of omens and the practice of divination. God prohibited Israel from adopting such methods because His people were to depend upon His revealed Word rather than seek knowledge of hidden events through unauthorized spiritual practices.
INTRODUCTION: WHO WAS THE ENCHANTER IN THE BIBLE?
When Moses warned the children of Israel against the religious practices of the nations of Canaan, he identified several kinds of forbidden practitioners.
Among them was the enchanter.
Deuteronomy 18:10 (KJV):
"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,"
The word enchanter is often understood today as someone who speaks magical words, casts spells, or attempts to control people through incantations.
However, the Hebrew word used in Deuteronomy 18:10 requires a more precise explanation.
The Hebrew verb associated with the enchanter is nāḥash.
In several biblical passages, this verb is associated with divination or the interpretation of signs and omens.
The biblical enchanter was therefore not necessarily identical to the charmer mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:11.
The charmer was associated with binding charms or incantations.
The enchanter was associated particularly with divinatory interpretation.
This distinction is important because the King James Version sometimes uses related English terms for different Hebrew practices.
The purpose of this study is to examine the enchanter through the original language, historical setting, and biblical cross-references.
We will also examine the relationship between enchantment, omens, the serpent, Balaam, Joseph's cup, and the prophetic warnings against forbidden divination.
PART ONE: THE HEBREW WORD TRANSLATED “ENCHANTER”
I. The Hebrew verb nāḥash
The Hebrew word translated enchanter in Deuteronomy 18:10 is related to:
נָחַשׁ
Nāḥash — Strong's Hebrew H5172
To practice divination, interpret omens, or seek hidden knowledge through signs
The form used in Deuteronomy 18:10 identifies someone who practices this activity.
1. What does nāḥash mean?
In its divinatory usage, nāḥash refers to the practice of interpreting signs or omens.
A practitioner might attempt to determine the future or discover hidden information through unusual events, patterns, or symbolic occurrences.
The exact methods could vary.
2. Is nāḥash the same as the Hebrew word for serpent?
The Hebrew noun for serpent is also pronounced nāḥāsh and is written with the same consonants.
However, the noun for serpent and the verb for divination are distinct lexical entries.
The relationship between their historical origins is debated.
The similarity should not be used to claim that every enchanter practiced serpent worship or received knowledge from a serpent.
3. Why is the distinction important?
The Bible uses serpent imagery in several contexts.
But Deuteronomy 18:10 does not specifically say that the enchanter consulted serpents.
The prohibition concerns forbidden divination.
PART TWO: ENCHANTMENT AND THE INTERPRETATION OF OMENS
II. What is an omen?
An omen is an event or sign interpreted as indicating something about the future or an unseen reality.
Ancient societies sometimes treated unusual natural events as messages concerning divine intentions.
Examples from the broader ancient Near Eastern world include interpretations of celestial phenomena, animal behavior, dreams, and other occurrences.
However, not every form of dream interpretation or observation of nature was forbidden.
The biblical concern was the use of unauthorized religious methods to obtain supernatural guidance.
1. The enchanter sought hidden knowledge
The practitioner attempted to interpret signs in order to discover information beyond ordinary human knowledge.
2. The enchanter relied upon a divinatory system
Such systems could involve established rules or traditional interpretations.
3. The enchanter's claims were not necessarily reliable
The existence of a divination practice does not prove that the practitioner possessed genuine knowledge of future events.
4. God prohibited Israel from adopting the practice
The LORD had established the means through which His people were to receive divine revelation.
Israel was not to imitate the forbidden religious methods of the surrounding nations.
PART THREE: GENESIS 30:27 — LABAN AND DIVINATION
III. Laban's statement to Jacob
Genesis 30:27 (KJV):
"And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake."
The phrase translated “learned by experience” is associated with the Hebrew verb nāḥash.
This is a significant example.
1. What did Laban claim?
Laban said that he had discovered that the LORD had blessed him because of Jacob.
2. Why is the Hebrew word important?
The use of nāḥash suggests that Laban may have employed divination or omen interpretation to reach his conclusion.
Some translations render the phrase in terms of divination.
3. Does the passage approve of divination?
No.
Genesis records Laban's statement.
It does not command Israel to imitate his methods.
4. The broader lesson
A biblical narrative can report a person's religious practice without endorsing it.
The reader must distinguish between description and divine approval.
PART FOUR: JOSEPH'S CUP AND THE PRACTICE OF DIVINATION
IV. Genesis 44:5
"Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing."
This statement concerns Joseph's silver cup.
Joseph's steward speaks to the brothers after the cup has been placed in Benjamin's sack.
The verb translated divineth is related to nāḥash.
1. What was the accusation?
The steward described the cup as an object associated with divination.
2. Did Joseph actually practice divination?
The passage does not explicitly establish that Joseph personally practiced divination.
The statement occurs within Joseph's carefully arranged test of his brothers.
It may reflect the persona of an Egyptian official or the language Joseph instructed his steward to use.
3. Genesis 44:15
Joseph says:
"What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?"
This statement also uses the language of divination.
But the narrative does not show Joseph performing a divinatory ritual.
4. The interpretive caution
Joseph's knowledge of his brothers' circumstances should not automatically be attributed to occult practice.
Earlier in Genesis, Joseph explicitly attributed the interpretation of dreams to God.
Genesis 41:16 (KJV):
"And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace."
Joseph's testimony identifies God as the source of his ability to interpret Pharaoh's dreams.
PART FIVE: BALAAM AND ENCHANTMENTS
V. Numbers 23:23
"Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!"
This verse is especially important.
The word translated enchantment is related to the Hebrew root nāḥash.
The word translated divination is associated with qesem.
1. Balaam operated in a divinatory environment
The narrative of Numbers 22–24 places Balaam within the context of attempts to curse Israel.
Balak sought Balaam because he believed Balaam could pronounce an effective curse.
2. God controlled the outcome
Balaam could not overturn the blessing God had pronounced upon Israel.
3. The significance of Numbers 23:23
The passage emphasizes that divination and enchantment could not defeat God's covenant purpose for Jacob and Israel.
It does not mean that Israel would never experience judgment or hardship.
It means that Balaam's attempted curse could not reverse the LORD's blessing.
PART SIX: NUMBERS 24:1 — BALAAM AND THE SEARCH FOR ENCHANTMENTS
VI. Balaam changed his approach
Numbers 24:1 (KJV):
"And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness."
This verse provides a direct reference to Balaam's earlier use of enchantments.
1. Balaam had sought enchantments
The passage indicates that his previous activity involved divinatory methods.
2. Balaam recognized God's intention to bless Israel
He saw that the LORD intended to bless the people.
3. He ceased seeking enchantments in that moment
The text states that he did not go as before to seek them.
4. The theological significance
The LORD's blessing was not subject to Balaam's manipulation.
The narrative contrasts human attempts at divination with God's sovereign purpose.
PART SEVEN: THE ENCHANTER AND THE CHARMER — ARE THEY THE SAME?
VII. Deuteronomy 18:10–11
The enchanter and the charmer are listed separately.
This indicates that the Hebrew terminology distinguishes the practices, even though they may overlap historically.
Practitioner | Hebrew expression | Principal association |
|---|---|---|
Enchanter | Menaḥēsh, from nāḥash | Divination or interpretation of omens |
Charmer | Ḥōbēr ḥāber | Binding charms or incantations |
Diviner | Qōsēm qesāmîm | Seeking hidden knowledge through divination |
Witch | Mekaššēph | Sorcery or magical arts |
Wizard | Yiddeʿōnî | Forbidden occult knowledge or spirit consultation |
Necromancer | Dōrēsh ʾel-hammētîm | Inquiry directed toward the dead |
Why does the distinction matter?
The English words enchanter, charmer, and witch can overlap in modern usage.
But the Hebrew terms emphasize different aspects of forbidden practices.
The enchanter is especially associated with divination through omens.
The charmer is associated with binding charms or incantations.
The witch is associated with sorcery more broadly.
These distinctions help prevent inaccurate interpretations of the text.
PART EIGHT: LEVITICUS 19:26 — THE PROHIBITION AGAINST ENCHANTMENT
VIII. The commandment
Leviticus 19:26 (KJV):
"Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times."
The verb translated use enchantment is associated with nāḥash.
The passage places enchantment alongside other forbidden practices.
1. The command was given within the holiness legislation
Leviticus 19 repeatedly emphasizes the LORD's holiness.
2. Israel was forbidden to practice divination
The people were not to seek supernatural guidance through omen interpretation.
3. The commandment concerned covenant obedience
Israel was to remain faithful to the LORD's revealed instructions.
PART NINE: THE ENCHANTER AND THE OBSERVER OF TIMES
IX. Are these the same practice?
Deuteronomy 18:10 lists both an observer of times and an enchanter.
The Hebrew terminology differs.
The expression translated observer of times is associated with the root ʿānan, whose precise etymology and nuance are debated.
It is generally understood as a form of soothsaying or omen interpretation.
The enchanter is associated with nāḥash.
Both belong to the wider category of divinatory practices.
The precise boundary between the two is uncertain.
The important point is that God prohibited both.
PART TEN: 2 KINGS 17:17 — ISRAEL'S PARTICIPATION IN ENCHANTMENTS
X. The religious corruption of the northern kingdom
2 Kings 17:17 (KJV):
"And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger."
This passage describes the sins that contributed to the judgment of the northern kingdom of Israel.
1. Israel adopted forbidden religious practices
The people practiced divination and enchantments.
2. The practices appeared alongside child sacrifice
The passage identifies multiple violations of God's commandments.
3. Israel rejected covenant faithfulness
The writer describes the people as selling themselves to do evil.
4. The consequences were national
The broader chapter explains the judgment that came upon Israel.
PART ELEVEN: MANASSEH AND ENCHANTMENTS
XI. 2 Kings 21:6
"And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger."
Manasseh's reign included several forbidden religious practices.
1. Enchantments were part of his religious corruption
2. The king also dealt with mediums and wizards
3. His conduct violated the law
4. The LORD condemned his actions
The passage demonstrates that forbidden divination was not merely a practice of foreign nations.
It also entered Judah through royal participation.
PART TWELVE: JEREMIAH 27:9 — THE WARNING AGAINST ENCHANTERS
XII. The prophetic command
Jeremiah 27:9 (KJV):
"Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:"
Jeremiah warns against various religious practitioners who contradicted the message he had received from the LORD.
1. The enchanters offered a contrary message
They were among those predicting that the nations would not serve Babylon.
2. Jeremiah declared God's judgment
The prophet announced that the nations would come under Babylonian domination.
3. The issue was false assurance
The people were being encouraged to trust messages that contradicted God's revealed warning.
4. The lesson
Spiritual claims must be tested according to God's Word.
A message is not true merely because it comes from someone claiming special knowledge.
PART THIRTEEN: THE ENCHANTER AND THE SERPENT
XIII. Psalm 58:4–5
"Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely."
This passage refers to serpent charming.
However, the Hebrew vocabulary here is not identical to the verb nāḥash used for the enchanter in Deuteronomy 18:10.
The passage is therefore most directly connected with the broader practice of charming rather than specifically with the enchanter's Hebrew term.
1. The psalm uses a comparison
Wicked people are compared to a serpent that refuses to respond.
2. The passage reflects familiarity with serpent charming
The imagery suggests that such practices were known.
3. The passage does not endorse occult practice
It uses the illustration to describe stubborn wickedness.
PART FOURTEEN: THE ENCHANTER AND THE WORD OF GOD
XIV. Isaiah 8:19–20
Isaiah 8:19 (KJV):
"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?"
Isaiah 8:20 (KJV):
"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
Although Isaiah specifically mentions mediums and wizards, the principle applies to forbidden spiritual inquiry more broadly.
1. The LORD is the proper source of divine revelation
2. The people must not seek forbidden intermediaries
3. The Word of God provides the standard of truth
4. Extraordinary claims do not replace obedience
The believer must evaluate spiritual teaching according to Scripture.
PART FIFTEEN: ENCHANTMENT AND THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
XV. The difference between divination and divine revelation
The New Testament teaches that the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:8–10 identifies gifts including wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, and discerning of spirits.
These gifts are not equivalent to divination.
1. The source is different
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God.
Forbidden divination seeks knowledge through unauthorized methods.
2. The authority is different
The Holy Spirit acts according to divine will.
Divination attempts to obtain information through techniques or practices outside God's authorization.
3. The purpose is different
Spiritual gifts are given for the edification of the church.
4. The standard remains Scripture
1 John 4:1 commands believers to test the spirits.
The believer must exercise discernment.
PART SIXTEEN: CAN ENCHANTMENTS OVERRIDE GOD'S WILL?
XVI. Numbers 23:23 and the sovereignty of God
The account of Balaam provides a direct answer.
"Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!" — Numbers 23:23 (KJV)
Balaam could not overturn God's blessing.
The narrative demonstrates that the LORD's covenant purpose was not subject to divinatory manipulation.
1. God's authority is supreme
2. The claims of diviners do not establish actual power
3. God's people must not live in fear of alleged occult control
4. Faith must remain grounded in divine revelation
The believer's confidence rests in the LORD.
PART SEVENTEEN: THE SPIRITUAL LESSON — SEEKING SIGNS INSTEAD OF SEEKING GOD
XVII. The deeper issue
The enchanter sought hidden knowledge through signs and omens.
But the biblical commandment directs God's people toward the LORD.
A person may desire to know the future.
A person may seek certainty about difficult circumstances.
A person may attempt to interpret unusual events as supernatural messages.
Yet the believer must not substitute forbidden divination for trust in God.
Proverbs 3:5–6 (KJV):
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
The central principle is faithful dependence upon God.
PART EIGHTEEN: TEN PRINCIPLES ABOUT THE ENCHANTER
1. The Hebrew word associated with the enchanter is nāḥash.
2. The term is associated with divination and the interpretation of omens.
3. The enchanter is not necessarily identical to the charmer.
4. The Hebrew word for serpent resembles the divination term, but the relationship does not prove that all enchanters practiced serpent worship.
5. Laban's statement in Genesis 30:27 uses language associated with divination.
6. Joseph's cup is described using divinatory language, but the narrative does not establish that Joseph personally practiced occult divination.
7. Balaam sought enchantments, but he could not overturn God's blessing upon Israel.
8. Israel was forbidden to adopt the divinatory practices of the surrounding nations.
9. The prophets condemned reliance upon forbidden spiritual knowledge.
10. The believer's confidence must rest in the LORD and His revealed Word.
PART NINETEEN: QUESTIONS FOR INTENSIVE BIBLE STUDY
What does the Hebrew verb nāḥash mean?
Why is the enchanter associated with omen interpretation?
What is the relationship between the Hebrew words for divination and serpent?
Why must we avoid assuming that every enchanter practiced serpent worship?
What does Genesis 30:27 reveal about Laban's methods of obtaining information?
Why is Joseph's cup associated with divination in Genesis 44?
What does Numbers 23:23 teach about God's sovereignty over enchantments?
Why did Balaam cease seeking enchantments in Numbers 24:1?
What is the difference between an enchanter and a charmer?
Why did God forbid Israel from practicing enchantment?
How did enchantments contribute to Israel's religious corruption?
What does Jeremiah 27:9 reveal about false spiritual assurance?
How does Isaiah 8:20 establish the standard for spiritual truth?
What distinguishes the gifts of the Holy Spirit from forbidden divination?
Why must believers seek the LORD rather than rely upon omens?
CONCLUSION: THE LORD IS GREATER THAN EVERY ENCHANTMENT
The biblical enchanter was associated with forbidden divination and the interpretation of omens.
The Hebrew verb nāḥash identifies a practice through which people attempted to obtain hidden knowledge by interpreting signs.
God prohibited Israel from adopting these practices.
The accounts of Laban, Joseph, Balaam, and the kings of Israel and Judah demonstrate the various contexts in which divinatory language appears.
The narrative of Balaam is especially significant.
Balaam could not overturn the blessing of God.
The LORD remained sovereign.
The believer is therefore not called to seek hidden knowledge through omens, magical techniques, or forbidden spiritual intermediaries.
The believer is called to seek the LORD, trust His Word, and walk in obedience.
True spiritual guidance comes from God, not from forbidden divination.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we acknowledge that You alone are the true and living God.
You are the source of wisdom, knowledge, truth, and understanding.
Father, deliver us from deception, superstition, false doctrine, and every practice that contradicts Your Word.
Teach us to seek Your face rather than hidden knowledge.
Grant us spiritual discernment through Your Holy Spirit.
Strengthen our faith and establish us in sound doctrine.
May we never place our confidence in omens, enchantments, or human manipulation.
We thank You for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
May our hearts remain wholly devoted to You.
In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.
An In-Depth and Intensive Biblical Exposition | King James Version | Hebrew Word Studies | Historical Context | Covenant Theology | Spiritual Discernment
Primary Scriptures: Deuteronomy 18:9–14; Genesis 30:27; Genesis 44:5, 15; Numbers 23:23; Numbers 24:1; Leviticus 19:26; 2 Kings 17:17; 2 Kings 21:6; Psalm 58:4–5; Jeremiah 27:9; Isaiah 8:19–20.
