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Leviticus 19:26 — Word Study

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WLCלֹ֥א תֹאכְל֖וּ עַל־ הַדָּ֑ם לֹ֥א תְנַחֲשׁ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ׃

BSAYou must notlôʼ [under any circumstances] eatʼâkal anything withʻal blood still in itdâm [the life-giving fluid, fresh or unbled] You must notlôʼ [refrain from] practice divinationnâchash [seeking hidden knowledge, fortune-telling] orlôʼ [the occult art of] sorceryʻânan [magic, enchantment]

Word
Listen & take awayLeviticus 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 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 (te.'o.Ne.nu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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Leviticus 19:26quick helps
In a sentenceGod commands the Israelites not to eat blood and to avoid practices like divination and sorcery.
Who is speakingThe Lord, giving laws to the Israelites.
Where we areIn the laws concerning holiness and proper conduct.
The hard wordנָחַשׁ
Take awayThese commands emphasize the importance of life and the rejection of occult practices.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָכַל 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 — Leviticus 19:26

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 — Laws of Holinessgenerated

25But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit; thus your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.
26You must not eat anything with blood still in it. You must not practice divination or sorcery.
27You must not cut off the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.
28You must not make any cuts in your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:26 is part of a series of laws given to the Israelites that outline how they should live in a way that is holy and set apart for God. This verse specifically addresses dietary laws and practices that are deemed unacceptable, emphasizing the sanctity of life and the importance of avoiding occult practices. These laws are meant to guide the community in maintaining their covenant relationship with God.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 3:17This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”
2Leviticus 7:26You must not eat the blood of any bird or animal in any of your dwellings.
3Leviticus 17:10–14If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people.
4Deuteronomy 12:23Only be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.
5Exodus 7:11But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts.

The Key Word לֹא, lo'generated

The word לֹא (lo') is a particle used to indicate negation or prohibition. It serves to clearly express that something must not be done, as in the commands given here to avoid eating blood and practicing divination.

In this verse, לֹא appears multiple times to emphasize the prohibitions placed on the Israelites, reinforcing the seriousness of these commands.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains two main prohibitions, each introduced by לֹא (lo'), which serves as the finite verb in this context. The first command is about dietary restrictions, and the second addresses practices related to divination and sorcery.

The structure emphasizes the dual nature of the commands: one relating to physical consumption and the other to spiritual practices, highlighting the comprehensive approach to holiness.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses μὴ for לֹא, maintaining the negation found in the Hebrew. This choice reflects a direct translation of the prohibition.

For the verbs, the Septuagint employs terms that align closely with the Hebrew meanings, indicating a consistent understanding of the commands against eating blood and practicing divination.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Leviticus 19:26 commands the Israelites not to eat anything with blood still in it and not to practice divination or sorcery. These laws emphasize the importance of respecting life and avoiding forbidden practices.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why is eating blood prohibited?

Eating blood is prohibited because it is considered the life force of the animal, and consuming it symbolizes a disregard for life.

What does divination refer to?

Divination refers to practices aimed at predicting the future or uncovering hidden knowledge, which are discouraged in the Bible.

Are there other verses that discuss similar prohibitions?

Yes, similar prohibitions can be found in Leviticus 3:17 and Deuteronomy 12:23.

What is the significance of these laws?

These laws are significant as they guide the Israelites in maintaining their holiness and separation from practices that are contrary to God's will.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I ensure that I respect the sanctity of life in my daily choices?
  2. What are some modern practices that might be similar to the divination mentioned in this verse?
  3. How do these prohibitions reflect the relationship between God and His people?
  4. In what ways can I seek knowledge and guidance without resorting to forbidden practices?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Leviticus 19:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Ye shall not eat [anything] with the blood,.... Or upon, over, or by the blood (s), for this law seems different from that in Genesis 9:4, and from those in Leviticus 3:17; and is variously

Read John Gill on Leviticus 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood , [ `al (H5921) hadaam (H1818)] - upon the blood.

Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 19 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

With the blood, i. e. any flesh out of which the blood is not first poured. See . The Jews write, that the Egyptians and other nations, when they offered sacrifices to the devils, did eat part of the sacrifices, beside the blood which was kept in basons for that end, which also they believed to be as it were the special food of the devils. Nor observe times, to wit, superstitiously, by the observation of the clouds, or stars, or otherwise, by esteeming some days lucky, others unlucky. See ,11 Es 3:7.

Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 19 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Leviticus 19:26 Ye shall not eat [any thing] with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.Ver. 26. Neither shall ye use enchantment.] Or, observe fortunes, conjecture by signs of good or evil luck, as some render it.

Read John Trapp on Leviticus 19 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood.—According to the administrators of the law during the second Temple, there are no less than five different things forbidden here. It prohibits (1) eating the flesh of a legally slaughtered animal as long as its life is not quite gone, or whilst the flesh is still trembling; (2) eating the flesh of sacrificial animals whilst the blood is still in the sprinkling bowl, and before it has been sprinkled on the altar; (3) eating the meat of mourners by the relatives when a member of the family has been publicly executed, and his blood has been shed; (4) eating anything by the judicial court on the day when their sentence of death is being executed…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 19 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 26. Neither shall ye use enchantment] לא תנחשו lo thenachashu. Conjecture itself can do little towards a proper explanation of the terms used in this verse. נחש nachash; See Clarke on Genesis 3:1, we translate serpent, and with very little propriety; but though the word may not signify a serpent in that place, it has that signification in others. Possibly, therefore, the superstition here prohibited may be what the Greeks called Ophiomanteia, or divination by serpents. Nor observe times.] ולא תעוננו velo teonenu, ye shall not divine by clouds, which was also a superstition much in practice among the heathens, as well as divination by the flight of birds. What these prohibitions may…

Read AdamClarke on Leviticus 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. with the blood] The LXX. has here instead ‘upon the mountains,’ probably influenced by the phrase in Ezekiel 18:6; Ezekiel 22:9, which, however, according to Rob.-Sm. (Kinship, p. 312), should be assimilated to accord with Ezekiel 33:25. use enchantments] Employ divination. See e.g. Genesis 44:5, where the method was by hydromancy (Driver ad loc.). practise augury] The original meaning of the Heb. verb is uncertain, but probably its sense is to hum (as insects) or whisper (as leaves), and hence is applied to the low murmuring made by diviners. Augury in the etymological sense (inferences from marking the flight of birds) was practised in the East. See Driver, Deut. p. 225.

Read Cambridge on Leviticus 19 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Certain pagan customs, several of them connected with magic, are here grouped together.

Read Albert Barnes on Leviticus 19 →

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

You must not eat anything with blood still in it. You must not practice divination or sorcery.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

“‘You shall not eat any meat with the blood still in it. You shall not use enchantments, nor practice sorcery.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

You must not eat anything with blood still in it. You must not practice divination or sorcery.

NETBNew English Translation2006

“‘You must not eat anything with the blood still in it. You must not practice either divination or soothsaying.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantments, nor practise augury.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantments, nor practise augury.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Ye shall not eat the flesh with the blood, ye shall not vse witchcraft, nor obserue times.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Ye shall eat nothing with the blood. — Ye shall not practise enchantment, nor use auguries.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'Ye do not eat with the blood; ye do not enchant, nor observe clouds.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

You do not eat with the blood. You do not enchant, nor observe clouds.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Ye shall not eat upon the blood; nor shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Do not eat any meat with blood still in it. Do not consult spirits about the future, and do not seek to control others by supernatural powers.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

You shall not eat with blood. You shall not divine nor observe dreams.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Don't eat meat with blood in it. Don't use fortune-telling or witchcraft.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Nothing may be used for food with its blood in it; you may not make use of strange arts, or go in search of signs and wonders.

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.

clauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbתֹאכְל֖וּyou.will.eatprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלwithnoun phraseהַtheדָּ֑םbloodclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbתְנַחֲשׁ֖וּyou.will.practice.divinationוְandclauseadverbialלֹ֥אnotverbתְעוֹנֵֽנוּyou.will.practice.soothsaying

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all eight words matched in meaning. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly by using the word תעננו (appear) instead of תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ, indicating a variation in the understanding of the term for soothsaying.

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

לֹ֥א תֹאכְל֖וּ עַל־ הַדָּ֑ם לֹ֥א תְנַחֲשׁ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לֹ֥אμὴתֹאכְל֖וּἔσθετεעַל־ἐπὶהַדָּ֑םὀρέωνלֹ֥אοὐκתְנַחֲשׁ֖וּοἰωνιεῖσθεוְלֹ֥אοὐδὲתְעוֹנֵֽנוּ׃ὀρνιθοσκοπήσεσθε

8 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

לא תאכלו על הדם ולא תנחשׁו ולא תעננו

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: תעננו (appear)

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.

Leviticus 19:26לֹאnotnotלֹאאָכַלyou must eayou must eatאָכַלעַלwithwithעַלדָּםthe bloodthe bloodדָּםלֹאnotnotלֹאנָחַשׁyou will pryou will practiנָחַשׁלֹאand notand notלֹאעָנַןyou will pryou will practiעָנַןדָּמַםto silenceto silence: staדָּמַםעָנָןcloudcloudעָנָןעַלheightheightעַליָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהלֶ֫חֶםfoodfoodלֶ֫חֶםכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאזָרַקto scatterto scatterזָרַקנָקִיinnocentinnocentנָקִיעָנַןto cloudto cloudעָנַןנָחַשׁto divineto divineנָחַשׁכִּשֵּׁףto practicto practice sorכִּשֵּׁף
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 Leviticus 19:26

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.

not you must eat with the blood not you will practice divination and not you will practice soothsaying
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
under any circumstances
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not you must eat with the blood not you will practice divination and not you will practice soothsaying
תֹאכְל֖וּto.khe.Lu you must eat H398 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVqi2mp
not you must eat with the blood not you will practice divination and not you will practice soothsaying
עַל־'al- with H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not you must eat with the blood not you will practice divination and not you will practice soothsaying
הַדָּ֑םha.Dam the blood H1818 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
360× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Blood refers to the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life. In the Bible, blood is often used to symbolize life, guilt, or sacrifice, as seen in the story of Jesus' crucifixion.
Amplified meaning
the life-giving fluid, fresh or unbled
Tyndale gloss
blood
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּם (dam) means 'blood' and refers to the blood of both humans and animals. It is often associated with death, particularly when shed, and can also figuratively denote the juice of grapes or bloodshed. The term carries religious significance and is used in various contexts, including references to guilt and innocence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּם 300 n.m. blood

blood of man or animal

usually blood become visible

blood used with religious significance

fig. of wine

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1818 דָּם blood

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1818 dam dawm

from 1826 (compare 119); blood (as that which when shed

causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of

the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed

(i.e. drops of blood):--blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), +

innocent.

see HEBREW for 01826

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּם (dam) — blood.

1) blood

1a) of wine (fig.)

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

blud (dam, probably from 'adham "to be red"; haima): Used in the Old Testament to designate the life principle in either animal or vegetable, as the blood of man or the juice of the grape (Le 17:11, et al.); in the New Testament for the blood of an animal, the atoning blood of Christ, and in both Old Testament and New Testament in a figurative sense for bloodshed or murder (Ge 37:26; Ho 4:2; Re 16:6).

1. Primitive Ideas:

Although the real function of the blood in the human system was not fully known until the fact of its circulation was established by William Harvey in 1615, nevertheless from the earliest times a singular mystery has been attached to it by all peoples. Blood…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Blood

(1.) As food, prohibited in Gen. 9:4, where the use of animal food is first allowed. Comp. Deut. 12:23; Lev. 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-14. The injunction to abstain from blood is renewed in the decree of the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:29). It has been held by some, and we think correctly, that this law of prohibition was only ceremonial and temporary; while others regard it as still binding on all. Blood was eaten by the Israelites after the battle of Gilboa (1 Sam. 14:32-34).

(2.) The blood of sacrifices was caught by the priest in a basin, and then sprinkled seven times on the altar; that of the passover on the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

To blood is ascribed in Scripture the mysterious sacredness which belongs to life, and God reserved it to himself when allowing man the dominion over and the use of the lower animals for food. Thus reserved, it acquires a double power: (1) that of sacrificial atonement; and (2) that of becoming a curse when wantonly shed, unless duly expiated. (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26; 17:11-13)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The life of all animals was regarded as especially in the blood, which was a sacred and essential part of the sacrifices offered to God, Heb 9:22. It was solemnly sprinkled upon the altar and the mercy seat, "for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul," Le 17:1-16 the life of the victim for the life of the sinner. It was therefore most sacredly associated with the blood of the Lamb of God which "cleanseth us from all sin," Eph 1:7 1Jo 1:7. Hence the strict prohibition renewed in Ac 15:29. In direct opposition to this are the heathen customs of drinking the blood of animals and even of men- of eating raw flesh, with the blood, and even fresh cut from the living…

not you must eat with the blood not you will practice divination and not you will practice soothsaying
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
refrain from
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not you must eat with the blood not you will practice divination and not you will practice soothsaying
תְנַחֲשׁ֖וּte.na.cha.Shu you will practice divination H5172 Verb · Piel · imperfect second person masculine plural
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To divine means to try to predict the future using magic or omens, as seen in Deuteronomy 18:10. It involves whispering a spell or carefully observing signs. This practice is warned against in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
seeking hidden knowledge, fortune-telling
Tyndale gloss
to divine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָחַשׁ (nachash) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to practice divination or observe signs. It is built from a root that conveys the idea of whispering a magic spell. The entries indicate its use in contexts related to fortunetelling and learning from experience, particularly in the Piel form, which emphasizes the act of divining.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָחַשׁ] vb. only Pi. practice divination, divine, observe signs

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5172 [נָחַשׁ] only Pi. practice divination, divine, observe signs

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5172 nachash naw-khash'

a primitive root; properly, to hiss, i.e. whisper a (magic)

spell; generally, to prognosticate:--X certainly, divine,

enchanter, (use) X enchantment, learn by experience, X indeed,

diligently observe.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָחַשׁ (na.chash) — to divine.

1) to practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortunetelling, take as an omen

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to practice divination

1a2) to observe the signs or omens

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVpi2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

div-i-na'-shun:

1. Definition

2. Kinds of Divination

3. Fundamental Assumption in Divination

4. Legitimate and Illegitimate Divination

5. The Bible and Divination

6. Modes of Divination Mentioned in the Bible:

Those Approved and Those Condemned

7. Terms Used in the Old Testament in Connection with Divination

8. Divination and Prophecy

LITERATURE

1. Definition:

Divination is the act of obtaining secret knowledge, especially that which relates to the future, by means within the reach almost exclusively of special classes of men.

2. Kinds of Divination:

Of this there are two main species:

(1) artificial,

(2) inspirational, or, as it was called in ancient times (Cicero, Lord Bacon, etc.), natural divination.

Artificial divination depends on the skill of the agent in reading and in interpreting certain signs called omens. See AUGURY. In inspirational or natural divination the agent is professedly under the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Divination

Of false prophets (Deut. 18:10, 14; Micah 3:6, 7, 11), of necromancers (1 Sam. 28:8), of the Philistine priests and diviners (1 Sam. 6:2), of Balaam (Josh. 13:22). Three kinds of divination are mentioned in Ezek. 21:21, by arrows, consulting with images (the teraphim), and by examining the entrails of animals sacrificed. The practice of this art seems to have been encouraged in ancient Egypt. Diviners also abounded among the aborigines of Canaan and the Philistines (Isa. 2:6; 1 Sam. 28). At a later period…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

is a "foretelling future events, or discovering things secret by the aid of superior beings, or other than human means." It is used in Scripture of false systems of ascertaining the divine will. It has been universal in all ages, and all nations alike civilized and savage. Numerous forms of divination are mentioned, such as divination by rods, (Hosea 4:12) divination by arrows, (Ezekiel 21:21) divination by cups, (Genesis 44:5) consultation of teraphim, (1 Samuel 15:23; Ezekiel 21:21; Zechariah 10:2) [TERAPHIM]; divination by the liver, (

not you must eat with the blood not you will practice divination and not you will practice soothsaying
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
the occult art of
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not you must eat with the blood not you will practice divination and not you will practice soothsaying
תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ׃te.'o.Ne.nu you will practice soothsaying H6049 Verb · Piel · imperfect second person masculine plural
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to acting covertly or practising magic, like soothsaying or augury, and is used to describe diviners or enchanters in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
magic, enchantment
Tyndale gloss
to cloud
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָנַן (anan) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means 'to cloud' and is derived from the root for 'cloud' (עָנָן). It has a figurative sense of practicing magic or soothsaying, indicating a covert action. The word appears in contexts related to bringing clouds and is associated with divination practices.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָנַן] vb. denom. Pi. Inf. cstr. sf. c. acc. cogn. Gn 9:14 (P) when I bring clouds, etc.

ref

[עָנַן] vb. Pō‛. practise soothsaying

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6049a עָנַן vb. denom. Pi. Inf. cstr. sf. c. acc. when I bring clouds, etc. H6049b עָנַן Pō‛. practise soothsaying

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6049 `anan aw-nan'

a primitive root; to cover; used only as a denominative from

6051, to cloud over; figuratively, to act covertly, i.e.

practise magic:--X bring, enchanter, Meonemin, observe(-r of)

times, soothsayer, sorcerer.

see HEBREW for 06051

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָנַן (a.nan) — to cloud.

(Piel) to make appear, produce, bring (clouds)

עָנַן (a.nan) — to divine.

1) (Poel) to practise soothsaying, conjure

1a) to observe times, practice soothsaying or spiritism or magic or augury or witchcraft

1b) soothsayer, enchanter, sorceress, diviner, fortuneteller, barbarian, Meonenim (participle)

עָנַן (a.nan) — Diviners' (Oak).

This name means soothsaying or augury

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-m-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect second person masculine plural
HVpi2mp
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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