כַּשָּׁף

כַּשָּׁף

a magician

Definition

כַּשָּׁף (kashshâph) refers specifically to a male magician or sorcerer who practices occult arts, particularly those involving incantations and ritual magic. The term carries a consistently negative connotation in the Old Testament, describing practitioners of forbidden supernatural arts that stand in opposition to Yahweh's power and authority. Its single biblical occurrence is in Jeremiah 27:9, where such figures are listed among the false prophets, diviners, and dreamers whom God's people must not heed. The word denotes a professional practitioner of magic, distinct from more general terms for divination.

Biblical Usage

This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 27:9. In this prophetic warning, Jeremiah groups the 'sorcerer' (kashshâph) with false prophets, diviners, dream interpreters, and enchanters as voices the people of Judah and surrounding nations must not listen to. The context is a polemic against all forms of occult consultation and false prophecy that contradict the word of Yahweh delivered through His true prophet. The usage pattern places it firmly within the category of prohibited religious practices as defined in the Torah (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

Etymology

The noun כַּשָּׁף (kashshâph) is derived from the root verb כָּשַׁף (kāshaph, H3784), which means 'to practice sorcery' or 'to whisper a spell.' This root is likely onomatopoeic, imitating the whispered incantations characteristic of magical rituals. Cognates exist in other Semitic languages, such as Akkadian 'kašāpu' (to bewitch, practice sorcery), confirming its ancient association with ritual magic. The Hebrew form is an intensive pattern, suggesting one who is a dedicated practitioner or professional in this forbidden art.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it identifies a specific category of false spiritual practitioner explicitly condemned by God. Sorcery (kishshuf) represents a human attempt to manipulate spiritual forces outside of dependence on and obedience to Yahweh, constituting rebellion and idolatry. It is grouped with divination and necromancy in Deuteronomy 18:10-12 as an 'abomination' that defiles the land. Understanding כַּשָּׁף enriches the reading of Jeremiah 27:9 by highlighting the comprehensive nature of false spiritual guidance against which God warns His people, contrasting human occult power with the sovereign word of the Lord. In the ancient Near Eastern context, a כַּשָּׁף was a recognized professional who performed rituals, cast spells, and created amulets, often for purposes of healing, cursing enemies, or divining the future. Such figures were common in the surrounding Canaanite, Babylonian, and Egyptian cultures. Israel's law uniquely forbade these practices, setting Yahweh's covenant community apart. The biblical view radically differed from its neighbors: it did not debate the potential efficacy of such magic but condemned its source as demonic and its practice as a direct challenge to God's sole authority. אוֹב (ʾôb, H178) — a necromancer or medium who consults the dead. מְכַשֵּׁף (mekhasheph, H3907) — another term for a sorcerer, used in Exodus 7:11 and Daniel 2:2, often in a plural form. קֹסֵם (qōsēm, H7080) — a diviner who seeks omens or makes decisions by lot.

Word Details