Leviticus 19:31

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Do not turn to mediums or spiritists. Do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אַל־תִּפְנ֤וּ אֶל־הָאֹבֹת֙ וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים אַל־תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ לְטָמְאָ֣ה בָהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם

Transliteration

ʾal-tip̄nû ʾel-hāʾōḇōṯ wə-ʾel-hayyiddəʿōnîm ʾal-təḇaqšû ləṭomʾāh ḇāhem ʾănî YHWH ʾĕlōhêḵem

Grammar Details

• *ʾal*: negative particle with jussive - do not
• *tip̄nû*: Qal imperfect, 2nd masculine plural jussive - turn
• *ʾel*: preposition - to
• *hāʾōḇōṯ*: definite article + noun, masculine plural - the mediums/necromancers
• *wə-ʾel*: conjunction + preposition - and to
• *hayyiddəʿōnîm*: definite article + noun, masculine plural - the spiritists/familiar spirits
• *təḇaqšû*: Piel imperfect, 2nd masculine plural jussive - seek
• *ləṭomʾāh*: preposition + Qal infinitive construct - to be defiled
• *ḇāhem*: preposition + 3rd masculine plural suffix - by them
• *ʾănî*: 1st person singular independent pronoun - I
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD
• *ʾĕlōhêḵem*: noun, masculine plural construct + 2nd masculine plural suffix - your God

Word Meanings

• *hāʾōḇōṯ*: mediums/necromancers/ghost conjurers/those who communicate with the dead
• *hayyiddəʿōnîm*: spiritists/wizards/those with familiar spirits/those who claim special knowledge
• *ləṭomʾāh*: to be defiled/to become unclean/to be polluted

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defid by them: I am the LORD your God.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Do not turn to those who have familiar spirits, nor seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Turn{H6437} ye not unto them that have familiar spirits,{H178} nor unto the wizards;{H3049} seek{H1245} them not out, to be defiled{H2930} by them: I am Jehovah{H3068} your God.{H430}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Regard{H6437}{(H8799)} not them that have familiar spirits{H178}, neither seek{H1245}{(H8762)} after wizards{H3049}, to be defiled{H2930}{(H8800)} by them: I am the LORD{H3068} your God{H430}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Turne not to the that worke with sprites, nether regarde the that obserue disemall dayes: that ye be not defiled by the, for I am the Lorde youre God.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Ye shal not turne yor selues to ye Soythsayers, and axe nothinge at the expounders of tokes, that ye be not defyled by them: for I am the LORDE youre God.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Ye shall not regarde them that worke with spirites, neither soothsayers: ye shall not seeke to them to be defiled by them: I am the Lorde your God.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Ye shall not regarde them that worke with spirites, neither seeke after soothsayers to be defiled by them: I am the Lorde your God.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  "'Don't turn to those who are mediums, nor to the wizards. Don't seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `Ye do not turn unto those having familiar spirits; and unto wizards ye do not seek, for uncleanness by them; I `am' Jehovah your God.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Turn ye not unto them that have familiar spirits, nor unto the wizards; seek them not out, to be defiled by them: I am Jehovah your God.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Turn ye not unto them that have familiar spirits, nor unto the wizards; seek them not out, to be defiled by them: I am Jehovah your God.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Do not go after those who make use of spirits, or wonder-workers; do not go in their ways or become unclean through them: I am the Lord your God.

• World English Bible (2000)

  "'Don't turn to those who are mediums, nor to the wizards. Don't seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Do not turn to the spirits of the dead and do not seek familiar spirits to become unclean by them. I am the LORD your God.

Referenced Verses

• Isa 8:19 : 19 When they say to you, 'Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,' shouldn’t a people consult their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?
• Lev 20:27 : 27 If a man or a woman has a spirit of divination or is a medium, they must be put to death. They are to be stoned, and their blood is upon them.
• 1 Sam 28:3 : 3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Meanwhile, Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.
• 1 Chr 10:13 : 13 Saul died because of his unfaithfulness to the LORD. He did not keep the word of the LORD and even sought guidance from a medium to inquire of it.
• 2 Chr 33:6 : 6 He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination, sought omens, practiced witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
• Deut 18:10-14 : 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, practices divination, tells fortunes, interprets omens, or engages in witchcraft. 11 Or one who casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or who seeks the dead. 12 For anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD. Because of these detestable practices, the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so.
• Exod 22:18 : 18 Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must surely be put to death.
• Lev 19:26 : 26 Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. Do not practice divination or seek omens.
• Lev 20:6-7 : 6 If anyone turns to mediums or spiritists, prostituting themselves by following them, I will set my face against that person and cut them off from their people. 7 Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.
• 1 Sam 28:7-9 : 7 Then Saul said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her." His servants replied, "There is a woman who is a medium at En-dor." 8 So Saul disguised himself by wearing other clothes. He went, accompanied by two men, and they came to the woman at night. Saul said, "Consult a spirit for me and bring up for me the one I name to you." 9 The woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you setting a trap for my life to bring about my death?"
• 2 Kgs 17:17 : 17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire, practiced divination and sorcery, and sold themselves to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger.
• 2 Kgs 21:6 : 6 He sacrificed his own son by fire, practiced divination and omen reading, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
• Isa 29:4 : 4 You will be brought low; from the ground you will speak, and your words will come in a muffled way from the dust. Your voice will sound like that of a ghost from the earth, and your speech will whisper from the dust.
• Isa 47:13 : 13 You are wearied with your many counsels; let those who divide the heavens, those who gaze at the stars, those who announce the months, stand now and save you from what is coming upon you.
• Acts 8:11 : 11 They followed him because he had amazed them with his magic for a long time.
• Acts 13:6-8 : 6 When they had traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain magician, a false prophet, a Jew named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, seeking to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is how his name is translated) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
• Acts 16:16-18 : 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a servant girl who had a spirit of divination. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, shouting, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!' 18 She kept doing this for many days. Finally, Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And it came out that very moment.
• Acts 19:19-20 : 19 A large number of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in front of everyone. They calculated the value of the books and found it to be fifty thousand silver coins. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to grow and prevail mightily.
• Gal 5:20 : 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,
• Rev 21:8 : 8 But as for the cowardly, the unbelieving, the detestable, murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.