Witch; Witchcraft
Defining Biblical Sorcery and Magic
The words translated as "witch" and "witchcraft" in older English Bibles cover a broad range of occult practices that were common in the ancient Near East. Modern translations more accurately render these terms as "sorcerer," "sorcery," "divination," and related words. The key Hebrew and Greek terms include words for practicing magic arts, consulting the dead, casting spells, and interpreting omens.
It is important to understand that the biblical concept of sorcery differs significantly from later European ideas about witchcraft. The Bible is not concerned with broomsticks, black cats, or pacts with the devil in the medieval sense. Rather, Scripture addresses real practices in the ancient world — attempts to manipulate supernatural forces, foretell the future through forbidden means, or communicate with the dead — all of which represented a fundamental rejection of trust in the living God.
The Old Testament Prohibitions
The Mosaic law contains the Bible's most comprehensive list of forbidden occult practices. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 provides the definitive catalogue: "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord."
Exodus 22:18 states bluntly, "Do not allow a sorceress to live," reflecting the severity with which these practices were viewed. Leviticus 19:26 commands, "Do not practice divination or seek omens," and Leviticus 19:31 warns, "Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them."
These prohibitions were not arbitrary. They were grounded in the fundamental command to trust God alone. Deuteronomy 18 immediately follows the list of forbidden practices with the promise of a true prophet whom God would raise up (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). The contrast is clear: God's people are to receive guidance from God through His appointed means, not through occult manipulation.
The Witch of Endor
The most dramatic narrative involving sorcery in the Old Testament is Saul's visit to the medium at Endor (1 Samuel 28:3-25). Facing the Philistine army and unable to receive guidance from God through legitimate means — dreams, the priestly Urim, or prophets (1 Samuel 28:6) — Saul disguised himself and sought out a woman who could consult the dead.
The irony is thick in the narrative. Saul himself had previously expelled mediums and spiritists from the land in obedience to the law (1 Samuel 28:3, 9). Now, in desperation, he violated the very command he had enforced. When the spirit of Samuel appeared, the message was devastating: God had departed from Saul, the kingdom would be given to David, and Saul and his sons would die the next day (1 Samuel 28:16-19).
This episode illustrates why sorcery was forbidden. It represented a desperate attempt to seize supernatural knowledge apart from God, born of a broken relationship with Him. The information Saul received brought only terror and despair.
Sorcery in the Prophets and Monarchy
The prophets repeatedly condemned sorcery as a symptom of spiritual unfaithfulness. Isaiah denounced those who consulted mediums and spiritists, asking, "Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?" (Isaiah 8:19). Micah prophesied that God would destroy sorcery and fortune-telling from among His people (Micah 5:12). Nahum condemned Nineveh as a city of sorceries that enslaved nations through its witchcraft (Nahum 3:4).
Several Israelite kings were condemned for promoting occult practices. Manasseh, one of Judah's most wicked kings, "practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists" (2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chronicles 33:6). His grandson Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists as part of his great reform (2 Kings 23:24). The tolerance or removal of occult practices served as a barometer of Israel's spiritual health.
Sorcery in the New Testament
The New Testament continues the Old Testament's firm opposition to sorcery. In Acts, the early church encountered practitioners of magic at several points. Simon Magus in Samaria had amazed the people with his sorcery before Philip's preaching brought genuine faith (Acts 8:9-24). On the island of Cyprus, Paul confronted the sorcerer Bar-Jesus (Elymas), calling him "a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right" (Acts 13:6-12). In Ephesus, new believers who had practiced sorcery publicly burned their scrolls of magic, valued at fifty thousand drachmas (Acts 19:18-19).
Paul listed sorcery among the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:20), and the book of Revelation places sorcerers among those excluded from the holy city (Revelation 21:8; 22:15). The Greek word used in Revelation is related to the word for drugs or potions, suggesting a connection between sorcery and the use of substances to alter consciousness or cast spells.
Why Sorcery Is Forbidden
The biblical prohibition of sorcery is not rooted in skepticism about the supernatural but in the conviction that there is only one legitimate source of supernatural power and knowledge: God Himself. Sorcery represents an attempt to access supernatural reality on human terms, bypassing the covenant relationship with God. It substitutes manipulation for trust, secret knowledge for revealed truth, and spiritual shortcuts for faithful obedience.
The consistent biblical message is that God provides what His people need through prayer, prophetic revelation, wisdom, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The forbidden arts were dangerous precisely because they offered an alternative to dependence on God — and that alternative, however alluring, led only to spiritual bondage and destruction.
Biblical Context
The prohibition of sorcery spans both Testaments. Key Old Testament passages include Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 19:26-31, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, and the narrative of Saul and the medium at Endor (1 Samuel 28). The prophets condemn sorcery in Isaiah 8:19, 47:12-13, Micah 5:12, and Nahum 3:4. In the New Testament, encounters with sorcery appear in Acts 8:9-24, 13:6-12, and 19:18-19. Paul lists sorcery as a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:20), and Revelation excludes sorcerers from God's kingdom (Revelation 21:8; 22:15).
Theological Significance
The biblical condemnation of sorcery flows from the first commandment: 'You shall have no other gods before me.' Sorcery represents an attempt to access supernatural power and knowledge apart from God, making it a fundamental act of spiritual infidelity. The prohibition protects the exclusive covenant relationship between God and His people. It affirms that God alone knows the future, controls supernatural forces, and provides genuine spiritual guidance. The contrast between sorcery and true prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:10-19) establishes the principle that God communicates on His own terms, not through human manipulation.
Historical Background
Sorcery and divination were pervasive throughout the ancient Near East. Mesopotamian tablets contain extensive collections of omens, incantations, and magical rituals. Egyptian magical papyri document sophisticated spell-casting traditions. The Hittites, Canaanites, and other peoples surrounding Israel all practiced various forms of magic and divination. Archaeological discoveries include curse tablets, amulets, and ritual installations. The Greek magical papyri from Egypt (dating to the early centuries AD) show the continuation of these practices into the New Testament era. The burning of magical books at Ephesus (Acts 19:19) reflects the city's well-documented reputation as a center of magical practices.