Deuteronomy 18:10

18:9-14 Was it possible that a people so blessed with Divine institutions, should ever be in any danger of making those their teachers whom God had made their captives? They were in danger; therefore, after many like cautions, they are charged not to do after the abominations of the nations of Canaan. All reckoning of lucky or unlucky days, all charms for diseases, all amulets or spells to prevent evil, fortune-telling, &c. are here forbidden. These are so wicked as to be a chief cause of the rooting out of the Canaanites. It is amazing to think that there should be any pretenders of this kind in such a land, and day of light, as we live in. They are mere impostors who blind and cheat their followers.

Deuteronomy 18:10 . That maketh his son or daughter pass through the fire — By a superstitious dedicating, or a cruel sacrificing of them, see on Leviticus 18:21 . That useth divination — Of which there were many sorts, as is implied in the original expressions here: קסם קסמים , kosem kesamim, divining divinations, or with divinations. The meaning undoubtedly is, That seeketh to know or foretel things secret, or to come, by unlawful arts and practices. An observer of times — Superstitiously pronouncing some days lucky and others unlucky: or, an observer of the clouds, or heavens; for the word מעונן , megnonen, here used, may be derived from ענן , gnanan, a cloud; and then it means, That divineth by the motion or figure of the clouds, the appearance or passage of meteors, by thunder, lightning, by the stars, the flying or chattering of birds, and the like. Or, deriving the word from עין , gnain, an eye, qui præstigiis utitur, a juggler, one who causes things to assume a false appearance, practises illusions on people’s fancies, or deceives them by sleight of hand. An enchanter — Or a conjecturer, that endeavours, or pretends, to discover hidden things by a superstitious use of words or ceremonies, by observation of water or smoke, or tiny contingencies. Or, as the original word seems to be derived from נחשׁ , nachash, a serpent, it means one that divines by means of serpents, of which kind of diviners we have many instances in the heathen poets, particularly Homer and Virgil.

A witch — Supposed to be in covenant with the devil, and by his help to delude people’s senses, or hurt their persons, their cattle, or other property, through the use of evil arts. The same Hebrew word is translated witch also, Exodus 22:18 , where it is evidently intended to be taken in the same sense as here. But, Exodus 7:11 ; Daniel 2:2 , and Malachi 3:5 , where it occurs in the plural number, it is translated sorcerers, and interpreted by Aben Ezra of those who change and transform natural things so as to deceive the eyes of the beholders. Le Clerc translates the word, hariolus, soothsayer, because it is joined in the Scriptures with other species of divination.

(10) To pass through the fire. —See Leviticus 18:21 . Useth divination—(Numbers 22:7), possibly by sacrifices. Observer of times.—This is the Rabbinical explanation of the word. In Hebrew the idea of “time” is not so clear. It seems to mean practising hidden arts. (See Leviticus 19:26.) Enchanter.—Whisperer, or serpent charmer. (See Genesis 44:5.) Witch.—One who uses charms or spells (Exodus 7:11).

Verses 10, 11. - Maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire (see note on Deuteronomy 12:31). That useth divination (cf. Ezekiel 21:21 , where the different methods of divination are enumerated). An observer of times. This is according to the Targum, observans horns ; the LXX. have κληδονιζόμενος , "one who augurs what is to happen;" Vulgate, qui observat somnia atque auguria . The word ( מְעונֵן ) is part of a verb which signifies to cover, to use covert arts, to practice sorcery; though some derive it from the noun עָנַן , a thick cloud, and explain it as "interpreter of clouds;" while others trace it to עַיִן , the eye, and explain it as "one who cheats by optical fascinations" (so the Syriac, fascinans oculis ), or one who divines by inspection - an augur." An enchanter ; one who practices magic, or divines by signs (cf. Genesis 44:5 ; Numbers 24:1 ). It is sometimes said that the verb of which this word is a part ( נִחֵשׁ ) is a denominative from נָחָשׁ , a serpent; whence it is inferred that the species of divination indicated by this word is ophiomancy , or divination by serpents, but this is not generally accepted by scholars. A witch ( מִכַשֵׁפ ; LXX., φαρμακός : Vulgate, maleficus ); probably one who pretended to cure diseases, or procure some desired result, by means of nostrums and philtres.

In the enumeration of the wise men of Babylon ( Daniel 2:2 ), the Mecashephim have a place beside the Hartummim, and in Genesis 41:8 and Exodus 7:11 , they are joined with the Hachamim or Magi of Egypt; and this favors the conclusion that their sorcery had a quasi-scientific basis. The English word "witch" is now restricted to the female practicer of unlawful arts; formerly it was applied to males as well, if not chiefly (Trench, 'Select Glossary,' p. 806). A charmer ( חֹבֵר הָבֶר ); a dealer in spells, one who by means of spells or charms pretends to achieve some desired result. The verb here used primarily means to bind, and the species of magic indicated is probably that practiced by binding certain knots, whereby it was supposed that the curse or blessing, as the case might he, was bound on its object; this was accompanied apparently with incantation ( Psalm 58:5 ). Comp. English spell-bound , and the phrase, "to rivet charms" (Jonson, 'Sad Shepherd,' 2:2). A species of incantation known to the Romans consisted in tying knots with threads of different colors, three in number, which were supposed to become a bond to secure an object (cf. Virg., 'Eclog.' 8:76, 77). A consulter with familiar spirits. This phrase conveys something different from what is expressed, in the Hebrew. שֹׂאֵל אוב is one who asks or inquires of an Ob, that is, a Python, or divining spirit.

To pass through the fire; either by a superstitious lustration or purgation, or by a cruel sacrificing of them. See Leviticus 18:21 2 Kings 17:31 23:10 2 Chronicles 28:3 Psalm 106:37 Jeremiah 7:31 19:5 Ezekiel 16:20,21 Eze 23:37-39 . That useth divination, i.e. foretelleth things secret or to come, Micah 3:11 , by unlawful arts and practices. An observer of times; superstitiously pronouncing some days good and lucky, and others unlucky, for such or such actions. Or, an observer of the clouds or heavens, i.e. one that divineth by the motions of the clouds, by the stars, or by the flying or chattering of birds, all which heathens used to observe. An enchanter, or, a conjecturer , that discovers hidden things by a superstitious use of words or ceremonies, by observation of water or smoke, or any contingencies, as the meeting of a hare, &c. See Poole "Leviticus 19:26" . A witch; one that is in covenant with the devil, and by his help deludes their senses, or hurts their persons. See Exodus 7:11 22:18 .

De 18:9-14. The Abominations of the Nations Are to Be Avoided. 9-14. thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations—(See on [152]Le 18:21; [153]Le 19:26; [154]Le 19:31; [155]Le 20:4). In spite of this express command, the people of Canaan, especially the Philistines, were a constant snare and stumbling block to the Israelites, on account of their divinations and superstitious practices.

10 . There shall not be found with thee ] Deuteronomy 17:2 . that maketh his son … to pass through the fire ] See on Deuteronomy 12:31 : the want of a conjunction following this clause (so also Sam. and LXX except in some codd.) is remarkable, and raises a doubt as to the originality of the clause. On the following terms see W. R. Smith, Journal of Philology , xiii. 273 ff., xiv. 113 ff.: ‘The Forms of Divination and Magic in Dt. xviii. 10, 11’; Wellhausen, Reste des arab. Heidentums 2, 135–153; Driver, Deut. 223–226; T. W. Davies ‘Divination’ and ‘Magic,’ in E.B. ; F. B. Jevons ‘Divination,’ Hastings’ D.B. , to all of which the references below are directed. one that useth divination ] Heb. kôsem kesamîm . From its root and certain Ar. forms which = ‘to divide’ or ‘allot,’ the vb appears to have meant originally to divine by the lot (disputed by Davies, E.B. 2900), e.g. by arrows as described in Ezekiel 21:21 ff. ( Ezekiel 21:26 ff.); practised by the Babylonians (Lenormant, Chald. Magic , 238 n . 2), and Arabs (Korân, Deuteronomy 5:4 , where it is forbidden; Sale, Prelimin. Discourse , Sec. v.). Elsewhere in O.T. it has a wider sense, e.g. 1 Samuel 28:8 . LXX here μαντευόμενος μαντείαν . one that practiseth augury ] Better, soothsayer . LXX κληδονιζόμενος . Heb. me‘ônen , which used to be derived from ‘anan , ‘cloud,’ as if cloud-gazer , and is by Wellh. supposed to spring from the root-meaning of ‘anan , ‘to appear’ or ‘intervene’ (cp.