Leviticus 19:31

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.

📖 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

Referenced Verses

• Isa 8:19 : 19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
• Lev 20:27 : 27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them.
• 1 Sam 28:3 : 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
• 1 Chr 10:13 : 13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, [even] against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking [counsel] of [one that had] a familiar spirit, to enquire [of it];
• 2 Chr 33:6 : 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.
• Deut 18:10-14 : 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. 13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].
• Exod 22:18 : 18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
• Lev 19:26 : 26 Ye shall not eat [any thing] with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
• Lev 20:6-7 : 6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. 7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I [am] the LORD your God.
• 1 Sam 28:7-9 : 7 ¶ Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, [there is] a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. 8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me [him] up, whom I shall name unto thee. 9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
• 2 Kgs 17:17 : 17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
• 2 Kgs 21:6 : 6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke [him] to anger.
• Isa 29:4 : 4 And thou shalt be brought down, [and] shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
• Isa 47:13 : 13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee.
• Acts 8:11 : 11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
• Acts 13:6-8 : 6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name [was] Barjesus: 7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
• Acts 16:16-18 : 16 ¶ And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
• Acts 19:19-20 : 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all [men]: and they counted the price of them, and found [it] fifty thousand [pieces] of silver. 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
• Gal 5:20 : 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
• Rev 21:8 : 8 ‹But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.›