Deuteronomy 18:11
WEB
or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
BSB
casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.
KJV
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H2266
v — join, fascinate
Derivation: a primitive root;
to join (literally or figuratively); specifically (by means of spells) to fascinate
KJV: charm(-er), be compact, couple (together), have fellowship with, heap up, join (self, together), league.
vb — unite
[חָבַר] vb. unite (usu. intr.), be joined, tie a magic knot or spell, charm
Qal
1. unite, be joined
2. tie magic knots, charm
Pi.
1. make an ally of, unite one with
2. unite, join (trans.)
Pu.
1.
a. be allied with
b. be united to = be one of
2. be joined together
Hiph. I could make a joining with words
Hithp. join oneself to, make an alliance with
H2267
n-m — society, spell
Derivation: from 2266;
a society; also a spell
KJV: charmer(-ing), company, enchantment, × wide.
n.[m.] — company
חֶ֫בֶר n.[m.] company, association, spell
H7592
v — inquire, request, demand
Derivation: or שָׁאֵל; a primitive root;
to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand
KJV: ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, × earnestly, enquire, greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, salute, × straitly, × surely, wish.
vb — ask
שָׁאַל 170 vb. ask, inquire
Qal
1.
a. ask, ask for
b. specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow
c. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)
2.
a. inquire of
b. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.
c. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)
Niph. ask for oneself
Pi.
1. inquire carefully
2. beg, practise beggary
Hiph. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)
H178
n-m — mumble, skin, necromancer
Derivation: from the same as 1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name);
properly, a mumble, i.e. a water-skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar)
KJV: bottle, familiar spirit.
n.m — skin-bottle
אוֹב n.m. skin-bottle, necromancer, etc.
1. skin-bottle
2. necromancer
3. ghost
4. necromancy
H3049
n-m — knowing, conjurer, ghost
Derivation: from 3045;
properly, a knowing one; specifically, a conjurer; (by impl) a ghost
KJV: wizard.
n.m — familiar spirit
יִדְּעֹנִי n.m. familiar spirit (prop. either as knowing, wise (acquianted with secrets of unseen world); or as intimate acquaintance of soothsayer)
H1875
v — tread, frequent, follow, seek, ask, worship
Derivation: a primitive root;
properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship
KJV: ask, × at all, care for, × diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), × surely.
vb — resort to
דָּרַשׁ 162 vb. resort to, seek
Qal
1. (tread a place,) resort to, frequent
2. seek, consult, inquire of
3. seek deity in prayer and worship
4.
a. seek, with idea of demanding, require
b. inquire, investigate (a matter)
5. ask for, require, demand
6. seek with application, study, follow, practise
7. seek with care, care for
Niph.
1. let oneself be inquired of, consulted, only of God
2. be sought out
3. be required, of blood
H413
prep — near, with, among, to
Derivation: (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.
near, with or among; often in general, to
KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).
prep — motion to
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).
1. of motion to or unto a person or place
2. Where the limit is actually entered, into
3. Of direction towards anything
4. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
5. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
6. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
7. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
8. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
9. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
H4191
v — die, kill
Derivation: a primitive root;
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
KJV: × at all, × crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), × must needs, slay, × surely, × very suddenly, × in (no) wise.
vb — die
מוּת vb. die
Qal
1. die, of natural or other causes
2. die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
1. abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
2. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
3. of animals killing men
4. bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
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Verses 9–14
Deuteronomy 18:9–14
One would not think there had been so much need as it seems there was to arm the people of Israel against the infection of the idolatrous customs of the Canaanites. Was it possible that a people so blessed with divine institutions should ever admit the brutish and barbarous inventions of men and devils? Were they in any danger of making those their tutors and directors in religion whom God had made their captives and tributaries? It seems they were in danger, and therefore, after many similar cautions, they are here charged not to do after the abominations of those nations, Deu 18:9.
I. Some particulars are specified; as, 1. The consecrating of their children to Moloch, an idol that represented the sun, by making them to pass through the fire, and sometimes consuming them as sacrifices in the fire, Deu 18:10. See the law against this before, Lev 18:21. 2. Using arts of divination, to get the unnecessary knowledge of things to come, enchantments, witchcrafts, charms, etc., by which the power and knowledge peculiar to God were attributed to the devil, to the great reproach both of God's counsels and of his providence, Deu 18:10, Deu 18:11. one would wonder that such arts and works of darkness, so senseless and absurd, so impious and profane, could be found in a country where divine revelation shone so clearly; yet we find remains of them even where Christ's holy religion is known and professed; such are the powers and policies of the rulers of the darkness of this world. But let those give heed to fortune-tellers, or go to wizards for the discovery of things secret, that use spells for the cure of diseases, are in any league or acquaintance with familiar spirits, or form a confederacy with those that are - let them know that they can have no fellowship with God while thus they have fellowship with devils. It is amazing to think that there should by any pretenders of this kind in such a land and day of light as we live in.
II. Some reasons are given against their conformity to the customs of the Gentiles. 1. Because it would make them abominable to God. The things themselves being hateful to him, those that do them are an abomination; and miserable is that creature that has become odious to its Creator, Deu 18:12. See the malignity and mischievousness of sin; that must needs be an evil thing indeed which provokes the God of mercy to detest the work of his own hands. 2. Because these abominable practices had been the ruin of the Canaanites, of which ruin they were not only the witnesses but the instruments. It would be the most inexcusable folly, as well as the most unpardonable impiety, for them to practise themselves those very things for which they had been employed so severely to chastise others. Did the land spue out the abominations of the Canaanites, and shall Israel lick up the vomit? 3. Because they were better taught, Deu 18:13, Deu 18:14. It is an argument like that of the apostle against Christians walking as the Gentiles walked (Eph 4:17, Eph 4:18, Eph 4:20): You have not so learned Christ. "It is true these nations, whom God gave up to their own hearts' lusts, and suffered to walk in their own ways (Act 14:16), did thus corrupt themselves; but thou art not thus abandoned by the grace of God: the Lord thy God had not suffered thee to do so; thou art instructed in divine things, and hast fair warning given thee of the evil of those practices; and therefore, whatever others do, it is expected that thou shouldest be perfect with the Lord thy God," that is, "that thou shouldest give divine honours to him, to him only, and to no other, and not mix any of the superstitious customs of the heathen with his institutions." One of the Chaldee paraphrasts here takes notice of God's furnishing them with the oracle of urim and thummim, as a preservative from all unlawful arts of divination. Those were fools indeed who would go to consult the father of lies when they had such a ready way of consulting the God of truth.
Cross-references: Deut 18:9 · Deut 18:10 · Lev 18:21 · Deut 18:11 · Deut 18:12 · Deut 18:13 · Deut 18:14 · Eph 4:17 · Eph 4:18 · Eph 4:20 · Acts 14:16