Biblical References To The Word 'Witch'

Submitted By: Josiah - Date: 12/9/00

In the typical assault of "witchcraft" by the more established Christian religions the most commonly cited quotes come from the King James version of the Holy Bible. It is interesting to note that in the literal translation of the bible there is no reference to the word "witch" whatsoever. This article will explore the documented biblical references to the word "witch", and what those references might mean in the context that they were written.

Let us start with the first and most commonly quoted reference.

KJV Exodus 22:18

18. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Here, the word translated as "witch" is listed as "sorceress" in the literal bible. It is translated from the term "ma'n," an obscure Aramaic term for a utensil or vessel. The translation of "witch" is at best unclear, but accepting this, this statement is an admonition to kill witches. It comes in the context of a passage delineating Hebrew law on the migration after their liberation from Egypt. The question then is if this is a directive to kill all witches? The answer comes three verses below.

KJV Exodus 22:21

21. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Now, this passage isn't entirely clear either, in that the term "stranger" is translated from the Hebrew word for guest. In any case this is clearer than the translation of the first passage. So it appears that the people of the god Yahveh are being exhorted to extinguish those practicing sorcery only within their midst. This is in keeping with the sentiment of the commandments, especially not holding any gods before Yahveh.

The next reference is in Deuteronomy, which is a summary and reiteration of the previous laws, as they were stated in the creation of the theocracy of the Hebrew nation.

KJV Deuteronomy 18:9-12

9. When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

10. 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.

11. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

12. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Here at least the translation is clearer. The word "kashaph" means to whisper a spell, and by extension to practice magic. Apparently, the god Yahveh considers the practices of divination and magic as offensive, and will drive them out of the Hebrew state.

KJV 1 Samuel 15:23

23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

This comes as a statement in a conversation between Saul and Samuel. Indeed it is Saul's confession of his sins here that indicates why he doesn't take the position of the leader of the Hebrews. The context of the books of Samuel is a delineation of the history of the Kings of the Hebrew state. The books of Kings and Samuel form a continuous history of the state. The importance of this passage is that the sin of witchcraft as it was practiced in the ancient times is clarified by the analogy made. Witchcraft is seen as a rebellion. Indeed, in many ways, this is seen because the witch, by acting herself on her own knowledge and relying on her own skills and wisdom, usurps the authority of the priest. It isn't clear that the rebellion is against God, because at least in modern times rebellion is a political term. In the theocracy of the Hebrew nation, rebellion could be seen as any attempt to address the divine without the intercession of the priest. In this light many of the evangelical faiths can be seen as sins akin to this "witchcraft", in the middle east of circa 600 BCE. The idea that this rebellious sin of witchcraft is actually the sin of non-intercessionalist faith is also supported in that the word translated as witchcraft, "qecem," means oracular divination.

Later in the lineage of the kings, specifically in 2 Kings 9:22 we find:

KJV 2 Kings 9:22

22. And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

Here we have a definite reference to magical acts committed by Jezebel, as the translation bears out. This is not the same as the divinatory witchcraft, but rather a swaying of opinions and a causing of things to pass by occult means. Whether this is a slander against the said Jezebel, or whether it is fact that she practiced magic is unclear in the context, but in any case, it is clear that she was disliked, and her influence was blamed for the ills of the land at the time of the passage (circa 550 BCE). Next we find, in chronological order:

KJV 2 Chronicles 33:1-6

1. Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

2. But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.

3. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4. Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

5. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

6. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

Here we find the adaptation of the magic and faith of ancient Babylon adopted into the Hebrew state. This was in fact the biblical cause of the ills that befell the state in the times of the rule of Manasseh. The witchcraft noted here, again a literal reference to spell craft (kashaph) which was probably the ritual and religion of Babylon. This has little to do with modern witchcraft, except insofar as they both may include ritual as a technique (though most organized religion also uses ritual as in the Catholic mass). This is in the period after the Babylonian exile, circa 450 BCE. The message behind the text here appears to be that the Hebrew faith is to be kept pure, and syncretism will lead to downfall. There is clearly no admonition to go out into Babylon and conquer it, but simply not to dilute the Hebrew faith with the faiths of others. This is an ongoing theme in the Old Testimon.

KJV Micah 5:9-15

9. Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.

10. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:

11. And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:

12. And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:

13. Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

14. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.

15. And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

Here again we see the theocentric attitude of the Old Testimon through the words of its sixth minor prophet Micah. This is out of chronology compared to the last excerpt, by about two centuries. There is little here not noted in the prior reference, except that the fervor of the statements is at a much higher pitch. This is consistent with the prophets of the times. Indeed it may be noted that Micah is practicing as a soothsayer here. Were he not speaking the words of Yahveh, one might assume that he also would be among those cut off and cast out as a witch.

KJV Nahum 3:4

4. Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.

This passage speaks of the impending destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire. Here the literal reference is directly to magic working where it says witchcraft. Nineveh had risen to the center of commerce in the Middle East, mostly by plundering the surrounding cultures. Here again, as we saw with the Babylonians, the ritual of the non-Hebrew lands is considered an evil magic. Whether or not this was true, is not as clear as in the Babylonian case. It is possible that the author is using the word "kesheph," to indicate his disgust in the acts of the Assyrians, for as we've seen, the term is considered an abomination to the god Yahweh.

From here we move to the New Testimon.

KJV Acts 8:9

9. But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

This passage is one from the section entitled "From Jerusalem to Antioch, describing the first twelve years of the Christian church, as it was spread among the Jews by the ministry of Peter. Although the reference states "bewitched," the word "mageuo" clearly translates as to practice magic. This passage goes on to describe how Simon went on to request of the apostles to grant him the energy of the Holy Ghost, and they did indeed lay on hands in Simon's presence, which showed Simon its strength. Simon oddly enough offers them money for this, and they refused him because he had offered to buy the lord's gift. How strange it would seem today to see someone denied a religious act because he offered money in return.

Now comes a personal favorite and indeed the last reference to witches in the King James Version of the Bible.

KJV Galatians 5:19-23

19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

This appears to be more of the same, and indeed it says as much. Looking to the literal translation of the word for which witchcraft is substituted changes the perspective somewhat. Here the word is "pharmakeia," which indicates healers and practitioners of folk medicine. Here is a clear foreshadowing of the conflicts between the church and modern medicine, especially with doctors "playing god."

So, here are the references. Indeed, there are but a few. I have found no mention of connection between the devil, adversary, Satan and witches. I have found no admonition to rid the earth of witches. Indeed, the majority of the references seem to account witches as a threat to the religious purity of the Hebrew state and nothing more. Although the term witch has an appeal to mass hysteria, that apparently has been present for centuries, there is little in the bible to account for this reaction. There is much more in the collective unconscious and the mythic history of society with regard to witches, but there are bigger issues there also with respect to the monotheistic theocentric and theocratic societies. Overall, it appears that the term witch is used loosely for its emotional shock value more than with any true understanding of those to whom the term applies.

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