(1) Kecem, commonly referred to as “divination,” is a general term for divination of all kinds. In Ezekiel 21:21 (26), he represents prophecy with arrows, while in 1. Samuel 28:8 of prophecy is used through an `obh (“familiar spirit”). To derive the word, see EB, article “Magic”, section 3. (3) The verb nichesh, of which lichesh is only a variant, is probably a shock absorber of nachash, “a serpent” (l and n exchange in Hebrew), which means “to whistle”, “whisper” (like a snake) and then “to pronounce divinatory formulas”. Because it is used for so many types of divination, W. R. Smith concludes that it has become a general term for divine. The participle of this verb is translated as “sorcerer” in Deuteronomy 18:10, the related verb “to use enchantments” in Leviticus 19:26; 2 Kings 21:6; 2. Chronicles 33:6 and the corresponding noun “enchantment” in Numbers 23:23; 24:1. 1. The act of laundering; a prediction of future events or the discovery of secret or obscure things, with the help of superior beings or by means other than human means.
Ancient pagan philosophers divided divination into two types, natural and artificial. Natural divination should be caused by some kind of divine inspiration or afflatus; Artificial divination has been caused by certain rites, experiments or observations, such as sacrifices, cakes, flour, wine, observation of the intestines, flight of birds, lots, verses, omens, position of stars, &c. 2. There was prophecy through dreams (Genesis 20:6; Deuteronomy 13:1–3; Judges 7:13–15; Matthew 1:20; 2:12, 13, 19, 22). This is illustrated in the story of Joseph (Genesis 41:25-32) and Daniel (2:27; 4:19-28). bb) The other type of dreams consists of those induced by what is called “incubation”, that is, sleeping in a sacred place where the god of the place believes that he will reveal his secrets to the sleeper. Herodotus (iv.172) says that the Nasamians, an Egyptian tribe, practiced divination by sleeping in the tombs of their ancestors. The dreams that came to them then were understood as revelations of their deified ancestors. See Herod.
i.181 for another example of incubation in Nineveh. We have a reference to this custom in Isaiah 65:4 (“those who sit between the graves”), where Yahweh speaks to the Jews of their sin by yielding to this superstition. Solomon`s dream (1 Kings 3:5-15) came to him in the high place of Gibeon. See also DREAM, DREAMER. Pure Yahvehism in its basic principle is and must have ever been antagonistic to prophecies of all kinds, although inspiring divination has similarities with prophetism and even affinities with it. Why, then, does the Bible seem to speak in two voices that generally forbid, but sometimes tolerate, various forms of divination? In the current religion of the Old Testament, we have a syncretism in which, although Yahwehism is the foundation, there are components of the religions of the indigenous natives and surrounding nations. The underlying idea in all forms of divination is that through the use of certain means, people are able to acquire knowledge that is beyond their reach. The religion of Israel made Yahweh the source of this knowledge and the prophet the means by which it reached the people.
We have an analogous example of a syncretism that leads to the unification of opposing elements in ancient Zarathustraism (Zoroastrianism), which, although incompatible in its central principle with presage divination, nevertheless adopted some forms of divination of the indigenous Turanian cults of Persia, especially those of Lot (see Lenormant, Divination, 22). Nor should we forget that the Bible is a library, not a book, and that where so many writers who have lived in distant times have been at work, it is natural to seek the diversity of doctrine, although no one can deny that the authors of the Bible are wonderfully consistent in fundamental questions. All methods of divination were based on the belief that some superhuman spiritual beings (gods, spirits) possess the secret knowledge desired by humans and that they are ready to transmit it under certain conditions. (6) kasda`im, the same word as the Greek (Chaldaioi) (English Verisons, “Chaldeans”), refers to Da (1:4, etc.), where it occurs alone, not the people so called, but a class of astrologers. This use (common among classical writers) was born after the fall of the Babylonian Empire, when the only known Chaldeans were astrologers and fortune tellers. See below, MAGIC. For “Spirit of prophecy” (Acts 16:16), see PYTHON; PHILIPPI. The Bible`s attitude toward prophecy is on the whole decidedly hostile and is fairly represented by Deuteronomy 18:10, where the prophet of Yahweh is compared to fortune tellers of all kinds as the only permissible means of supernatural revelation. However, keep in mind that (2) astrology, or astromancy, is only a form of divination and is based on the ultimate belief that celestial bodies are deities that control people`s destiny and reveal the future to those who have eyes to see. According to the worldview of Hugo Winckler, Alfred Jeremias (see The Old Testament in the Light of the East) and others, earthly events are only shadows of celestial realities (cf.
Plato`s Doctrine of Ideas).
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