86 Bible verses about Deception of Divination

Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after Ovos (Mediums) and Yidonim (Spiritists), to be defiled by them: I am Hashem Eloheichem.

Now the Ruach HaKodesh says befeirush (explicitly) that in the acharit hayamim some will become meshummad (apostate) from the emunah [of Moshiach], giving heed to deceitful ruchot (spirits, 1Yn 4:1) and teachings of shedim,

And no wonder! For even Hasatan transforms himself into a malach ohr (an angel of light);

Therefore ye shall see no longer shav (vanity, futility), nor practice divinations; for I will save My people out of your yad; and ye shall know that I am Hashem.

They have seen shav (vanity) and kesem kazav (lying divination), saying, Hashem saith; and Hashem hath not sent them; yet they hope that their davar will be fulfilled.Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a kesem kazav (lying divination), whereas ye say, Hashem saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

[5:11] And I will cut off keshafim (witchcrafts) out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more sorcerers;

That annuls the otot of the baddim (liars, false prophets), and maketh kosemim (diviners, soothsayers) into madmen; that turneth back chachamim, and maketh their da'as (knowledge, science) foolishness;

Therefore do not pay heed to your nevi’im, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve Melech Bavel;

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his ben or his bat to pass through the eish (i.e., be burned as an idol's offering) or kosem kesamim (a diviner of divination) or a m'onen (soothsayer, astrologer), or a m'nachesh (one who interprets omens), or a mekhashshef (witch).Or one who casts spells, or one who inquires of a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a doresh el hamesim (a consulter of the dead ones, i.e., a necromancer).For all that do these things are a to'avat Hashem; and because of these to'evot, Hashem Eloheicha is about to drive them out before thee.

And the nefesh that turneth to Ovos (Mediums) and Yidonim (Spiritists), to go a-whoring after them, I will even set My face against that nefesh, and will cut him off from among his people.

Now a certain ish by name Shimon was previously in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Shomron, saying that he himself was an ish of gadlus (with remarkable superiority) and gadol.

And the rest of the Bnei Adam, the ones not killed by these makkot (plagues), did not make teshuva and turn from the ma'asim (deeds) of their hands or forsake worship of shedim (demons) and the itztzavim (idols, images, tzelamim), those of gold and of silver and of bronze and of stone and of wood, which neither are able to see nor to hear nor to walk. [DEVARIM 4:28; 31:29; YIRMEYAH 1:16; MICHOH 5:13]And they did not make teshuva (repentance, turning from sin to G-d) of the retzichot (murders) of them nor of the kishufim (sorceries) of them nor of the zenunim (fornication) of them nor of the gneyvot (thefts) of them. [YESHAYAH 47:9,12]

“And the ohr of a menorah would shine in you no more, and the kol (voice) of a choson (bridegroom) and of a kallah (bride) would be heard in you no more; because your merchants were the gedolim (the great) of ha'aretz (the earth), because by your kashefanut (sorcery) were all the Goyim deceived, [YIRMEYAH 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; YESHAYAH 23:8; NACHUM 3:4]

Stand now with thine khavarim (spells, magic, enchantments), and with the multitude of thy kashefanut (sorceries, witchcraft) wherein thou hast toiled from thy neurim; perhaps thou shalt be able to succeed, perhaps thou mayest cause terror.Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy etzot (counsels). Let now stand up the hovrev Shomayim (the dissectors of the heavens, astrologers), the chozim bakochavim (stargazers), the ones that predict the future by Rosh Chodesh, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.

And it came about when we were going to where they held the minyan, that a certain shifchah having a ruach of the python (i.e., a shed, demon) came out to meet us. She was bringing much profit to her adonim by divination. [Dt 18:11; 1Sm 28:3,7]This one was following Rav Sha'ul, crying out, saying, "These anashim are avadim of G-d HaElyon and are proclaiming to you the Derech HaYeshu'at Eloheinu."And this kviusdik thing she was doing for many yamim; but Rav Sha'ul, whom she wouldn’t stop derkutshen, turned to the ruach, and said, "I command you in haShem of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua to come out from her!” And it came out in the same hour.

And he caused his banot to pass through the eish in the Gey Ben Hinnom; also he practiced astrology, fortunetelling, and witchcraft, and necromancy and consulted mediums and spiritists; he wrought rah in the eyes of Hashem, to provoke Him to anger.

Then Hashem said unto me, The nevi'im prophesy sheker in My Shem; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke unto them; they prophesy unto you a chazon sheker (false vision) and kesem (divination, pagan fortunetelling), and a worthless thing, and the delusion of their lev.

For the terafim (idols) have spoken aven (deceit, nothing), and the diviners [i.e., fortune tellers] envision sheker, and have told false chalomot (dreams); hevel is their comfort; therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a ro'eh (shepherd).

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto mediums that have familiar spirits, and unto spiritists that whisper, and that mutter: should not Am seek unto Elohav? Should they consult the mesim (dead ones) for the benefit of the chayyim (living)?

And he made bno pass through the eish, and practiced sorcery, and witchcraft, and dealt with familiar spirits [i.e., he consulted mediums] and spiritists; he wrought much rah in the eyes of Hashem, to provoke Him to anger.

Then said Sha'ul unto his avadim, Seek me an isha that is a ba'alat ov (medium, a person with a familiar spirit), that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his avadim said to him, Hinei, there is an eshet ba'alat ov at Ein-Dor.

Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy etzot (counsels). Let now stand up the hovrev Shomayim (the dissectors of the heavens, astrologers), the chozim bakochavim (stargazers), the ones that predict the future by Rosh Chodesh, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.Hinei, they shall be as kash (stubble, straw); the eish shall burn them; they shall not save their nefesh from the power of the flame; there shall not be a hot coal to warm them, nor eish to sit before.

Ye shall not eat any thing with the dahm; neither shall ye practice divination, nor practice sorcery.

(17) Thou shalt not allow a mekhashefah (witch, sorceress) to live.

Now the ma'asei habasar are manifest, dehainu (being:) zenut (fornication), tum'ah (impurity), zimmah (licentiousness),Avodah zarah (idolatry), kashefanut (sorcery, witchcraft), eivot (enmities), merivah (strife), kinah (jealousy), rogez (anger), anochiyut (selfishness), machalokot (dissensions), kitot (sects),

They joined themselves also unto Ba’al-Pe'or, and ate the zivkhei mesim (sacrifices offered to the dead).

Thus saith Hashem, Learn not the Derech HaGoyim, and be not in awe of the otot HaShomayim; though the Goyim are in awe of them.

“Outside are the kelevim (dogs) and the mekhashfim (sorcerers, abusers of drugs; [T.N. the original language “pharmakoi” is where we derive the word for “drugs”; sorcerers often abused drugs to hallucinate or induce a passive state when they worked their magic and witchcraft; see Ga 5:20 and Rv 21:8] and the zonim (sexually immoral) and the rotzkhim (murderers) and the ovdei haelilim (idolaters) and everyone loving and practicing sheker. [DEVARIM 23:18]

And Achazyah fell down through a lattice in his aliyyah (upper room) that was in Shomron, and it was a dire injury: and he sent malachim, and he said unto them, Go, inquire of Ba'al Zevuv elohei Ekron whether I shall recover of this choli (infirmity).But the Malach Hashem said to Eliyahu HaTishbi, Arise, go up to meet the malachim of Melech Shomron, and say unto them, Is it because there is no Elohim in Yisroel, that ye go to inquire of Ba'al Zevuv elohei Ekron?

If there arise among you a navi, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee an ot (sign) or a mofet (wonder),(13:3) And the ot (sign) or the mofet (wonder) come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee, saying, Let us go after elohim acherim, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;(13:4) Thou shalt not give heed unto the devarim of that navi, or that dreamer of dreams; for Hashem Eloheichem is testing you, to know whether ye love Hashem Eloheichem with all your lev and with all your nefesh.

An ish also or isha who is an Ov (Medium) or a Yidoni (Spiritist), shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones; their dahm shall be upon them.

[21:26] For Melech Bavel stood at the fork in the derech, at the rosh of the two drakhim, to use divination; he shook his khitzim (arrows), he consulted with teraphim, he looked in the liver.

Thus saith Hashem, thy Go'el, and He that formed thee from the beten (womb), I am Hashem Oseh kol (the Maker of All); that stretcheth out Shomayim alone; that spreadeth out ha'aretz (the earth) by Myself;That annuls the otot of the baddim (liars, false prophets), and maketh kosemim (diviners, soothsayers) into madmen; that turneth back chachamim, and maketh their da'as (knowledge, science) foolishness;

Then Pharaoh also called the chachamim and the mechashefim: now the kharetumei Mitzrayim, they also did in like manner with their secret lore.

So Sha'ul died for his ma'al (unfaithfulness) which he committed against Hashem, even against the Devar Hashem, over which he was not shomer, and also for consulting an ov (one with a familiar spirit) to seek guidance;

For thus saith Hashem Tzva'os Elohei Yisroel: Let not your nevi'im and your kesamim that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither pay heed to your chalomot which ye cause to be dreamed.

Because of the multitude of the harlotries of the alluring zonah, the ba'alat keshafim (the mistress of sorceries), that enslaveth Goyim through her prostitutions, and mishpochot through her keshafim;

And they caused their banim and their banot to pass through the eish, and practiced kesamim and practiced witchcraft, and sold themselves to do rah in the eyes of Hashem, to provoke Him to anger.

Now a certain ish by name Shimon was previously in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Shomron, saying that he himself was an ish of gadlus (with remarkable superiority) and gadol.And to this certain Shimon everyone from katon to gadol was paying attention, saying, "Hinei! This man is the ko'ach (power) of Hashem, the ko'ach hagadol."And they were giving heed to him, because he for a long time had astonished them by magic tricks.

Moreover the mediums with familiar spirits, and the yidonim (spiritists), and the terafim, and the gillulim (idols), and all the shikkutzim that were seen in Eretz Yehudah and in Yerushalayim, did Yoshiyah put away, that he might confirm the Divrei HaTorah which were written in the Sefer that Chilkiyah HaKohen found in the Beis Hashem.

Now the ma'asei habasar are manifest, dehainu (being:) zenut (fornication), tum'ah (impurity), zimmah (licentiousness),Avodah zarah (idolatry), kashefanut (sorcery, witchcraft), eivot (enmities), merivah (strife), kinah (jealousy), rogez (anger), anochiyut (selfishness), machalokot (dissensions), kitot (sects),Tzarut ayin (envyings), shichrut (drunkenness), holelut (carousing) and things like these, of which I tell you beforehand, as I said previously, that the ones practicing such things will not receive the nachalah (inheritance) of the Malchut Hashem.

“But for those of morech lev (cowardliness) and those without emunah (faith) and the ones having become vile and ratzchaniyot (murderers) and zonim (fornicators) and mekhashfim (sorcerers) and ovdei haelilim (idolaters) and all the shakranit (liars), their chelek [see Yn 13:8] will be in the Agam (Lake) burning with Eish (fire) and Gofrit (sulfur), which is HaMavet HaSheyni (the Second Death).” [TEHILLIM 5:6; YESHAYAH 66:24]

Chaverim, do not believe every ruach. [YIRMEYAH 29:8] But test the ruchot (spirits), if they be of Hashem, because many nevi'ei sheker have gone out into the Olam Hazeh.

I have heard what the nevi'im said, that prophesy sheker (lies) biShmi (in My Name), saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.How long shall this be in the lev of the nevi'im that prophesy sheker? Indeed, they are nevi'im of the delusion of their own lev;

And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto Shomayim, and when thou seest the shemesh, and the yarei'ach, and the kokhavim, even all the tz’va HaShomayim, shouldest be driven to hishtachaveh (bow down, worship) them, and serve them which Hashem Eloheicha hath divided unto kol HaGoyim under kol HaShomayim.

For meshichei sheker (false Moshiachs) will arise, and neviei sheker (false prophets), and they will give otot gedolim (great signs) and moftim (wonders), so as to deceive, if possible, even the Bechirim (Chosen ones).

And her nevi'im have plastered them with [dissolving] mud plaster, seeing vain visions, and divining kazav (lies) unto them, saying, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem, when Hashem hath not spoken.

Beware of the neviei hasheker (false prophets), who come to you in the malbush (clothing) of kevasim (sheep), but within are ravenous ze’evim (wolves).

Hineni, I am against them that prophesy chalomot sheker, saith Hashem, and do tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies, and by their recklessness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith Hashem.

When thou criest for help, let thy [idol] kibutzim (heaps, collections) save thee; but the ruach shall carry them all away; hevel shall take them; but he that putteth his trust in Me shall inherit eretz, and shall inherit My Har Kodesh;

The Bi’as Anti-Moshiach (Coming, Parousia, of Anti-Moshiach) is according to the working of Hasatan with all false ko’ach (power) and otot (signs) and pseudo moftim (wonders),And with all deception of resha (wickedness) for those who are perishing, because they were not being mekabel (receiving) the Ahavas HaEmes (Love of the Truth) so that they have the Geulah deliverance.

And the great Dragon, that NACHASH HaKadmoni (Ancient Serpent) was thrown down, the one being called the Malshin (Informer, Accuser) and Hasatan, the one deceiving the whole inhabited world. He was thrown to ha’aretz (the earth) and the malachim of him were thrown down with him [BERESHIS 3:1-7]

See, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought; a toevah (abomination) is he that chooseth you.

Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Because thy passion was poured out, and thy ervah uncovered through thy zonah harlotry with thy lovers, and with all the gillulim (idols) of thy to'avot, and by the dahm of thy banim, which thou didst give unto them;

Their atzabim (idols) are kesef and zahav, the ma'aseh (work) of the hands of adam.Peh (mouth) they have, but they speak not; einayim (eyes) have they, but they see not;Oznayim (ears) they have, but they hear not; af (nose) have they, but they smell not;They have hands, but they handle not; raglayim (feet) have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their garon (throat).

A chorev (drought) is upon her mayim; and they shall be dried up; for it is the eretz pesalim (land of idols), and they go mad over idols.

And, they sacrificed their banim and their banot unto shedim (demons),

And say, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Hoy (woe, doom) to the seamstresses of magic charms on wrists, who make mispachot (amulets) for the rosh of every size to hunt nefashot! Will ye hunt the nefashot of My people, and yet save your own nefashot alive?

But these two things shall overtake thee in a rega (moment), in yom echad, shechol (the loss of children), and almon (widowhood); they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy kashefanut (sorceries, witchcraft) and for the otzmah (great abundance) of thine khavarim (spells, magic, enchantments).

Then Hashem said unto me, The nevi'im prophesy sheker in My Shem; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke unto them; they prophesy unto you a chazon sheker (false vision) and kesem (divination, pagan fortunetelling), and a worthless thing, and the delusion of their lev.Therefore thus saith Hashem concerning the nevi'im that prophesy in My Shem, and I sent them not, yet they say, Cherev and ra'av (famine) shall not be in HaAretz Hazot; By cherev and ra'av (famine) shall those nevi'im be consumed.

But the navi, which shall presume to speak a word Bishmi (In My Name), which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the shem of elohim acharim, even that navi shall die.

And as far as G-d’s worthiness to be recognized by them was concerned, vi-bahlt (since) they marked G-d down as failing the test, therefore G-d (in wrath) delivered them over to a failure of a brain, one that has a mind bent on doing what is perversely unworthy;filled with all resha, wickedness, chamdanut (greediness), and what is damagingly evil, full of kin'a (jealousy), retzach (murder), rivalry, mirmah (deceit), merivah (strife), remiyah (guile, deceit), all kinds of lashon hora, malicious,Backbiters, slanderers, haters of G-d, insolent, arrogant, braggarts, contrivers of evil, disobedient to horim.Without seichel, without ne'emanut (faithfulness), without ahavah (love), without rachamanut.Although they have known full well the just requirements of Hashem, His just decree, that is, that those who practice such things are b'nei mavet; nevertheless, they not only do the very same, but even give their perverted bracha (blessing) on those who practice such.

Then Pharaoh also called the chachamim and the mechashefim: now the kharetumei Mitzrayim, they also did in like manner with their secret lore.For they cast down every man his matteh, and they became serpents: but the matteh Aharon swallowed up their mattot.

For meri (rebellion) is as the chattat (sin) of kesem (witchcraft, soothsaying, divination), and stubbornness is as heathenish iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the Devar Hashem, He hath also rejected thee from being Melech.

They have seen shav (vanity) and kesem kazav (lying divination), saying, Hashem saith; and Hashem hath not sent them; yet they hope that their davar will be fulfilled.Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a kesem kazav (lying divination), whereas ye say, Hashem saith it; albeit I have not spoken?Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Because ye have spoken shav (vanity, futility) and seen kazav (lie), therefore, hineni, I am against you, saith Adonoi Hashem.And Mine yad shall be against the nevi'im that see shav (vanity, futility), and that divine kazav (lie): they shall not be in the sod (council) of My people, neither shall they be written in the Ketav (Register) of Bais Yisroel, neither shall they enter into Admat Yisroel; and ye shall know that I am Adonoi Hashem.

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto mediums that have familiar spirits, and unto spiritists that whisper, and that mutter: should not Am seek unto Elohav? Should they consult the mesim (dead ones) for the benefit of the chayyim (living)?To the torah (teaching of G-d) and to the te'udah (recorded testimony, see verse 16); if they speak not according to Davar HaZeh, it is because there is no shachar (dawn, light) in them.

I will set no devar beliyya'al before mine eyes; I hate the work of them that fall away; it shall not cleave to me.

Through Thy pikkudim I get understanding: therefore I hate every orakh sheker.

Do not be led astray. Hashem is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, this also he will reap.

The naive believeth every davar, but the prudent looketh with care to his steps.

Beware lest there be anyone of you taken captive through philosophical tevunah (wisdom) and empty deceit according to the kabbalah (oral tradition) of mere Bnei Adam, according to the ikkarim (basic principles) of the Olam Hazeh and not according to Moshiach;

And do not involve yourself in the ma'asei haChoshech (works of darkness), those works without p'ri; but rather even expose them.

Be shomer in zililut da’as (sober-mindedness). Your adversary Hasatan [Samma'el], prowls around like a roaring arye (lion), seeking whom to swallow.

Submit yourselves in mishma'at (obedience) to Hashem. Resist Hasatan, and he will flee from you.

As to the rest, Achim b'Moshiach, whatever things are emes (truth), nichbad (noble), yashar (straight), tahor (clean), male No'am (full of pleasantness) and tiferet (beauty) [SHEMOT 28:2], whatever things are commendable, if there is any virtue, if any praise, think about these things.

Stop allowing yourself to be conformed to the Olam Hazeh, but be transformed by your hitkhadshut (regeneration, renewal) of your mind, so that you may ascertain what is the ratzon Hashem (the will of G-d), what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of G-d.

For the Dvar Hashem is chai (living) and chazak (strong), sharper than every doubled-edged cherev and penetrating as far as the division of nefesh and ruach, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the machshavot and deliberations of the kavanat halev (the inner directedness of the heart).

The one not with me [Moshiach] is against me [anti-Moshiach]. And the one not gathering with me scatters.

Therefore I esteem right all Thy pikkudim concerning all things; and I hate every orakh sheker.

Trust in Hashem with all thine lev, and lean not unto thine own binah (understanding).In all thy drakhim acknowledge Him, and He shall make yosher thy orkhot (paths).

No keli (weapon, instrument) that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every leshon (tongue) that shall rise against thee in mishpat (judgment, accusation) tarshi'i (thou shalt condemn, prove false, refute, prove wrong). This is the nachalat avdei Hashem (the heritage of the servants of Hashem), and their tzedakah (righteousness, vindication) is from Me, saith Hashem.

There shall no ra'ah (evil, disaster) befall thee, neither shall any nega come near thy ohel.For He shall give charge to His malachim (angels) concerning thee, to be shomer over thee in kol drakhim of thee.

The Bi’as Anti-Moshiach (Coming, Parousia, of Anti-Moshiach) is according to the working of Hasatan with all false ko’ach (power) and otot (signs) and pseudo moftim (wonders),And with all deception of resha (wickedness) for those who are perishing, because they were not being mekabel (receiving) the Ahavas HaEmes (Love of the Truth) so that they have the Geulah deliverance.And for this reason Hashem sends to them a powerful madduchei shav (false enticement, delusion) in order that they believe what is sheker . [MELACHIM ALEF 22:22]This is for the tachlis (purpose) of condemning to Onesh [Gehinnom] all the ones who have no emunah in HaEmes, but instead have had delight in resha.

We have da’as that everyone having been born of Hashem does not continually sin, but the One having been born of G-d (Ben HaElohim Moshiach) is shomer over him and Hasatan does not touch him.

(8) The Malach Hashem encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.

The thoughts of the tzaddikim are right, but the tachbulot (guidance) of the resha'im are mirmah (deceitful).