehashim, the enchantments or omens used by Balaam (Nu 24:1); his endeavouring to gain omens favourable to his design.
(5.) Hebrew heber (Isa 47:9,12), "magical spells." All kinds of enchantments were condemned by the Mosaic law (Le 19:26; De 18:10-12). (See Divination.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
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;
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.
And the sacred scribes did in like manner with their secret arts, to bring forth the gnats, but they could not. So there came to be gnats, among men and among beasts.
Ye shall eat nothing with the blood thereof, - Ye shall not practise divination neither shall ye use magic.
And when Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Yahweh to bless Israel, he went not as at other times to invoke enchantments, - but set towards the desert, his face.
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. read more. 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.
That will not hearken to the voice of whisperers, Though the wise one try to bind him with spells.
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.
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.
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.
For behold me! sending among you serpents - vipers which there is no charming, - And they shall fatally bite you declareth Yahweh.
Morish
See DIVINATION.
Smith
Enchantments.
The words so translated have several signification: the practice of secret arts,
; "muttered spells,"
the charming of serpents,
the enchantments sought by Balaam,
the use of magic,
Any resort to these methods of imposture was strictly forbidden in Scripture,
etc.; but to eradicate the tendency is almost impossible,
and we find it still flourishing at the Christian era.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
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;
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.
Ye shall eat nothing with the blood thereof, - Ye shall not practise divination neither shall ye use magic.
And when Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Yahweh to bless Israel, he went not as at other times to invoke enchantments, - but set towards the desert, his face.
And it came to pass, when Jehoram saw Jehu, that he said - Is it peace, Jehu? And he said - What can be the peace, while thy mother Jezebel's harlotries and her incantations do so abound?
and made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and used divinations and enchantments, and sold themselves to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, provoking him to wrath.
If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
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.
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.
And will cut off incantations, out of thy hand, - and, users of hidden arts, shalt thou not have;
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.