Enchantment
Enchantment
stands in the Authorized Version as the representative of several Hebrews words: usually some form of , nachash’ (2Ki 17:17; 2Ki 21:6; 2Ch 33:6; Lev 19:26; Deu 18:10; Num 23:23; Num 24:1), literally to whisper a spell, hence to practice divination in general; , lachash’ (Ecc 10:11), of cognate form and signification, especially incantation; , lut, literally to muffle up, hence to use magic arts (Exo 7:13; Exo 7:22; Exo 8:7; Exo 8:18); , anan’, literally to cover with a cloud, hence to practice sorcery (Jer 27:9); and , chabar’, to bind, i.e., with a spell, to charm (Isa 47:9; Isa 47:12). The following are the specific forms which the black art assumed among the Hebrews. SEE AMULET; SEE DIVINATION.
1. , latim’, or , lehatim’, Exo 7:11; Exo 7:22; Exo 8:7; Sept. (Grotius compares the word with the Greek ); secret arts, from l, to coves; though others incorrectly connect it with flame, or the glittering blade of a sword, as though it implied a sort of dazzling cheironomy which deceives spectators. Several versions render the word by “whisperings,” insusurrationes, but it seems to be a more general word, and hence is used of the various means (some of them no doubt of a quasi-scientific character) by which the Egyptian chartummim imposed on the credulity of Pharaoh. SEE MAGICIAN.
2. ., keshaphim’; Sept. , (2Ki 9:22; Mic 5:12; Nah 3:4); Vulg. veneficia, maleficia; “maleficae artes,” “praestigiae,” “muttered spells.” Hence it is sometimes rendered by , incantations, as in Isa 47:9; Isa 47:12. The belief in the power of certain formulae was universal in the ancient world. Thus there were carmina to evoke the tutelary gods out of a city (Macrob. Saturnal, 3:9), others to devote hostile armies (Id.), others to raise the dead (Maimon. De Idol. 11:15; Senec. (Edip. 547), or bind the gods ( ) and men (AEsch. Fur. 331), and even influence the heavenly bodies (Ovid, Met. 7:207 sq.; 12:263; “Te quoque Luna traho,” Virg. Ecc 8:1-17; AEn. 4:489 Hor. Epod. 5:45). They were a recognized part of ancient medicine, even among the Jews, who regarded certain sentences of the law as efficacious in healing. The Greeks used them as one of the five chief resources of pharmacy (Pind. Pyth. 3:8, 9; Soph. Aj. 582), especially in obstetrics (Plat. Theaet. page 145) and mental diseases (Galen, De Sanitattuenda, 1:8). Homer mentions them as used to check the flow of blood (Od. 19:456), and Cato even gives a charm to cure a disjointed limb (De Re Rust. 160; comp. Plin. H. N. 28:2). The belief in charms is still all but universal in uncivilized nations; see Lane’s Modern AEgypt. 1:300, 306, etc.; 2:177, etc.; Beeckman’s Voyage to Borneo, chapter 2; Meroller’s Congo (in Pinkerton’s Voyages, 16, pages 221, 273); Huc’s China, 1:223; 2:326; Taylor’s New Zealand, and Livingstone’s Africa, passim, etc.; and hundreds of such remedies still exist, and are considered efficacious among the uneducated. SEE INCANTATION.
3. , lechashim’ (Ecc 10:11), Sept. , is especially used of the charming of serpents, Jer 8:17 (comp. Psa 58:5; Sir 12:13; Ecc 10:11; Lucan, 9:891 a parallel to “cantando rumpituranguis,” and “Vipereas rumpo verbis et carmine fauces,” Ov. Metam. l.c.). Maimonides (De Idol. 11:2) expressly defines an enchanter as one “who uses strange and meaningless words, by which he imposes on the folly of the credulous. They say, for instance, that if one utter the words before a serpent or scorpion it will do no harm” (Carpzov, Alnot. in Godwynumn, 4:11). An account of the Marsi, who excelled in this art, is given by Augustine (ad Gen 9:28), and of the Psylli by Arnobius (ad Nat. 2:32); and they are alluded to by a host of other authorities (Pliny, 7:2; 28:6; AElian, H.A. 1:5; Virg, AEn. 7:750; Sil. Ital. 8:495. They were called ). The secret is still understood in the East (Lane, 2:106). SEE CHARM.
4. The word , nechashim’, is used of the enchantments sought by Balaam (Num 24:1). It properly alludes toophiomancy, but in this place has a general meaning of, endeavoring to gain omens (Sept. ). SEE SOOTHSAYER.
5. , che’ber, is used for magic (Isa 47:9; Isa 47:12). It means generally the process of acquiring power over some distant object or person; but this word seems also to have been sometimes used expressly of serpent charmers, for R. Sol. Jarchi, on Deu 17:11, defines the to be one “who congregates serpents and scorpions into one place.” SEE MAGIC.
Any resort to these methods of imposture was strictly forbidden in Scripture (Lev 19:26; Isa 47:9, etc.), but to eradicate the tendency is almost impossible (2Ki 17:17; 2Ch 33:6), and we find it still flourishing at the Christian aera (Act 13:6; Act 13:8; Act 8:9; Act 8:11, ; Gal 5:20; Rev 9:21). SEE WITCHCRAFT.
The chief “sacramenta daemoniaca” were a rod, a magic circle, dragon’s eggs, certain herbs, or “insane roots,” like the henbane, etc. The fancy of poets, both ancient and modern, has been exerted in giving lists of them (Ovid and Hor. l.c); Shakspeare’s Macbeth, Act 4:1; Kirke White’s Gondoline; Southey’s Curse of Kehama, Son 4:1-16, etc.). SEE SORCERY.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Enchantment
(See DIVINATION.)
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Enchantment
ENCHANTMENT.See Magic Divination and Sorcery.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Enchantment
en-chantment: The occult arts, either supposedly or pretentiously supernatural, were common to all oriental races. They included enchantment, sorcery, witchcraft, sooth-saying, augury, necromancy, divination in numberless forms, and all kinds of magic article Nine varieties are mentioned in one single passage in the Pentateuch (Deu 18:10, Deu 18:11); other varieties in many passages both in the Old Testament and New Testament, e.g. Lev 19:26, Lev 19:31; Isa 2:6; Isa 57:3; Jer 27:9; Mic 5:12; Act 8:9, Act 8:11; Act 13:6, Act 13:8; Gal 5:20; Rev 9:21. The extent of the magic arts (forbidden under Judaism and Christianity) may incidentally be seen from the fact that the Scriptures alone refer to their being practiced in Chaldea (Dan 5:11), Babylon (Eze 21:21), Assyria (2Ki 17:17), Egypt (Exo 7:11), Canaan (Lev 18:3, Lev 18:11; Lev 19:26, Lev 19:31), Asia (Ephesus, Act 19:13, Act 19:19), Greece (Act 16:16), Arabia also, as customs from the East, etc. (Isa 2:6) indicates. These secret arts were prohibited by the laws of Moses (Deu 18:9-12), inasmuch as they constituted a peculiar temptation to Israel to apostatize. They were a constant incentive to idolatry, clouded the mind with superstition, tended and were closely allied to imposture (Mat 24:24). The term enchantment is found only in the Old Testament and its Hebrew originals indicate its varieties.
(1) , latm, and , lehatm to wrap up, muffie, cover, hence, clandestine, secret. It was this hidden element that enabled the magicians of Egypt to impose on the credulity of Pharaoh in imitating or reproducing the miracles of Moses and Aaron; They … did in like manner with their enchantments (Exo 7:11, Exo 7:22). Their inability to perform a genuine miracle is shown by Exo 8:18.
(2) , nahash, to hiss, whisper referring to the mutterings of sorcerers in their incantations. Used as a derivative noun this Hebrew word means a serpent. This involves the idea of cunning and subtlety. Although employed in the wider sense of augury or prognostication, its fundamental meaning is divination by serpents. This was the form of enchantment sought by Balaam (Num 24:1). Its impotence against the people of God is shown by Num 23:23 m. Shalmaneser forced this forbidden art upon the Israelites whom he carried captive to Assyria (2Ki 17:17). It was also one of the heathen practices introduced during the apostasy under Ahab, against which Elijah protested (compare 1Ki 21:20).
(3) , lahash, to whisper, mutter, an onomatopoetic word, like the above, in imitation of the hiss of serpents. It is used of the offensive practice of serpent charming referred to in Ecc 10:11, and as Delitzsch says, in the place cited., signifies the whispering of formulas of charming. See also Isa 3:3, skilful enchanter; Jer 8:17, serpents, cockatrices (the Revised Version (British and American) adders) … which will not be charmed; Psa 58:4, Psa 58:5, the voice of charmers (the Revised Version, margin enchanters), charming never so wisely. Ophiomancy, the art of charming serpents, is still practiced in the East.
(4) , hebher, spell, from , habhar, to bind, hence, to bind with spells, fascinate, charm, descriptive of a species of magic practiced by binding knots. That this method of imposture, e.g. the use of the magic knot for exorcism and other purposes, was common, is indicated by the monuments of the East. The moral mischief and uselessness of this and other forms of enchantment are clearly shown in Isa 47:9, Isa 47:12. This word is also used of the charming of serpents (Deu 18:11; Psa 58:5).
(5) , anan, to cover, to cloud, hence, to use covert arts. This form of divination was especially associated with idolatry (so Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon). Delitzsch, however, in a note on this word (Isa 2:6), doubts the meaning conceal and thinks that it signifies rather to gather auguries from the clouds. He translates it cloud-interpretive (Mic 5:12). This view is not generally supported. Rendered enchanters (Jer 27:9, the Revised Version (British and American) soothsayers; so also in Isa 2:6). Often translated in the Revised Version (British and American) practice augury, as in Lev 19:26; Deu 18:10, Deu 18:14; 2Ki 21:6; 2Ch 33:6; a form of magical art corresponding in many respects to that of the Greek mantis, who uttered oracles in a state of divine frenzy. Septuagint , kledonzomai, i.e. augury through the reading or acceptance of a sign or omen. A kindred form of enchantment is mentioned in the New Testament (2Ti 3:13; Greek , goetes, enchanters, jugglers, the original indicating that the incantations were uttered in a kind of howl; rendered seducers the King James Version, impostors the Revised Version (British and American); compare Rev 19:20). The New Testament records the names of several magicians who belonged to this class of conscious impostors: Simon Magus (Act 8:9); Bar-Jesus and Elymas (Act 13:6, Act 13:8); the slave girl with the spirit of Python (divination, Act 16:16); vagabond (the Revised Version (British and American) strolling) Jews, exorcists (Act 19:13; compare Luk 11:19); also the magicians of Moses’ day, named Jannes and Jambres (2Ti 3:8).
All these forms of enchantment claimed access through supernatural insight or aid, to the will of the gods and the secrets of the spirit world. In turning away faith and expectation from the living God, they struck a deadly blow at the heart of true religion. From the enchanters of the ancient Orient to the medicine-men of today, all exponents of the black art exercise a cruel tyranny over the benighted people, and multitudes of innocent victims perish in body and soul under their subtle impostures. In no respect is the exalted nature of the Hebrew and Christian faiths more clearly seen than in their power to emancipate the human mind and spirit from the mental and moral darkness, the superstition and fear, and the darkening effect of these occult and deadly articles For more detailed study see DIVINATION; ASTROLOGY.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Enchantment
See Magician; Sorcery
Magician; Sorcery
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Enchantment
Lev 19:26 (a) This refers to tricks and schemes to alter people’s lives in an unnatural and unrighteous way.
Num 24:1 (c) These enchantments are evidently pictures and types of the schemes and plans of Satan which are contrary to the will and way of GOD.