Leviticus 19:31

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.

📖 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 Darkness Turns to Light as an Ideal King Arrives They will say to you,“Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?”
• Lev 20:27 : 27 Prohibition against Spiritists and Mediums“‘A man or woman who has in them a spirit of the dead or a familiar spirit must be put to death. They must pelt them with stones; their blood guilt is on themselves.’”
• 1 Sam 28:3 : 3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented over him and had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. In the meantime Saul had removed the mediums and magicians from the land.
• 1 Chr 10:13 : 13 So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD and did not obey the LORD’s instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits.
• 2 Chr 33:6 : 6 He passed his sons through the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and practiced divination, omen reading, and sorcery. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the LORD and angered him.
• Deut 18:10-14 : 10 There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, anyone who practices divination, an omen reader, a soothsayer, a sorcerer, 11 one who casts spells, one who conjures up spirits, a practitioner of the occult, or a necromancer. 12 Whoever does these things is abhorrent to the LORD and because of these detestable things the LORD your God is about to drive them out from before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 Those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to omen readers and diviners, but the LORD your God has not given you permission to do such things.
• Exod 22:18 : 18 “You must not allow a sorceress to live.
• Lev 19:26 : 26 Blood, Hair, and Body“‘You must not eat anything with the blood still in it. You must not practice either divination or soothsaying.
• Lev 20:6-7 : 6 Prohibition against Spiritists and Mediums“‘The person who turns to the spirits of the dead and familiar spirits to commit prostitution by going after them, I will set my face against that person and cut him off from the midst of his people. 7 Exhortation to Holiness and Obedience“‘You must sanctify yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God.
• 1 Sam 28:7-9 : 7 So Saul instructed his servants,“Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants replied to him,“There is a woman who is a medium in En Dor.” 8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said,“Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you.” 9 But the woman said to him,“Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed the mediums and magicians from the land! Why are you trapping me so you can put me to death?”
• 2 Kgs 17:17 : 17 They passed their sons and daughters through the fire, and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD and made him angry.
• 2 Kgs 21:6 : 6 He passed his son through the fire and practiced divination and omen reading. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits, and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
• Isa 29:4 : 4 You will fall; while lying on the ground you will speak; from the dust where you lie, your words will be heard. Your voice will sound like a spirit speaking from the underworld; from the dust you will chirp as if muttering an incantation.
• Isa 47:13 : 13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice. Let them take their stand– the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make monthly predictions– let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you!
• Acts 8:11 : 11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic.
• Acts 13:6-8 : 6 When they had crossed over the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But the magician Elymas(for that is the way his name is translated) opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
• Acts 16:16-18 : 16 Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison Now as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means. She brought her owners a great profit by fortune-telling. 17 She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out,“These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” 18 She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit,“I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out of her at once.
• Acts 19:19-20 : 19 Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. 20 In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail.
• Gal 5:20 : 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions,
• Rev 21:8 : 8 But as for the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.”