Witchcraft and divination in the Hebrew Bible

This article discusses the Hebrew Bible. See Christian views on magic for Christian interpretations.

Various forms of witchcraft and divination in the Hebrew Bible are mentioned in a generally disapproving tone. The Masoretic Text of the Torah forbids:

Many of these condemnations come from Deuteronomy 18.9-14 which is the only part of the Hebrew Bible referring to legal precepts which portrays these forms of divination as of foreign origin. The legislation in Leviticus makes no such claim.[10]

The exact difference between the three forbidden forms of necromancy is a matter of uncertainty; yidde'oni is always used together with ob,[11] and its semantic similarity to doresh el ha-metim raises the question of why all three are mentioned in the same verse of Deuteronomy.[12] Rashi describes the doresh el ha-metim as a person who would sleep in cemeteries, after having starved themselves, in order to become possessed.

Micah 5:12 expresses that witchcraft, as specified, will be eliminated among those of Israel.

Deuteronomy 33:8-10 refers to the Levites' use of the Urim and Thummim and various forms of sacrifice as instruments of divination to determine guilt and innocence in law cases.[13]

Judges 17-18 portrays a Levite who uses an ephod and teraphim to forecast the future for a group of Danites who are visiting the house of Micah.[14]

The silver chalice that is placed in Benjamin's sack when he leaves Egypt is described as being used by Joseph for divination, which is often taken as a reference to its use for scrying.[15][16]

Numbers 5;11-31 describes a practice of making a wife who has been accused of adultery drink a mixture of water and dust from the floor of the Tabernacle in order to prove her guilt or innocence.[17]

The Torah assigns the death penalty to practitioners of certain forms of witchcraft and divination; the Holiness Code of Leviticus ascribes the death penalty for two of the three necromantic practices, namely Ba'al ob and Yidde'oni,[7] while the Covenant Code of Exodus ascribes it for kashaph.[3]

According to Ann Jeffers necromancy was practiced throughout Israel's history, as evidenced by the presence of these laws forbidding it.[18]

See also

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 Leviticus 19:26
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Deuteronomy 18:10-11
  3. 1 2 Exodus 22:18
  4. ↑ Strong's concordance
  5. ↑ Webster's New World Hebrew Dictionary
  6. ↑ Exodus 22:17 (LXX);
  7. 1 2 3 Leviticus 20:27
  8. 1 2 3 Deuteronomy 18:11
  9. ↑ Leviticus 20:27 (LXX)
  10. ↑ Divination in Ancient Israel and its Near Eastern Environment: A Socio-Historical Investigation, Frederick H. Cryer, A&C Black, 1 May 1994, pg 231, 232
  11. ↑ Magic and Divination in Ancient Palestine and Syria, Ann Jeffers, BRILL, 1996, pg 172
  12. ↑ specifically, Deuteronomy 18:11
  13. ↑ Magic and Divination in Ancient Palestine and Syria, Ann Jeffers, BRILL, 1996, pg 62
  14. ↑ Magic and Divination in Ancient Palestine and Syria, Ann Jeffers, BRILL, 1996, pg 64
  15. ↑ http://www.religioustolerance.org/divin_bibl.htm
  16. ↑ Crystal-Gazing, Theodore Besterman, Cosimo, Inc., 1 Jan 2005, pg 73
  17. ↑ The Lost Art of Enochian Magic: Angels, Invocations, and the Secrets Revealed to Dr. John Dee, John DeSalvo, Inner Traditions / Bear & Co, 14 May 2010, pg 24
  18. ↑ Magic and Divination in Ancient Palestine and Syria, Ann Jeffers, BRILL, 1996, pg 181
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