Deuteronomy 18:11

_OR A CHARMER, OR A CONSULTER WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS, OR A WIZARD, OR A NECROMANCER._ Or a charmer, х_ WªCHOBER_ (H2266) _ CHAABER_ (H2267)] - a binder with magic knots or spells (cf. Psalms 58:5). [Septuagint, kepaeidoon epaoideen, singing charms.] OR A CONSULTER WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS, х_ WªSHO'EEL_ (H7592) _ 'OWB_ (H178)] - or a consulter of an oracle (Gesenius). But 'owb signifies the belly; and the phrase is commonly taken to describe a ventriloquist. [Septuagint, ergastirmuthos.] (See the note at Leviticus 19:31.) OR A WIZARD, х_ WªYID`ONIY_ ...

9-14 Was it possible that a people so blessed with Divine institutions, should ever be in any danger of making those their teachers whom God had made their captives? They were in danger; therefore, after many like cautions, they are charged not to do after the abominations of the nations of Canaan. All reckoning of lucky or unlucky days, all charms for diseases, all amulets or spells to prevent evil, fortune-telling, etc. are here forbidden. These are so wicked as to be a chief cause of the rooting out of the Canaanites. It is amazing to think that there should be any pretenders of this kind in such a land, and day of light, as we live in. They are mere impostors who blind and cheat their followers....

Verse Deuteronomy 18:11. _A CHARMER_] חבר חבר _chober chaber_, one who uses _spells_; a peculiar _conjunction_, as the term implies, of _words_, or things, tying knots, c., for the purposes of divination. This was a custom among the heathen, as we learn from the following verses: - Necte TRIBUS NODIS ternos, _Amarylli_, colores: Necte, _Amarylli, modo et Veneris, dic_, vincula necto. Virg. Ecl. viii., ver. 77. "_Knit_ with three KNOTS the fillets, _knit_ them straight; Then say, these KNOTS to love I consecrate." DRYDEN....

A CHARMER - i. e., one who fascinates and subdues noxious animals or men, such as the famous serpent-charmers of the East Psalms 58:4. A CONSULTER WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS ... A WIZARD - Compare Leviticus 19:31 note. RECROMANCER - literally, “one who interrogates the dead.” The purpose of the text is obviously to group together all the known words belonging to the practices in question. Compare 2 Chronicles 33:6....

EXPOSITION RIGHTS OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES. THE ARTS OF DIVINATION OF THE HEATHEN TO BE AVOIDED. PROPHETS PROMISED WHOM ISRAEL MUST HEAR. THE FALSE AND PRESUMPTUOUS PROPHET TO BE PUT TO DEATH. DEUTERONOMY 18:1 After the ruling powers, the judges and the king, come the priests and the

OR A CHARMER,.... That pretends to cure diseases by charms, or a charmer of serpents; according to Jarchi, one that gathers together serpents and scorpions, and other animals, into one place; with which agree the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, "which bind serpents and scorpions, and all kind of creeping things;'' but, according to Aben Ezra, one that says certain words to gather demons together: OR A CONSULTER WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS; or the inquirer of "Ob", or the bottle, which the Jews interpret of Python, or one that has the spirit of Python; see Acts 16:16, a ventriloquist, one that spoke or seemed to speak out of his belly, or from under his armpits; so it is said in the Misnah h of Ob, this is Python, one that speaks out of his arm holes; agreeably to which, Jarchi says, this is that sort of witchcraft which is called Python, and he speaks f

14. THE RIGHTS OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES, THE TRUE AND THE FALSE PROPHET CHAPTER 18 _ 1. The rights of the priests and Levites (Deuteronomy 18:1)_ 2. Forbidden things (Deuteronomy 18:9) kite hate is stirred up in his wicked heart, and he became full of wrath. An unseen being, he who is the murderer from the beginning, told him to make this occasion for destroying all the Jews in the Persian Empire. Esther 3:7. And now Haman waits on his unseen master, the devil. They cast the lot before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. He wanted to find out the month which would be best suited for the execution of his wicke

CONCERNING THE PROPHET. The Israelites are to consult Yahweh through His accredited messenger the prophet, and not through diviners who seek oracles by heathen methods. There is no parallel law in JE because about 800 B.C. and earlier the religious community was simple and undifferentiated: nor in P, where the priest is everything. For the several technical terms in Deuteronomy 18:10 f. (all denoting diviners of various kinds), see EBi. 1117, 2895, and especially later and longer articles on Divination and Magic in _International Standard Bible Encyclopæ dia.___ Deuteronomy 18:10. maketh. fire, etc.: read (with Geiger) that burneth. in the fire (transposing two consonants). The reference is to child-sacrifice (common among the Phœ nicians, etc.) practised as a means

FAMILIAR SPIRITS. See note on Leviticus 19:31. NECROMANCER. a seeker unto the dead;. medium....

Of Prophets in contrast to Diviners, etc. In the promised land Israel must have nothing to do with the abominations of its peoples (Deuteronomy 18:9); with any one passing his children through the fire, or diviner, soothsayer, augur, sorcerer, spell-binder or trafficker with the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10 f.), for these are abominations to Jehovah to whom Israel must be utterly loyal (Deuteronomy 18:12-14). A prophet shall He raise up from among themselves, to be such a mediator of His word, as in Ḥoreb they had prayed Moses to be; to him shall they hearken (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). The prophe