A Brief Word Study on "Witch/Witchcraft/Witchcrafts"

1 Sam. 15:22-23 ...to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft...

Links to Topics:

Witch: Ex. 22:18 - 3784, De. 18:10 - 3784
Witchcraft: 1 Sa. 15:23 - 7081, 2 Chr. 33:6 - 3784, Gal. 5:20 - 5331
Witchcrafts: 2 Ki. 9:22 - 3785, Mic. 5:12 - 3785, Nah. 3:4 - 3785
Note

Witch

• Strong's Exhaustive Concordance  

3784 - Hebrew - Kashaph, English - Witch
prop. to whisper a spell, i.e. to inchant or practice magic :- Sorcerer, (use) witch (-craft).

• Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament  

3784/1051 - Hebrew - Kashaph, English - Witch
This verb and its related nouns mean the same as the Akkadian "Kasapu" and the Ugaritic "Ktp" (sorcery). It occurs six times, in the Piel stem only. The participail form is used five times.

The pharaoh of the exodus had those who practiced this variety of the occult in his retinue of advisers (Exodus 7:11). They are grouped with the "hakamim" (wise men) and "hartummim" (magicains, q.v.).

These sorcerers were outlawed in Israel. In Exodus 22:17 the feminine form appears (MeKashshepa) and in the long list of Deut 18:10 the masculine (MeKashshep). The penalty was death.

Among the sins of King Manasseh was witchcraft (2 Chronicles 33:6). This is the only occurrence of the finite verb form.

Another occurrence of the participle is in Dan 2:2. Like the pharaoh, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned his "sorcerers" along with his "magicians" (hartummim), enchanters ('ashshapim, q.v.), and Chaldeans (kasdim).

Malachi saw these sorcerers being judged in the end along with adulterers, liars, and oppressors of widows, orphans, and foreigners (Malachi 3:5).

Witchcraft

• Strong's Exhaustive Concordance  

7081 - Hebrew - Qesem, English - Witchcrafts.
from 7080; a lot; also divination (includ. its fee), oracle :- (reward of) divination, divine sentence, witchcraft.   

• Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament  

7081/2044a - Hebrew - Qesem
Divination, witchcraft, sorcery, fortunetelling, omen, lot, oracle, decision.

The exact meaning of this variety of occultism is unknown. that fact accounts for the variety of translations. The account in Ezk 21:21-22 [H 27-28] is the only clue to exactly how "qesem" may have been practiced. Shaking or flinging down arrows, consulting teraphim, and hepatoscopy (looking at the liver) may be subcategories of qesem. In any event, vers 22 [H 28] uses qesem as if it were one of the arrows to be thrown down. In fact, the NEB translates the word as "augur's arrow" and the NAB as "divining arrow." The JB uses "omen" and "lot" in these two verses.

Another interesting use of qesem is at Num 22:7, where the word seems to indicate a "reward" or "fee" for "divination" (Berkeley Version, sorcery; Amplified, foretelling; NEB, augury) to be paid to Balaam. Later in that account (Num 23:23) qesem is parallel to nahash (cf. 2 Kings 17:17). In Jer. 14:14 it is parallel to "lying vision," "a thing of nought," and "self-deceit" (cf. Ezk 13:6, 23).

1 Sam. 15:23 To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken that the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft.

• Strong's Exhaustive Concordance  

7080 - Hebrew - Qasam
a prim. root; prop. to distribute, i.e. determine by lot or magical scroll; by impl. to divine :- divine (-r, -ation), prident, soothsayer, use [divination]. 5331 - Greek - pharmakeia, English - Witchcraft
from 5332; medication ("pharmacy"), i.e. (by extens.) magic (lit. or fig.) :- Sorcery, withchcraft. 5332 - Greek - pharmakeus from pharmkon
(a drug, i.e. spellgiving potion); a druggist ("pharmacist") or poisoner, i.e. (by extens.) a magician :- sorcerer. 5333 - Greek - pharmakos
the same as 5332 :- sorcerer.   

• Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament  

7080/2044 - Hebrew - Qasam
practice divination. Denominative verb.

Like the noun qesem, this verb describes some variety of divination. And as with all other manifestations of the occult, this practice was outlawed in Israel and spoken of with scorn.

The participle form appears in the long list of such practices in Deuteronomy 18 (vv. 10, 14).

Balaam was such a "soothsayer" or "diviner." Both the participle and nominal forms are used in connection with him (Num 22:7; 23:23; Josh 13:22).

Saul commanded the woman at En-dor to "divine" for him with 'ob (q.v.) in 1 Sam 6:2 in reference to the Philistine "diviners" and 2 Kings 17:17, a list of Israelite offenses which prompted God to exile them.

The major prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel and the minor prophets Micah and Zechariah all mention qasam in a derogatory sense.

Witchcrafts

• Strong's Exhaustive Concordance  

3785 - Hebrew - Keshep, English - Witchcrafts
from 3784; magic :- Sorcery, witchcraft.   

• Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament  

3785/1051a - Hebrew - Keshep, English - Witchcrafts
Witchcraft, sorcery, soothsayer, spell.

This masculine noun occurs six times in the Old Testament, always in the plural (2 Kings 9:22; Isa. 47:9, 12; Mic. 5:12 [H 11]; Nah. 3:4 twice).

Note:

This is not a definitive work on Witch or Witchcraft by any stretch of the imagination. This is only put up to give a start to those who seek the truth. If you read the verses given in the study above you will find that the practices such as divination, astrology, tarot cards, spells, potions, etc. all fall under the term witchcraft and the users are called witches.

There is no such thing in God's sight as a good witch or a bad witch as they are ALL an abomination in His sight. God calls those those who are into such practices to repent (turn away from) their evil practices and confess their sins to Him, and commit themselves to following Jesus Christ, and He WILL save them. In spite of our evil deeds, God desires to forgive us and come to us and heal us of our sins. That is the glorious Gospel news. Jesus died that we would be forgiven as He paid the penalty of our sins, and He arose from the dead on the third day to show that He had the power over sin and death, as Jesus was and is and forever will be, God Almighty.