9 “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.

7080 קָסַם [qacam /kaw·sam/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2044; GK 7876; 20 occurrences; AV translates as “divine” seven times, “diviners” seven times, “use” three times, “divination” once, “prudent” once, and “soothsayer” once. 1 (Qal) to practice divination, divine. 1A of diviners of the nations, Balaam. 1B of false prophets of Israel. 1C prohibited.

7081 קֶסֶם [qecem /keh·sem/] n m. From 7080; TWOT 2044a; GK 7877; 11 occurrences; AV translates as “divination” nine times, “witchcraft” once, and “divine sentence” once. 1 divination, witchcraft. 1A of the nations, Balaam. 1B of false prophets. 1C in a good sense (king’s lips as oracles).

6049 עָנַן, עָנַן [ʿanan /aw·nan/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 1655, 1656; GK 6725 and 6726; 11 occurrences; AV translates as “observer of times” five times, “soothsayer” twice, “bring” once, “sorceress” once, and “enchanter” once. 1 (Piel) to make appear, produce, bring (clouds). 2 (Poel) to practise soothsaying, conjure. 2A to observe times, practice soothsaying or spiritism or magic or augury or witchcraft. 2B soothsayer, enchanter, sorceress, diviner, fortuneteller, barbarian, Meonenim (participle).

5172 נָחַשׁ [nachash /naw·khash/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 1348; GK 5727; 11 occurrences; AV translates as “enchantment” four times, “divine” twice, “enchanter” once, “indeed” once, “certainly” once, “learn by experience” once, and “diligently observe” once. 1 to practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortunetelling, take as an omen. 1A (Piel). 1A1 to practice divination. 1A2 to observe the signs or omens.

3784 כָּשַׁף [kashaph /kaw·shaf/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 1051; GK 4175; Six occurrences; AV translates as “sorcerers” three times, “witch” twice, and “witchcraft” once. 1 (Piel) to practice witchcraft or sorcery, use witchcraft. 1A sorcerer, sorceress (participle).

2266 הִתְחַבְּרוּת, חָבַר, חָבַר [chabar /khaw·bar/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 598; GK 2248 and 2488 and 2489; 29 occurrences; AV translates as “couple” eight times, “join” eight times, “couple together” four times, “join together” three times, “compact” once, “charmer + 2267” once, “charming + 2267” once, “have fellowship” once, “league” once, and “heap up” once. 1 to unite, join, bind together, be joined, be coupled, be in league, heap up, have fellowship with, be compact, be a charmer. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to unite, be joined. 1A2 to tie magic charms, charm. 1B (Piel). 1B1 to unite with, make an ally of. 1B2 to unite, join, ally. 1C (Pual). 1C1 to be allied with, be united. 1C2 to be joined together. 1D (Hiphil) to join together, pile up (words). 1E (Hithpael) to join oneself to, make an alliance, league together.

2267 חֶבֶר [cheber /kheh·ber/] n m. From 2266; TWOT 598a; GK 2490; Seven occurrences; AV translates as “wide” twice, “enchantment” twice, “company” once, “charmer + 2266” once, and “charming + 2266” once. 1 association, company, band. 2 shared, association, society. 3 a magician, charmer, spell.

7592 שָׁאַל, שְׁאָלָה [shaʾal, shaʾel /shaw·al/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2303; GK 8626 and 8628; 173 occurrences; AV translates as “ask” 94 times, “enquire” 22 times, “desire” nine times, “require” seven times, “borrow” six times, “salute” four times, “demand” four times, “lent” four times, “request” three times, “earnestly” twice, “beg” twice, and translated miscellaneously 16 times. 1 to ask, enquire, borrow, beg. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to ask, ask for. 1A2 to ask (as a favour), borrow. 1A3 to enquire, enquire of. 1A4 to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle). 1A5 to seek. 1B (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence. 1C (Piel). 1C1 to enquire, enquire carefully. 1C2 to beg, practise beggary. 1D (Hiphil). 1D1 to be given on request. 1D2 to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to.

178 אֹוב, אֹוב [ʾowb /obe/] n m. From the same as 1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father’s name); TWOT 37a; GK 199 and 200; 17 occurrences; AV translates as “familiar spirit(s)” 16 times, and “bottles” once. 1 water skin bottle. 2 necromancer. 1B necromancer, one who evokes the dead. 1C ghost, spirit of a dead one. 1D practice of necromancy. 3 one that has a familiar spirit.

3049 יִדְּעֹנִי [yiddâʿoniy /yid·deh·o·nee/] n m. From 3045; TWOT 848d; GK 3362; 11 occurrences; AV translates as “wizard” 11 times. 1 a knower, one who has a familiar spirit. 1A a familiar spirit, soothsayer, necromancer (meton).

1875 דַּרְיׄושׁ, דָּרַשׁ [darash /daw·rash/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 455; GK 2004 and 2011; 164 occurrences; AV translates as “seek” 84 times, “enquire” 43 times, “require” 12 times, “search” seven times, and translated miscellaneously 18 times. 1 to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place). 1A2 to consult, enquire of, seek. 1A2A of God. 1A2B of heathen gods, necromancers. 1A3 to seek deity in prayer and worship. 1A3A God. 1A3B heathen deities. 1A4 to seek (with a demand), demand, require. 1A5 to investigate, enquire. 1A6 to ask for, require, demand. 1A7 to practice, study, follow, seek with application. 1A8 to seek with care, care for. 1B (Niphal). 1B1 to allow oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God). 1B2 to be sought, be sought out. 1B3 to be required (of blood).

413 אֶל [ʾel, used, shortened, constructive, ʾel /ale/] prep. Primitive particle; TWOT 91; GK 448; 38 occurrences; AV translates as “unto”, “with”, “against”, “at”, “into”, “in”, “before”, “to”, “of”, “upon”, “by”, “toward”, “hath”, “for”, “on”, “beside”, “from”, “where”, “after”, and “within”. 1 to, toward, unto (of motion). 2 into (limit is actually entered). 2A in among. 3 toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion). 4 against (motion or direction of a hostile character). 5 in addition to, to. 6 concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of. 7 according to (rule or standard). 8 at, by, against (of one’s presence). 9 in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to).

4191 מוּת [muwth /mooth/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 1169; GK 4637; 835 occurrences; AV translates as “die” 424 times, “dead” 130 times, “slay” 100 times, “death” 83 times, “surely” 50 times, “kill” 31 times, “dead man” three times, “dead body” twice, “in no wise” twice, and translated miscellaneously 10 times. 1 to die, kill, have one executed. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to die. 1A2 to die (as penalty), be put to death. 1A3 to die, perish (of a nation). 1A4 to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct). 1B (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch. 1C (Hiphil) to kill, put to death. 1D (Hophal). 1D1 to be killed, be put to death. 1D1A to die prematurely.

6049 עָנַן, עָנַן [ʿanan /aw·nan/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 1655, 1656; GK 6725 and 6726; 11 occurrences; AV translates as “observer of times” five times, “soothsayer” twice, “bring” once, “sorceress” once, and “enchanter” once. 1 (Piel) to make appear, produce, bring (clouds). 2 (Poel) to practise soothsaying, conjure. 2A to observe times, practice soothsaying or spiritism or magic or augury or witchcraft. 2B soothsayer, enchanter, sorceress, diviner, fortuneteller, barbarian, Meonenim (participle).

7080 קָסַם [qacam /kaw·sam/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2044; GK 7876; 20 occurrences; AV translates as “divine” seven times, “diviners” seven times, “use” three times, “divination” once, “prudent” once, and “soothsayer” once. 1 (Qal) to practice divination, divine. 1A of diviners of the nations, Balaam. 1B of false prophets of Israel. 1C prohibited.

divination, means through which humans attempt to secure information through spirits, magic, or some other superhuman source. There was great interest in the biblical world in knowing the future, and virtually everyone believed it was sometimes possible to do so; dreams, visions, and other portents could reveal the future, though an interpreter might be needed to know their meaning. Astrology was also widely practiced, offering predictions of the future (and attendant advice for the present) based on the observation of stars, which were believed to be deities affecting earthly events. Professional oracles claimed to have the ability to predict the future for those who sought them out (and performed required services). The most famous of these included the Pythia in Delphi, the oak trees of Dodona, and the Memnon of Thebes. Many people also thought the future could be divined by anyone who knew how to interpret signs sent by God (or the gods); the flight of birds, eating habits of chickens, and condition of the entrails, especially the liver, of sacrificial animals were all deemed relevant at different places and times. The flight of arrows foretold a victory to King Joash (2 Kings 13:14–19).

The Bible contains numerous prohibitions against divination. Deut. 18:10–11 says, “No one shall be found among you who makes a son or daughter pass through fire, or who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead” (the practice of consulting the dead is called necromancy; cf. Lev. 19:26). Judah and Israel both disobeyed this command, however (2 Kings 17:17), and King Manasseh of Israel is singled out as one who did evil in the eyes of the Lord because he “practiced soothsaying and augury and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with wizards” (2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chron. 33:6). The story of Saul consulting with the medium of Endor to call up the prophet Samuel from the dead represents an especially egregious example of divination that meets with divine condemnation (1 Sam. 28).

The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst;

I will destroy their counsel,

And they will consult the idols and the charmers,

The mediums and the sorcerers.

6 ‘And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people. 7 Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. 8 And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

27 ‘A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.’ ”

13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. 14 But he did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.

7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.”

And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”

9 Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”

21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; he raised up altars for Baal, and made a wooden image, as Ahab king of Israel had done; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 7 He even set a carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the LORD had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8 and I will not make the feet of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers—only if they are careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; he raised up altars for Baal, and made a wooden image, as Ahab king of Israel had done; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 7 He even set a carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the LORD had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8 and I will not make the feet of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers—only if they are careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

33 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and made wooden images; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 7 He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8 and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers—only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.” 9 So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

24 Moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 25 Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.

13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. 14 But he did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days.

But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. 19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days.

But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. 19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

7 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth—by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

14 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.