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.
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Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. "You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. read more. "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. "When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst." So Moses and Aaron did it; as the LORD commanded them, thus they did. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh. Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, 'Work a miracle,' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.'"
"You shall not allow a sorceress to live.
'You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying.
'Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.'"
"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it 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.)
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Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.
But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
The magicians did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
The magicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on man and beast.
'You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying.
When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness.
"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. read more. "For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.
"But these two things will come on you suddenly in one day: Loss of children and widowhood They will come on you in full measure In spite of your many sorceries, In spite of the great power of your spells.
"But these two things will come on you suddenly in one day: Loss of children and widowhood They will come on you in full measure In spite of your many sorceries, In spite of the great power of your spells.
"Stand fast now in your spells And in your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you may cause trembling.
"Stand fast now in your spells And in your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you may cause trembling.
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 Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.
But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
The magicians did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
'You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying.
When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness.
When Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" And he answered, "What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?"
Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him.
"But these two things will come on you suddenly in one day: Loss of children and widowhood They will come on you in full measure In spite of your many sorceries, In spite of the great power of your spells.
"But these two things will come on you suddenly in one day: Loss of children and widowhood They will come on you in full measure In spite of your many sorceries, In spite of the great power of your spells.
"Stand fast now in your spells And in your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you may cause trembling.
"I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you will have fortune-tellers no more.
When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,
But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.