Reference: Magic
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In the Bible, all the superstitious ceremonies of magicians, sorcerers, enchanters, necromancers, spiritualists, exorcists, astrologers, soothsayers, interpreters of dreams, fortune-tellers, casters of nativities, etc., which are all forbidden by the law of God, whether practiced to hurt or to benefit mankind. It was also forbidden to consult magicians on pain of death, Le 19:31; 20:6. See ENCHANTMENTS and SORCERERS.
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Turn not to them that work with spirits, neither regard them that observe dismal days, that ye be not defiled by them: for I am the LORD your God.
"'If any soul turn him to enchanters or expounders of tokens and go a whoring after them, I will put my face upon that soul and will destroy him from among his people.
Easton
The Jews seem early to have consulted the teraphim (q.v.) for oracular answers (Jg 18:5-6; Zec 10:2). There is a remarkable illustration of this divining by teraphim in Eze 21:19-22. We read also of the divining cup of Joseph (Ge 44:5). The magicians of Egypt are frequently referred to in the history of the Exodus. Magic was an inherent part of the ancient Egyptian religion, and entered largely into their daily life.
All magical arts were distinctly prohibited under penalty of death in the Mosaic law. The Jews were commanded not to learn the "abomination" of the people of the Promised Land (Le 19:31; De 18:9-14). The history of Saul's consulting the witch of Endor (1Sa 28:3-20) gives no warrant for attributing supernatural power to magicians. From the first the witch is here only a bystander. The practice of magic lingered among the people till after the Captivity, when they gradually abandoned it.
It is not much referred to in the New Testament. The Magi mentioned in Mt 2:1-12 were not magicians in the ordinary sense of the word. They belonged to a religious caste, the followers of Zoroaster, the astrologers of the East. Simon, a magician, was found by Philip at Samaria (Ac 8:9-24); and Paul and Barnabas encountered Elymas, a Jewish sorcerer, at Paphos (Ac 13:6-12). At Ephesus there was a great destruction of magical books (Ac 19:18-19).
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Is that not the cup of which my lord drinketh, and doth he not prophesy therein? Ye have evil done that ye have done.'"
Turn not to them that work with spirits, neither regard them that observe dismal days, that ye be not defiled by them: for I am the LORD your God.
When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, see that thou learn not to do after the abominations of these nations. Let there not be found among you that maketh his son or his daughter go through fire, either a bruterer or a maker of dismal days, or that useth witchcraft, or a sorcerer, read more. or a charmer, or that speaketh with a spirit, or a soothsayer, or that asketh the advice of the dead. For all that do such things are abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth cast them out before thee. Be pure therefore with the LORD thy God. For these nations which thou shalt conquer hearken unto makers of dismal days and bruterers. But the LORD thy God permitteth not that to thee.
And they said unto him, "Ask of God, I pray thee, that we may know whether the way which we go, shall be prosperous or no." And the priest said unto them, "Go in peace, for the way which ye go is before the LORD."
Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah his own city. And Saul had put the soothsayers and expounders of tokens out of the land. And the Philistines gathered together and came and pitched in Shunem. And Saul and all Israel gathered together and pitched in Gilboa. read more. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart was sore astonished. And Saul asked counsel of the LORD, but the LORD answered him not: neither by dream, nor by the light, nor yet by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants, "Seek me a woman that is mistress of a spirit of prophecy; that I may go to her and ask of her." And his servants said to him, "See, there is a woman that hath a spirit of Prophecy in her possession at Endor." And Saul changed his clothes and put on other raiment; and then went he, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night. And he said, "Prophesy unto me by the spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee." And the woman said unto him, "Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the women that had prophesying spirits, and the sorcerers, out of the land. Wherefore then layest thou a net for my soul to kill me?" And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, "As surely as the LORD liveth, there shall no harm chance thee for this thing." Then said the woman, "Whom shall I fetch up unto thee?" And he said, "Bring me up Samuel." When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice and spake to Saul, saying, "Why hast thou mocked me? For thou art Saul." And the king said unto her, "Be not afraid. But what seest thou?" And the woman said unto Saul, "I see a god ascending up out of the earth." And he said, "What fashion is he of?" And the woman said, "There cometh up an old man with a mantle upon him." And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, "Why hast thou unquieted me, to make me be brought up?" And Saul answered, "I am sore encumbered. For the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me and answered me no more, neither by prophets, neither by dreams. And therefore have I called thee, to tell me what I shall do." Then said Samuel, "Wherefore dost thou ask of me? While the LORD is gone from thee and is thine enemy, the LORD will do to thee as he said by my hand. For the LORD will rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and give it thy neighbour David, because thou obeyedest not the voice of the LORD, nor executedest his fierce wrath upon the Amalekites. Therefore hath the LORD done this unto thee this day. And moreover, the LORD will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines. And tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, and the LORD shall give the host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines." Then Saul fell straightway flat on the earth as long as he was, and was sore a dread of the words of Samuel. And thereto there was no strength in him: for he had not eaten all the day and the night before.
"Thou son of man, make thee two streets, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come. Both these streets shall go out of one land. He shall set him up a place; at the head of the street shall he choose him out a corner. Make thee a street, that the sword may come toward Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to the strong city of Jerusalem. read more. For the king of Babylon shall stand in the turning of the way, at the head of the two trees: to ask counsel at the soothsayers, casting the lots with his arrows; to ask counsel at the Idols, and to look in the liver. But the soothsaying shall point to the right side upon Jerusalem, that he may set men of war, to smite it with a great noise, to cry out Alarum, to set battle rams against the gates, to grave up ditches, and to make bulwarks.
For vain is the answer of Idols. The soothsayers see lies, and tell but vain dreams. The comfort that they give, is nothing worth. Therefore go they astray like a flock of sheep, and are troubled, because they have no shepherd.
When Jesus was born at Bethlehem in Jewry in the time of Herod the king, Behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? We have seen his star in the East and are come to worship him." read more. When Herod the king had heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And he gathered all the chief Priests and Scribes of the people, and asked of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, "In Bethlehem in Jewry; for thus it is written by the Prophet, 'And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Jewry, art not the least concerning the Princes of Judah: For out of thee shall come the captain, that shall govern my people Israel.'" Then Herod privily called the wise men, and diligently enquired of them the time of the star that appeared, and sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child. And when ye have found him, bring me word, that I may come and worship him also." When they had heard the king, they departed; And, lo, the star, which they saw in the East, went before them, till it came and stood over the place where the child was. When they saw the star they were marvelously glad; and went into the house, and found the child with Mary his mother, and knelt down, and worshipped him: and opened their treasures, and offered unto him gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. And after they were warned of God in a dream that they should not go again to Herod, they returned into their own country another way.
And there was a certain man called Simon, which beforetime in the same city, used witchcraft and bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he was a man that could do great things. Whom they regarded, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This fellow is the great power of God." read more. And him they set much by, because of long time with sorcery he had mocked their wits. But as soon as they believed Philip's preaching of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised: both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also, and was baptised. And continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were showed. When the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard say that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: which, when they were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the holy ghost. For as yet he was come on none of them: But they were baptised only in the name of Christ Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the holy ghost. When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands on them, the holy ghost was given: he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I put the hands, he may receive the holy ghost." Then said Peter unto him, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou wenest that the gift of God may be obtained with money. Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this business. For thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent, therefore, of this thy wickedness, and pray God that the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art full of bitter gall, and wrapped in iniquity." Then answered Simon, and said, "Pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which ye have spoken fall on me."
When they had gone throughout the Isle unto the city of Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer: a false prophet, which was a Jew, named Barjesus: which was with the ruler of the country, one Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. The same ruler called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. read more. But the sorcerer Elymas - for so was his name by interpretation - withstood them, and sought to turn away the ruler from the faith. Then Saul, which also is called Paul, being full of the holy ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, "O full of all subtlety and deceitfulness, and child of the devil, and the enemy of all righteousness: thou ceasest not to pervert the straight ways of the Lord. And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind and not see the sun for a season." And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; And he went about, seeking them that should lead him by the hand. Then the ruler, when he saw what had happened, believed: and wondered at the doctrine of the Lord.
And many that believed came, and confessed and showed their works. Many of them which used curious crafts, brought their books and burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand silverlings.