Deuteronomy 18 11

Deuteronomy 18:11 kjv

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

Deuteronomy 18:11 nkjv

or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.

Deuteronomy 18:11 niv

or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.

Deuteronomy 18:11 esv

or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,

Deuteronomy 18:11 nlt

or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead.

Deuteronomy 18 verses

Deuteronomy 18 11 Meaning

Deuteronomy 18:11 is part of a wider divine prohibition against paganistic spiritual practices prevalent among the Canaanite nations, which the Israelites were dispossessing. This verse specifically lists four further categories of illicit spiritual engagement: charming or casting spells, consulting familiar spirits (which includes necromancy through a medium), seeking secret knowledge through occult means, and direct inquiry of the dead. These practices are condemned by God as an "abomination" (Deut 18:12), highlighting their utter incompatibility with worship of the one true God and Israel's covenant relationship with Him. The core meaning emphasizes exclusive devotion to God as the sole source of divine revelation and power, forbidding any form of spiritual engagement outside of His direct commandment.

Deuteronomy 18 11 Context

Deuteronomy 18, set against the backdrop of Israel's impending entry into Canaan, serves as a crucial theological and legal declaration. The chapter establishes the provisions for the Levitical priesthood (Deut 18:1-8) and then pivots sharply to a stark warning against adopting the idolatrous and abominable practices of the surrounding Canaanite nations (Deut 18:9-14). Moses explicitly lists various forms of divination and occult engagement that the Israelites must not learn or practice. This context is vital; these prohibitions are not arbitrary but foundational to Israel's identity as a holy nation, separate from the corrupt spiritual landscape of the Promised Land. They underscore the absolute exclusivity of Israel's covenant with Yahweh, positioning Him as the sole source of all legitimate spiritual revelation and guidance. The chapter then culminates with the promise of a true Prophet (Deut 18:15-18), contrasting divine revelation through a God-sent messenger with the fraudulent and dangerous practices forbidden here.

Deuteronomy 18 11 Word analysis

• or a charmer (וְחֹבֵר חָבֶר wĕḥōvēr ḥāver):

  • חֹבֵר (ḥōvēr): The word derives from the root ḥāvar, meaning "to join," "to bind," "to tie together."
  • Significance: This implies one who casts spells, weaves incantations, or uses charms, effectively "binding" or manipulating situations, people, or spirits through magical formulas. It often refers to magical rites involving knots or spoken formulas meant to control or compel.
  • It points to human attempts to control unseen forces outside of God's will.
  • This practice undermines divine sovereignty and human free will under God's ultimate authority.

• or a consulter with familiar spirits (וְשֹׁאֵל אֹוב wĕšoʾēl ʾōv):

  • שֹׁאֵל (šoʾēl): "one who asks" or "one who consults."
  • אֹוב (ʾōv): Refers to a necromantic pit (for communicating with the dead), or a spirit of the dead summoned by a medium, or the medium themselves who summons such a spirit, often using ventriloquism.
  • Significance: This involves attempts to contact the dead for information or guidance, usurping God's role as the revealer of knowledge.
  • The practice bypasses the living God and relies on perceived access to departed spirits.
  • It's a grave sin because it seeks revelation from unauthorized sources.

• or a wizard (וְיִדְּעֹנִי wĕyiddĕʿōnî):

  • יִדְּעֹנִי (yiddĕʿōnî): From the root yādaʿ, meaning "to know."
  • Significance: Denotes one who possesses special, secret, or hidden knowledge, often implying connection with a demonic familiar or through illicit supernatural means.
  • This is not natural wisdom but an occult form of insight.
  • Such a person claims superior knowledge apart from divine revelation, thus diverting trust from God.

• or a necromancer (וְדֹרֵשׁ אֶל־הַמֵּתִים wĕdōrēš ʾel-hammēṯîm):

  • דֹּרֵשׁ (dōrēš): "one who seeks," "one who inquires," "one who investigates."
  • הַמֵּתִים (hammēṯîm): "the dead" (plural).
  • Significance: This is a direct, explicit term for someone who seeks out or interrogates the deceased. While the ʾōv might involve a medium channeling spirits, dōrēš ʾel-hammēṯîm specifies the act of seeking information directly from the dead.
  • It represents a profound affront to God, who forbids human interaction with the spiritual realm outside of His prescribed means.
  • Such a practice implies the dead possess forbidden knowledge or power useful to the living, denying God as the sole ultimate source of guidance.

Deuteronomy 18 11 Bonus section

These specific terms, alongside others listed in Deut 18:10, illustrate a comprehensive rejection of the entire spectrum of divination and occult activity common in the ancient Near East. The practices were often deeply intertwined with Canaanite fertility cults, ancestor worship, and efforts to manipulate nature or predict the future. The sheer number of prohibitions emphasizes the pervasive nature of these beliefs and the strength of Israel's call to be distinct. Furthermore, the ʾōv (familiar spirit) is particularly insidious, as it could appear to provide legitimate insight, yet its source is demonic, serving to ensnare the one consulting it and undermine faith in God. The ultimate theological problem with all these practices is that they represent a quest for knowledge or power independent of God, denying His wisdom, power, and ultimate authority in the lives of His people and the world. Instead of listening to the word of God's true prophets (Deut 18:15), the people would be drawn into deception.

Deuteronomy 18 11 Commentary

Deuteronomy 18:11 delineates specific types of occult practices forbidden to Israel, reinforcing God's clear demarcation between holy living and pagan abominations. The four prohibitions mentioned — charming, consulting familiar spirits, wizardry, and necromancy — illustrate various attempts to manipulate spiritual forces or acquire knowledge from sources other than God. These are not minor transgressions but detestable acts, deserving of severe judgment because they demonstrate a rejection of God's exclusive sovereignty and sufficiency. Israel was called to look only to the Lord for guidance, revelation, and power, contrasting sharply with the practices of surrounding nations who sought to control their destinies through these illicit means. These bans protect God's people from demonic influence, deception, and the inherent futility of relying on false spiritual paths, emphasizing the absolute trust and dependency Israel was to place on Yahweh alone. The verse also underscores that any communication or seeking of knowledge from the spiritual realm must come directly from God, as revealed through His prophets, not through dark arts.