Ziklag T X - Magic

in Deuteronomy 18

SOS Discipline - Daily Proverb and Red Letter Reader

You can’t escape the storm. You can endure in peace. cf Pr. 10:25

What is given is for giving. cf Mt. 10:8

The wise hide their wisdom in plain sight. cf Sun Tzu 6.24

From Today’s Stack

Magic in Deut 18

Moses' outline of oracular magic forbidden in the Kingdom.

1. Child Sacrifice (עבר בנו באש, avar beno ba'esh)

• KJ: pass through fire

• PIE Root: *per- (to bring forth)

• Etymology: The Hebrew phrase "עבר בנו באש" (avar beno ba'esh) means "to make one's son or daughter pass through the fire," referring to the practice of child sacrifice.

• Latin: Sacrificium Infantis

• Better Latin: Transitus Ignis (passing through fire)

• Unique Greek Category: Threnomancy

• Germanic English: Child Sacrifice

• Modern English: Abortion

2. Divination (קסם, qesem)

• KJ: practice witchcraft

• PIE Root: *kes-/*kres- (to cut, separate)

• Etymology: The Hebrew word "קסם" (qesem) derives from the root meaning to "cut" or "divide." It originally referred to the practice of divining by casting lots or cutting objects to interpret signs.

• Latin: Divinatio

• Better Latin: Sectio (cutting)

• Unique Greek Category: Schizomancy

• Germanic English: Fortune-Telling

• Modern English: Blood Magic

3. Astrology (מעונן, me'onen)

• KJ: soothsaying

• PIE Root: *meue- (to move, change)

• Etymology: The Hebrew word "מעונן" (me'onen) refers to the practice of predicting the future by observing signs in the celestial bodies.

• Latin: Nubes Divinatio

• Better Latin: Observatio Nubes

• Unique Greek Category: Aeromancy

• Germanic English: Future-Telling

• Modern English: Horoscopes

4. Augury (נחש, nachash)

• KJ: interpret omens

• PIE Root: *snēg- (snake)

• Etymology: The Hebrew word "נחש" (nachash) means "to whisper" or "to hiss."

• Latin: Serpentis Divinatio

• Better Latin: Serpens Auscultatio (snake listening)

• Unique Greek Category: Drakomancy

• Germanic English: Snake-Handling

• Modern English: Parseltongue

5. Incanting (כשף, kashaph)

• KJ: sorcery

• PIE Root: *kek- (to speak, call out)

• Etymology: The Hebrew word "כשף" (kashaph) means "to mutter."

• Latin: Veneficium

• Better Latin: Murmuratio / Incantatio

• Unique Greek Category: Goemancy

• Germanic English: Witchcraft

• Modern English: Incantantations

6. Spellbinding (חבר חבר, chaver chaver)

• KJ: conjuring spells

• PIE Root: *kēi- (to bind, tie)

• Etymology: The Hebrew phrase "חבר חבר" (chaver chaver) means "to bind a spell."

• Latin: Incantatio

• Better Latin: Ligatio (binding)

• Unique Greek Category: Katadesmancy

• Modern English: Tying Weaves

7. Warlockery (שאל אוב, shoel ov) KJ: medium

• PIE Root: *wek- (to speak)

• Etymology: The Hebrew phrase "שאל אוב" (shoel ov) refers to one who consults spirits of the dead, often through a ritualistic process.

• Latin: Medium

• Better Latin: Consultatio Spirituum (spirit consulting)

• Unique Greek Category: Psychomancy

• Germanic English: Spirit-Caller

• Modern English: Witchdoctor

8. Clairvoyance (ידעוני, yide'oni)

• KJ: spiritist

• PIE Root: *gno- (to know)

• Etymology: The Hebrew word "ידעוני" (yide'oni) refers to one who claims to have familiar spirits or can predict the future through spiritual means.

• Latin: Spiritista

• Better Latin: Cognitio Spirituum (spirit knowledge)

• Unique Greek Category: Daimonomancy

• Germanic English: Spirit-Knower

• Modern English: Warlock

9. Necromancy (דרש אל המתים, darash el hametim)

• KJ: calls up the dead

• PIE Root: *mor-/*mr̥- (death)

• Etymology: The Hebrew phrase "דרש אל המתים" (darash el hametim) means "to inquire of the dead."

• Latin: Necromantia

• Better Latin: Mortuis quaerens (inquiring of the dead)

• Unique Greek Category: Necromancy

• Germanic English: Talking to Ghosts

• Modern English: Seances