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Deuteronomy 18:11 — Word Study

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WLCוְחֹבֵ֖ר חָ֑בֶר וְשֹׁאֵ֥ל אוֹב֙ וְיִדְּעֹנִ֔י וְדֹרֵ֖שׁ אֶל־ הַמֵּתִֽים׃

BSAcasts spellschâbar [or a charmer, to unite or join in a magical sense] consultsshâʼal a mediumʼôwb [or a consulter with familiar spirits, one who seeks to contact the dead] or spiritistyiddᵉʻônîy [a wizard, one who claims to have a familiar spirit] or inquiresdârash ofʼêl the deadmûwth [or seeks to ask the dead for directions, to seek unto the dead]

Word
Listen & take awayDeuteronomy 18
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.me.Tim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Deuteronomy 18:11quick helps
In a sentenceDeuteronomy warns against practices like casting spells and consulting the dead.
What is forbiddenThe text lists various occult practices that are detestable to the LORD.
Who is speakingMoses, delivering God's commands to the Israelites.
Where we areThe laws concerning forbidden practices are outlined in this section.
The hard wordחָבַר
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Deuteronomy 18:11

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Forbidden Practicesgenerated

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, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the 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.
13You must be blameless before the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 18:11 is part of a larger discourse where Moses instructs the Israelites on practices that are unacceptable in their worship of God. This verse specifically addresses various forms of divination and necromancy, emphasizing that such practices are detestable to the LORD. The surrounding verses provide context for these prohibitions, highlighting the importance of remaining blameless before God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Samuel 28:11–14“Whom shall I bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel,” he replied.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to

or a necromancer1 Samuel 28:11–14

The Key Word חָבַר, ve.cho.Vergenerated

The verb חָבַר (chabar) is a qal participle meaning 'to unite' or 'to join.' In this context, it refers to the act of casting spells, which involves uniting elements in a magical sense. The word appears frequently in the Old Testament, often in contexts related to alliances or fellowship, but here it specifically relates to the practice of charming or spellbinding.

The passive sense of the word indicates that the act of casting a spell is not merely a personal endeavor but involves invoking powers beyond oneself. This reflects the broader theme of the text, which warns against seeking power through forbidden means.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses casts spells for חָבַר.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb חֹבֵ֖ר governs the structure of the verse, with multiple phrases detailing the actions that are prohibited. The sentence is constructed around a series of participles that describe different forms of forbidden practices.

The Hebrew word order emphasizes the actions being described, with the verbs leading the clauses, indicating the seriousness of these prohibitions in the context of Israelite worship.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חָבַר as ἐπαείδων, which suggests a focus on the act of casting spells. This choice aligns with the understanding of the practice as invoking powers through spoken words.

The translation of אוֹב as ἐγγαστρίμυθος indicates a similar emphasis on the necromancer's role, emphasizing the connection to the dead and the occult.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Deuteronomy 18:11 warns the Israelites against various forbidden practices, such as casting spells and consulting the dead. These actions are described as detestable to the LORD, emphasizing the importance of worshiping Him in the right way.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to cast spells in this context?

Casting spells refers to using magical practices to influence events or people, which is strictly forbidden in the Bible.

Why are mediums and spiritists mentioned?

Mediums and spiritists are mentioned as they claim to communicate with the dead, a practice that God prohibits as it leads people away from Him.

What are the consequences of engaging in these practices?

The text states that those who engage in these practices are detestable to the LORD and face consequences, including being driven out from the land.

How does this verse relate to the overall message of Deuteronomy?

This verse emphasizes the need for the Israelites to remain faithful to God and avoid practices that lead to idolatry and disobedience.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some modern practices that might be similar to those mentioned in this verse?
  2. How can we ensure that our spiritual practices align with God's commands?
  3. What does it mean to seek guidance from God rather than from forbidden sources?
  4. In what ways can we support others in understanding the importance of following God's ways?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 18:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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

Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 18 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. Or a charmer , [ wªchober (H2266) chaaber (H2267)] - a binder with magic knots or spells (cf. Psalms 58:5).

Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 18 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

A charmer; one that charmeth serpents or other cattle, ; or, a fortune-teller, that foretelleth the events of men’ s lives by the conjunctions of the stars, &c. See Poole ""; See Poole "". A consulter with familiar spirits, whom they call upon by certain words or rites to engage them in evil designs. A wizard, Heb. a knowing or cunning man, who by any superstitious or forbidden ways undertakes the revelation of secret things: A necromancer; one that calleth up and inquireth of the dead, .

Read Matthew Poole on Deuteronomy 18 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Deuteronomy 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.Ver. 11. Or a necromancer.] Bellarmine and other Papists play the necromancers, when they would prove a Purgatory from the apparitions of spirits, that tell of themselves or others there tormented.

Read John Trapp on Deuteronomy 18 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Charmer.—Literally one who ties knots, used here for the first time in Old Testament. Consulter with familiar spirits.—Literally, one who consulteth ôb (see Leviticus 19:31). A Wizard.—One who knows or pretends to know the secrets of the unseen world. (See Leviticus 19:31.) Necromancer.—One who inquires of the dead. Four of the above practices are ascribed to king Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33:6. It is hardly possible that all of them were mere imposture and deceit.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Deuteronomy 18 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 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 consulter with familiar spirits] שאל אוב shoel ob, a Pythoness, one who inquires by the means of one spirit to get oracular answers from another of a superior order. See Clarke on Leviticus 19:31. A…

Read AdamClarke on Deuteronomy 18 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. a charmer] With Sam. LXX omit or: the name is in apposition to the preceding. Heb. ḥ ?ober heber, weaving spells, spell-binder; either of the tying of knots as malignant charms, common among Semites and other races (Campbell Thompson, Sem. Magic 162–173, Frazer, Golden Bough i. 394 ff.; mentioned in the Korβn, Sur. cxiii, ‘the mischief of women blowing on knots’; also practised in Europe, cp. the French ‘nouer l’ιguillette’), or of the weaving of incantations and spells (W. R. Smith), so LXX ἐπαείδωνἐπαοιδήν. In Psalms 58:5 (6) of charming serpents. For spell-makers in Arabia, see Doughty i. 258, 333, 464 f. a consulter with a ghost or familiar spirit] Heb. sho’el’τb weyiddeonξ; ’τb was…

Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 18 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A charmer - i. e., one who fascinates and subdues noxious animals or men, such as the famous serpent-charmers of the East Psalms 58:4-5. A consulter with familiar spirits ... a wizard - Compare Leviticus 19:31 note.

Read Albert Barnes on Deuteronomy 18 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.

NETBNew English Translation2006

one who casts spells, one who conjures up spirits, a practitioner of the occult, or a necromancer.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

RVARevised Version, American1894

or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Or a charmer, or that counselleth with spirits, or a soothsaier, or that asketh counsel at ye dead.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

or a charmer, or one that inquireth of a spirit of Python, or a soothsayer, or one that consulteth the dead.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and a charmer, and one asking at a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking unto the dead.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and a charmer, and one inquiring from a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking to the dead.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or who inquireth of the dead.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

any charmer, anyone who conjurs up spirits, or one who casts spells, or who talks with spirits of the dead.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Nor charmer, nor any one that consulteth pythonic spirits, or fortune tellers, or that seeketh the truth from the dead.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

practice witchcraft, visit a medium or spiritist, or communicate with the dead. Anyone who does such things offends the Lord.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Or anyone using secret force on people, or putting questions to a spirit, or having secret knowledge, or going to the dead for directions.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וְandclausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseclauseverbחֹבֵ֖ר[one.who].castsobjectחָ֑בֶרa.spellוְandnoun phraseclauseverbשֹׁאֵ֥ל[one.who].consultsobjectאוֹב֙a.necromancerוְandיִדְּעֹנִ֔יa.soothsayerוְandnoun phraseclauseverbדֹרֵ֖שׁ[one.who].consultsprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶל(to)noun phraseהַtheמֵּתִֽיםdead

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches six of the eight words directly. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, replacing אוֹב with a term meaning 'soothsayer.' This highlights variations in the understanding of these practices across traditions.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וְחֹבֵ֖ר חָ֑בֶר וְשֹׁאֵ֥ל אוֹב֙ וְיִדְּעֹנִ֔י וְדֹרֵ֖שׁ אֶל־ הַמֵּתִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְחֹבֵ֖רἐπαείδωνחָ֑בֶרἐπαοιδήνאוֹב֙ἐγγαστρίμυθοςוְיִדְּעֹנִ֔יτερατοσκόποςוְדֹרֵ֖שׁἐπερωτῶνהַמֵּתִֽים׃τοὺς

6 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

חבר חבר שׁאל אוב או ידעוני ודרשׁ אל המתים

2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: או (or), ידעוני (soothsayer)

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Deuteronomy 18:11חָבַרand [one whand [one who] cחָבַרחֶ֫בֶרa spella spellחֶ֫בֶרשָׁאַלand [one whand [one who] cשָׁאַלאוֹבa necromanca necromancerאוֹביִדְּעֹנִיand a familand a familiar יִדְּעֹנִידָּרַשׁand [one whand [one who] eדָּרַשׁאֶלtotoאֶלמוּתthe deadthe deadמוּתחָבַרto uniteto uniteחָבַריָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעאָבfatherfatherאָבקֶ֫רֶסclaspclaspקֶ֫רֶסיְרִיעָהcurtaincurtainיְרִיעָהכֶּ֫שֶׁףsorcerysorceryכֶּ֫שֶׁףשְׁאֵלָהpetitionpetitionשְׁאֵלָהיִדְּעֹנִיspiritistspiritistיִדְּעֹנִינָחַשׁto divineto divineנָחַשׁאוֹבmediummediumאוֹברָבָהto multiplto multiplyרָבָהבַּעַלבַּעַללֵבָבheartheartלֵבָבפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הרָצַחto murderto murderרָצַחקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 18:11

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and [one who] casts a spell and [one who] consults a necromancer and a familiar spirit and [one who] enquires to the dead
וְחֹבֵ֖רve.cho.Ver and [one who] casts H2266 Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to unite or join, and can also refer to charming or spellbinding someone. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. It can also mean to make an alliance or fellowship.
Amplified meaning
or a charmer, to unite or join in a magical sense
Tyndale gloss
to unite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָבַר (chabar) means to unite or join together, often in a figurative sense, but can also refer to tying magic spells or charms. It encompasses various forms of joining, including making alliances or being in fellowship. The verb appears in different stems, indicating nuances like being allied or compacted, but no significant disagreements among lexicons are noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָבַר] vb. unite (usu. intr.), be joined, tie a magic knot or spell, charm

Qal

unite, be joined

tie magic knots, charm

Pi.

make an ally of, unite one with

unite, join (trans.)

Pu.

be allied with

be united to = be one of

be joined together

Hiph. I could make a joining with words

Hithp. join oneself to, make an alliance with

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2266 חָבַר unite (usu. intr.), be joined, tie a magic knot or spell, charm

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2266 chabar khaw-bar'

a primitive root; to join (literally or figuratively);

specifically (by means of spells) to fascinate:--charm(- er),

be compact, couple (together), have fellowship with, heap up,

join (self, together), league.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָבַר (cha.var) — to unite.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HC/Vqrmsa
and [one who] casts a spell and [one who] consults a necromancer and a familiar spirit and [one who] enquires to the dead
חָ֑בֶרCha.ver a spell H2267 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a society, association, or spell, and can also mean a magician or charmer. It appears in the Old Testament, including in the book of Deuteronomy, often in the context of forbidden practices. It can also refer to a group or company of people.
Tyndale gloss
spell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫בֶר (cheber) refers to a company or association, and can also denote a spell or enchantment. It is derived from a related root and encompasses meanings related to social groups as well as magical practices. The entries indicate a range of uses, including references to charmers and magicians.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫בֶר n.[m.] company, association, spell

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2267 חֶ֫בֶר company, association, spell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2267 cheber kheh'-ber

from 2266; a society; also a spell:--+ charmer(- ing),

company, enchantment, X wide.

see HEBREW for 02266

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫בֶר (che.ver) — spell.

1) association, company, band

2) shared, association, society

3) a magician, charmer, spell

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and [one who] casts a spell and [one who] consults a necromancer and a familiar spirit and [one who] enquires to the dead
וְשֹׁאֵ֥לve.sho.'El and [one who] consults H7592 Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
171× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ask or inquire, this Hebrew word is used in the Bible to describe seeking information or requesting something. It can also mean to beg or borrow, and is used in many different contexts throughout the Old Testament. The KJV translates it as ask, beg, or borrow.
Tyndale gloss
to ask
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאַל (sha'al) means to ask or inquire, often in the context of requesting a favor or borrowing. It covers a range of uses, including seeking counsel, consulting deities, and even begging. The verb can appear in different forms, such as asking for oneself or granting requests. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, שְׁאֵל (she.el), meaning 'to ask'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאַל 170 vb. ask, inquire

Qal

ask, ask for

specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

inquire of

inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

Niph. ask for oneself

Pi.

inquire carefully

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)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7592 שָׁאַל ask, inquire .. . ask, ask for

. specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. . inquire of

. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.

. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)

. ask for oneself

. . inquire carefully

. beg, practise beggary

. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7592 sha'al shaw-al'

or shael {shaw-ale'}; a primitive root; to inquire; by

implication, to request; by extension, to demand:--ask

(counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand,

desire, X earnestly, enquire, + greet, obtain leave, lend,

pray, request, require, + salute, X straitly, X surely, wish.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאַל (sha.al) — to ask.

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

Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HC/Vqrmsa
and [one who] casts a spell and [one who] consults a necromancer and a familiar spirit and [one who] enquires to the dead
אוֹב֙'Ov a necromancer H178 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a medium or a person who tries to contact the dead, often using a hollow object like a water skin to make it seem like a spirit is speaking. This practice is forbidden in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
or a consulter with familiar spirits, one who seeks to contact the dead
Tyndale gloss
medium
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹב (owb) refers to a skin-bottle and is also associated with necromancy and spirits of the dead. The term is built from the idea of a hollow sound, linking it to both a physical object and a practice involving communication with the dead. The entries highlight its meanings as a water skin, a necromancer, and a familiar spirit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹב n.m. skin-bottle, necromancer, etc.

skin-bottle

necromancer

ghost

necromancy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H178 אוֹב skin-bottle, necromancer, etc. . skin-bottle

. necromancer

. ghost

. necromancy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

178 'owb obe

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):--bottle, familiar spirit.

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹב (ov) — medium.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Necromancer

(Deut. 15:11), i.e., “one who interrogates the dead,” as the word literally means, with the view of discovering the secrets of futurity (comp. 1 Sam. 28:7). (See DIVINATION.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One who pretended to discover unknown and future events by summoning and interrogating the dead, De 18:10,11, a crime punishable by stoning to death, Le 20:27. See SORCERER. No good reason can be given for believing that such pretended communications with departed spirits are less offensive to God now than in the time of Moses.

and [one who] casts a spell and [one who] consults a necromancer and a familiar spirit and [one who] enquires to the dead
וְיִדְּעֹנִ֔יve.yi.de.'o.Ni and a familiar spirit H3049 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A spiritist, or wizard, is someone who claims to have a familiar spirit, like a necromancer or soothsayer, as seen in the Bible. This term is used to describe people who practice occult arts.
Amplified meaning
a wizard, one who claims to have a familiar spirit
Tyndale gloss
spiritist
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִדְּעֹנִי (yidd`oniy) refers to a familiar spirit or a conjurer, someone believed to possess knowledge of the unseen world. It is derived from the root meaning 'to know' and is associated with practices like soothsaying and necromancy. The term emphasizes the idea of intimate acquaintance with supernatural secrets.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִדְּעֹנִי n.m. familiar spirit (prop. either as knowing, wise (acquianted with secrets of unseen world); or as intimate acquaintance of soothsayer)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3049 יִדְּעֹנִי familiar spirit (prop. either as knowing, wise (acquianted with secrets of unseen world); or as intimate acquaintance of soothsayer)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3049 yidd`oniy yid-deh-o-nee'

from 3045; properly, a knowing one; specifically, a conjurer;

(by impl) a ghost:--wizard.

see HEBREW for 03045

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִדְּעֹנִי (yid.d.o.ni) — spiritist.

1) a knower, one who has a familiar spirit

1a) a familiar spirit, soothsayer, necromancer (meton)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

spir'-it (ruach; pneuma; Latin, spiritus):

1. Primary and Figurative Senses

(1) As Wind, Breath

(2) As Anger or Fury

(3) As Mental and Moral Qualities in Man

2. Shades of Meaning

(1) As Life-Principle

(2) As Surviving Death

(3) Spiritual Manifestations

3. Human and Divine Spirit

(1) The Human as Related with the Divine

(2) Operations of the Divine Spirit as Third Person of the Trinity

4. Old Testament Applications

5. Various Interpretations

1. Primary and Figurative Senses:

(1) As Wind, Breath:

Used primarily in the Old Testament and New Testament of the wind, as in Ge 8:1; Nu 11:31; Am 4:13 ("createth the wind"); Heb 1:7 (angels, "spirits" or "winds" in margin); often used of the breath, as…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Spirit

(Heb. ruah; Gr. pneuma), properly wind or breath. In 2 Thess. 2:8 it means “breath,” and in Eccl. 8:8 the vital principle in man. It also denotes the rational, immortal soul by which man is distinguished (Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 5:5; 6:20; 7:34), and the soul in its separate state (Heb. 12:23), and hence also an apparition (Job 4:15; Luke 24:37, 39), an angel (Heb. 1:14), and a demon (Luke 4:36; 10:20). This…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A word employed in various senses in Scripture.

1. For THE HOLY, HOLINESS SPIRIT, the third person of the Holy Trinity, who inspired the prophets, animates good men, pours his unction into our hearts, imparts to us life and comfort; and in whose name we are baptized and blessed, as well as in that of the Father and the Son. When the adjective Holy is applied to the term Spirit, we should always understand it as here explained; but there are many places whether it must be taken in this sense, although the term Holy is omitted. See HOLY, HOLINESS SPIRIT.

2. BREATH, respiration; or the principle of animal life, common to men and animal: this God has given, and this he recalls when he takes away life, Ec 3:21. See SOUL.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called “the inner man,” Ro 7:22; Eph 3:16

→ See ANGELS

→ See DEMONS

→ See HOLY SPIRIT

→ See MAN, A SPIRIT

→ See SATAN

and [one who] casts a spell and [one who] consults a necromancer and a familiar spirit and [one who] enquires to the dead
וְדֹרֵ֖שׁve.do.Resh and [one who] enquires H1875 Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
164× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To seek or ask is the meaning of this Hebrew word, often used to describe seeking God or worshiping him. It can also mean to investigate or enquire about something.
Tyndale gloss
to seek
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּרַשׁ (darash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or inquire. It encompasses a range of actions from frequenting a place to consulting deities in prayer and worship. The word can imply a diligent search or demand, and it appears in both Qal and Niphal forms, indicating various nuances of seeking and being sought. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּרַשׁ 162 vb. resort to, seek

Qal

(tread a place,) resort to, frequent

seek, consult, inquire of

seek deity in prayer and worship

seek, with idea of demanding, require

inquire, investigate (a matter)

ask for, require, demand

seek with application, study, follow, practise

seek with care, care for

Niph.

let oneself be inquired of, consulted, only of God

be sought out

be required, of blood

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1875 דָּרַשׁ resort to, seek

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1875 darash daw-rash'

a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to

follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or

ask; specifically to worship:--ask, X at all, care for, X

diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-)mancer,

question, require, search, seek (for, out), X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּרַשׁ (da.rash) — to seek.

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HC/Vqrmsa
and [one who] casts a spell and [one who] consults a necromancer and a familiar spirit and [one who] enquires to the dead
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and [one who] casts a spell and [one who] consults a necromancer and a familiar spirit and [one who] enquires to the dead
הַמֵּתִֽים׃ha.me.Tim the dead H4191 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
840× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to die, either literally or as a punishment, and is used in books like Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean to perish or be killed. This concept is seen in the story of Adam and Eve, where death enters the world as a result of sin.
Amplified meaning
or seeks to ask the dead for directions, to seek unto the dead
Tyndale gloss
to die
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּת vb. die

Qal

die, of natural or other causes

die as a penalty = be put to death

Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

Hiph.

abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

subj. God, by inflicting penalty

of animals killing men

bring to a premature death

Hoph. be killed, put to death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes

. die as a penalty = be put to death

. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

. subj. God, by inflicting penalty

. of animals killing men

. bring to a premature death

. be killed, put to death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4191 muwth mooth

a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);

causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,

man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,

be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,

slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּת (mut) — to die.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vqrmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ded (muth; nekros): Used in several senses:

(1) as a substantive, denoting the body deprived of life, as when Abraham speaks of burying his dead (Ge 23);

(2) as a collective noun including all those that have passed away from life (as Re 20:12). In several passages dead in this sense is used in contrast to the quick or living (as Nu 16:48). This collective mode of expression is used when resurrection is described as "rising from the dead";

(3) as an adjective, coupled with body, carcass or man, as De 14:8 the King James Version;

(4) most frequently it is used as a complement of the verb "to be," referring to the condition of being deceased or the period of death, e. g. 2Sa…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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