Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Of false prophets (Deut. 18:10, 14; Micah 3:6, 7, 11), of necromancers (1 Sam. 28:8), of the Philistine priests and diviners (1 Sam. 6:2), of Balaam (Josh. 13:22). Three kinds of divination are mentioned in Ezek. 21:21, by arrows, consulting with images (the teraphim), and by examining the entrails of animals sacrificed. The practice of this art seems to have been encouraged in ancient Egypt. Diviners also abounded among the aborigines of Canaan
and the Philistines (Isa. 2:6; 1 Sam. 28). At a later period multitudes of magicians poured from Chaldea and Arabia into the land of Israel, and pursued their occupations (Isa. 8:19; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chr. 33:6). This superstition widely spread, and in the time of the apostles there were “vagabond Jews, exorcists” (Acts 19:13), and men like Simon Magus (Acts 8:9), Bar-jesus (13:6, 8), and other jugglers and impostors (19:19; 2 Tim. 3:13). Every
species and degree of this superstition was strictly forbidden by the law of Moses (Ex. 22:18; Lev. 19:26, 31; 20:27; Deut. 18:10, 11). But beyond these various forms of superstition, there are instances of divination on record in the Scriptures by which God was pleased to make known his will. (1.) There was divination by lot, by which, when resorted to in matters of moment, and with solemnity, God intimated his will (Josh. 7:13). The land of
Canaan was divided by lot (Num. 26:55, 56); Achan’s guilt was detected (Josh. 7:16-19), Saul was elected king (1 Sam. 10:20, 21), and Matthias chosen to the apostleship, by the solem lot (Acts 1:26). It was thus also that the scape-goat was determined (Lev. 16:8-10). (2.) There was divination by dreams (Gen. 20:6; Deut. 13:1, 3; Judg. 7:13, 15; Matt. 1:20; 2:12, 13, 19, 22). This is illustrated in the history of Joseph (Gen. 41:25-32) and of
Daniel (2:27; 4:19-28). (3.) By divine appointment there was also divination by the Urim and Thummim (Num. 27:21), and by the ephod. (4.) God was pleased sometimes to vouch-safe direct vocal communications to men (Deut. 34:10; Ex. 3:4; 4:3; Deut. 4:14, 15; 1 Kings 19:12). He also communed with men from above the mercy-seat (Ex. 25:22), and at the door of the tabernacle (Ex. 29:42, 43). (5.) Through his prophets God revealed himself, and gave
intimations of his will (2 Kings 13:17; Jer. 51:63, 64).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
is a “foretelling future events, or discovering things secret by the aid of superior beings, or other than human means.” It is used in Scripture of false systems of ascertaining the divine will. It has been universal in all ages, and all nations alike civilized and savage. Numerous forms of divination are mentioned, such as divination by rods, (Hosea 4:12) divination by arrows, (Ezekiel 21:21) divination by cups, (Genesis 44:5) consultation
of teraphim, (1 Samuel 15:23; Ezekiel 21:21; Zechariah 10:2) [Teraphim]; divination by the liver, (Ezekiel 21:21) divination by dreams, (13:2,3; Judges 7:13; Jeremiah 23:32) consultation of oracles. (Isaiah 41:21-24; 44:7) Moses forbade every species of divination, because a prying into the future clouds the mind with superstition, and because it would have been an incentive to idolatry. But God supplied his people with substitutes for divination
which would have rended it superfluous, and left them in no doubt as to his will in circumstances of danger, had they continued faithful. It was only when they were unfaithful that the revelation was withdrawn. (1 Samuel 28:6; 2 Samuel 2:1; 5:23) etc. Superstition not unfrequently goes hand in hand with skepticism, and hence, amid the general infidelity prevalent throughout the Roman empire at our Lord’s coming, imposture was rampant. Hence the
lucrative trade of such men as Simon Magus, (Acts 8:9) Bar-jesus, (Acts 13:6) the slave with the spirit of Python, (Acts 16:16) the vagabond jews, exorcists, (Luke 11:19; Acts 19:13) and others, (2 Timothy 3:13; Revelation 19:20) etc., as well as the notorious dealers in magical books at Ephesus. (Acts 19:19)
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
DIVINA'TION is the practice of divining or foretelling future events. Deut 18:10. In the passage cited it is put in connection with witchcraft, necromancy, and other abominations of the heathen which the Jews were to avoid. Divination prevailed among the Israelites and many of the Eastern nations. The modes or means of divining were by consulting or being familiar with spirits, by the motions of the stars, clouds, etc., and by lots, rods or
wands, dreams, the flight of birds, the entrails of animals, etc., etc. It is said of Joseph's cup. Gen 44:5, that he divined by it. It is not to be inferred, however, that he practised divination, but rather that he uses the words in his supposed character of a native Egyptian. His brethren would therefore believe that by the cup he did actually divine, as was the custom of the land. In so speaking, Joseph practised deception; we are not,
however, called upon to believe he was perfect. The Egyptian magicians were diviners, so were the wise men, the Chaldaeans of Babylon. There are many words used in Scripture to denote them. Some diviners were learned, others very ignorant. Ventriloquism and illusion formed part of their business, although many believed in the reality of their revelations. In divining with the cup, a small piece of gold or silver, or a jewel, was thrown into a
spherical goblet, an incantation was pronounced, the number of waves were counted and the appearance of the object studied. Or else the goblet was simply filled with pure water and exposed to the sunlight; whatever it reflected was suppose to give an answer. In the case of the witch of Endor, she began to practise her art, but, to her amazement, no less than to Saul's, the vision or spirit of Samuel actually arose, and announced the imminent
defeat and death of the king. The root of the Hebrew word translated "witch" means "a bottle." The term arose from the supposed inflation of these persons by the spirit. The Jews were familar with four genuine ways adopted by God to make known the future. These were (1) by visions, as in the case of the patriarchs; (2) dreams interpreted, as by Joseph and Daniel; (3) by the Urim and Thummim; (4) and by the prophets, 1 Sam 28:6. The practice of
divination in all its forms is severely reprobated by Moses and other sacred writers, Lev 20:27; Deut 18:9-14; Jer 14:14; Eze 13:8-9, because "a prying into the future clouds the mind with superstition and is an incentive to idolatry," as is the case with the pagans. In whatever form it is practised or regarded, it is reproachful to Christianity, and argues great folly, ignorance, and sin. 2 Pet 1:19.