New International Versionor casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
New Living Translationor cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead.
English Standard Versionor a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,
Berean Standard Biblecasts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.
King James BibleOr a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
New King James Versionor one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
New American Standard Bibleor one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who consults the dead.
NASB 1995or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
NASB 1977or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
Legacy Standard Bibleor one who is an enchanter or a medium or a spiritist or one who inquires of the dead.
Amplified Bibleor one who casts a charm or spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer [who seeks the dead].
Christian Standard Biblecast spells, consult a medium or a spiritist, or inquire of the dead.
Holman Christian Standard Biblecast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead.
American Standard Versionor a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
English Revised Versionor a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
GOD'S WORD® Translationcast spells, ask ghosts or spirits for help, or consult the dead.
Good News Translationor charms, and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead.
International Standard Versioncasts spells, or who is a medium, an occultist, or a necromancer.
NET Bibleone who casts spells, one who conjures up spirits, a practitioner of the occult, or a necromancer.
New Heart English Bibleor who casts spells, or consults a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquires of the dead.
Webster's Bible TranslationOr a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Biblecasts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.
World English Bibleor a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand a charmer, and one inquiring from a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking to the dead.
Young's Literal Translation and a charmer, and one asking at a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking unto the dead.
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd charming a spell, and asking of a necromancer, and a wizard, and seeking to the dead. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleNor charmer, nor any one that consulteth pythonic spirits, or fortune tellers, or that seeketh the truth from the dead.
Catholic Public Domain Versionnor one who uses spells, nor one who consults demonic spirits, nor a diviner, nor one who seeks the truth from the dead.
New American Bibleor who casts spells, consults ghosts and spirits, or seeks oracles from the dead.
New Revised Standard Versionor one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleOr a charmer or a consulter with familiar spirits or a sorcerer or a necromancer.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedOr one who charms with charms, or one who inquires of demons or of wizards, or an inquirer of the dead. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917or a charmer, or one that consulteth a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a necromancer.
Brenton Septuagint Translationa sorcerer employing incantation, one who has in him a divining spirit, and observer of signs, questioning the dead.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Sorcery Forbidden… 10Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, 11casts spells,consultsa mediumor spiritist,or inquiresofthe dead.12For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.…
Cross References Leviticus 19:31You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
Isaiah 8:19When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
1 Samuel 28:7-8Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied. / So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.”
2 Kings 21:6He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
2 Chronicles 33:6He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
Galatians 5:19-21The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Acts 16:16-18One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. / This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” / She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.
1 Corinthians 10:20-21No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. / You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.
Revelation 21:8But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 22:15But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Micah 5:12I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers.
Nahum 3:4because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft.
2 Kings 17:17They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
1 Chronicles 10:13-14So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, / and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.
Acts 19:18-19Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds. / And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
Treasury of Scripture Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. or a necromancer 1 Samuel 28:11-14 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel… Jump to Previous CallsCastsCharmerConsultethConsultsDeadDirectionsInquirethMediumPuttingQuestionsSecretSeekingSpellSpellsSpiritSpiritistSpiritsUsingWizardJump to Next CallsCastsCharmerConsultethConsultsDeadDirectionsInquirethMediumPuttingQuestionsSecretSeekingSpellSpellsSpiritSpiritistSpiritsUsingWizardDeuteronomy 18 1.The LORD is the priests and Levites' inheritance3.The priests' due6.The Levites' portion9.The abominations of the nations are to be avoided15.Christ the Prophet is to be heard20.The presumptuous prophet is to diecasts spellsIn the ancient Near Eastern context, casting spells was a common practice among pagan cultures. It involved invoking supernatural powers to influence events or people. The Israelites were warned against such practices as they were contrary to the worship of Yahweh, who is sovereign over all creation. The prohibition against casting spells underscores the importance of relying on God rather than manipulating spiritual forces. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of trusting in God's power and wisdom, as seen in passages like Isaiah 8:19-20, which warns against seeking guidance from mediums and spiritists instead of God. consults a medium or spiritist
Mediums and spiritists were individuals believed to have the ability to communicate with the spiritual realm, often acting as intermediaries between the living and the dead. In the cultural context of the time, these practices were prevalent among surrounding nations, such as the Canaanites. The Bible consistently condemns such practices, as seen inLeviticus 19:31 and1 Samuel 28, where King Saul's consultation with the medium of Endor leads to his downfall. This prohibition highlights the importance of seeking guidance from God alone, emphasizing His role as the ultimate source of wisdom and revelation. or inquires of the dead
Inquiring of the dead, or necromancy, was a practice aimed at gaining knowledge or insight from deceased individuals. This was a common practice in ancient pagan religions, where the dead were often believed to possess special knowledge or power. The biblical prohibition against inquiring of the dead serves to distinguish the Israelites from their pagan neighbors and to affirm the belief in God's sovereignty over life and death. This is further reinforced inIsaiah 8:19, which contrasts seeking the dead with seeking God. The New Testament continues this theme, as seen inHebrews 9:27, which states that humans die once and then face judgment, emphasizing the finality of death and the futility of seeking the dead for guidance. Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe author of Deuteronomy, who is delivering God's laws and instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. 2. IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, who are being instructed on how to live in a way that honors God and sets them apart from other nations. 3. CanaanThe land that the Israelites are about to enter, which is inhabited by nations practicing abominable acts, including those mentioned in this verse. 4. Mediums and SpiritistsIndividuals who claim to communicate with the dead or spirits, practices that were common among the pagan nations surrounding Israel. 5. The Promised LandThe land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants, where the Israelites are to establish a society based on God's laws. Teaching Points God's Call to HolinessGod calls His people to be holy and set apart, avoiding practices that are detestable to Him. Engaging in activities like consulting mediums or spiritists compromises our relationship with God. Trust in God's GuidanceBelievers are encouraged to seek guidance and wisdom from God alone, rather than turning to forbidden practices that promise insight or power. The Danger of SyncretismMixing pagan practices with the worship of God leads to spiritual compromise. Christians must be vigilant in maintaining the purity of their faith. The Sufficiency of ScriptureThe Bible provides all the guidance and wisdom needed for life and godliness. Believers should rely on Scripture rather than seeking forbidden knowledge. The Role of the Holy SpiritIn the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is given to believers as a guide and counselor, replacing the need for any other spiritual intermediaries. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 18
What defines a séance?
What are spirit guides?
What does the Bible say about out-of-body experiences?
If necromancy is condemned (Deut. 18:9-12), how can 1 Samuel 28:7-25 portray Saul successfully consulting a medium?(11) Charmer.--Literally one who ties knots,used here for the first time in Old Testament. Consulter with familiar spirits.--Literally,one who consulteth ob(seeLeviticus 19:31). A Wizard.--One whoknowsor pretends to knowthe secrets of the unseen world. (SeeLeviticus 19:31.) Necromancer.--One who inquires of the dead. Four of the above practices are ascribed to king Manasseh in2Chronicles 33:6. It is hardly possible that all of them were mere imposture and deceit.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew casts spells,וְחֹבֵ֖ר(wə·ḥō·ḇêr)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2266:To unite, be joined, to tie a magic knot or spell, to charmconsultsוְשֹׁאֵ֥ל(wə·šō·’êl)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7592:To inquire, to request, to demanda mediumאוֹב֙(’ō·wḇ)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 178:A bottle (made from animal skin), a necromanceror familiar spirit,וְיִדְּעֹנִ֔י(wə·yid·də·‘ō·nî)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3049:A knowing one, a conjurer, a ghostor inquiresוְדֹרֵ֖שׁ(wə·ḏō·rêš)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1875:To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worshipofאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, tothe dead.הַמֵּתִֽים׃(ham·mê·ṯîm)Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 4191:To die, to kill
Links Deuteronomy 18:11 NIVDeuteronomy 18:11 NLTDeuteronomy 18:11 ESVDeuteronomy 18:11 NASBDeuteronomy 18:11 KJV
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OT Law: Deuteronomy 18:11 Or a charmer or a consulter (Deut. De Du) |
