הָבַר
𐤄𐤁𐤓
hâbar
H1895 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To practice incantation, magic, or occult arts; specifically, to act as an enchanter or soothsayer. In biblical contexts, הָבַר refers to engagement in divinatory or magical practices believed to obtain knowledge or influence events through supernatural means. The term is primarily attested in participial form to denote practitioners of these arts.
Semantic Range
to act as an enchanter, to practice magical arts, to use incantations, to engage in divination, to serve as an astrologer or occult practitioner
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain; possibly foreign in origin. While the verb הָבַר does not align with established Semitic roots, it appears only in specific participial usages, likely as a loanword describing Babylonian or Mesopotamian occult specialists.
Historical & Contextual Notes
הָבַר occurs very rarely in the Hebrew Bible, only in forms that describe those who practice magic or divination—specifically, in Deutero-Isaiah's warnings against Babylonian magicians and astrologers. The participle (e.g., הָבֶר) is best understood in the context of foreign (primarily Babylonian/Chaldean) religious professionals who performed magical and astrological rites. While some English translations render this word as 'astrologer' or 'enchanter,' its semantic range is broader, including both astrology and general magical practice. The word is not used in contexts relating to Israelite religious specialists; instead, it marks out foreign, prohibited practices. In later Hebrew and rabbinic usage, other terms supersede הָבַר for domestic practitioners of divination or magic.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root of uncertain (perhaps foreign) derivation; to be a horoscopist; [phrase] (astro-) loger.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
הבר (h-b-r) — to enchant, to practice magic, to perform divination
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1895-02 |
הברו | hvrv | HVqp3cp |
the astrologers | they practiced enchantment | 1 |
H1895-01 |
הֹבְרֵ֣י | hoverey | HVqrmpc |
those who divide | enchanters of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1895-02 |
Isaiah 47:13 | הברו | hvrv | HVqp3cp |
the astrologers | they practiced enchantment |
H1895-01 |
Isaiah 47:13 | הֹבְרֵ֣י | hoverey | HVqrmpc |
those who divide | enchanters of |