Category:Enchantments

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Enchantments - (1.) The rendering of Hebrew latim or lehatim, which means "something covered," "muffled up;" secret arts, tricks (Exodus 7:11, Exodus 7:22; Exodus 8:7, Exodus 8:18), by which the Egyptian magicians imposed on the credulity of Pharaoh. (2.) The rendering of the Hebrew keshaphim, "muttered spells" or "incantations," rendered "sorceries" in Isaiah 47:9, Isaiah 47:12, i.e., the using of certain formulae under the belief that men could thus be bound. (3.) Hebrew lehashim, "charming," as of serpents (Jeremiah 8:17; compare Psalms 58:5). (4.) Hebrew nehashim, the enchantments or omens used by Balaam (Numbers 24:1); his endeavoring to gain omens favorable to his design. (5.) Hebrew heber (Isaiah 47:9, Isaiah 47:12), "magical spells." All kinds of enchantments were condemned by the Mosaic law (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10). (See DIVINATION.)