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קָסַם

𐤒𐤎𐤌

qâçam

H7080 verb

SILEX Entry

Root קסם to practice divination, to seek knowledge through ritual means, to foresee by supernatural inquiry

Definition

To practice divination, to seek or foretell knowledge of hidden things or future events through ritual acts, omens, or other forms of supernatural means. The word typically refers to the act of divination—often with the implication of forbidden or illegitimate ritual practices within the context of Israelite religion. In some contexts, it extends to the office of a professional soothsayer or diviner.

Semantic Range

to divine, to seek omens, to practice soothsaying or divination, to consult or act as a soothsayer, to engage in magically mediated inquiry, to use forbidden ritual methods to discern the future or hidden knowledge

Root / Etymology

From the root קסם (ק־ס־ם), which appears to have the core meaning of 'to practice divination' or 'to use magical means to seek knowledge.' The specific etymological development is uncertain; some propose a link with Akkadian kasāmu ('to divide, decide, allot'), but this is debated. The root does not occur outside the semantic domain of divination in Hebrew.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, קָסַם (qâçam) always bears a negative connotation, marking a distinction between legitimate prophetic activity and forbidden divinatory practices. The term is consistently used to describe practices outside the bounds of sanctioned Israelite religion—such as foreign soothsaying and magical rituals—contrasted with the work of prophets (נָבִיא, nabi'). Throughout the monarchic and exilic periods, qâçam is denounced as idolatrous or illegitimate (Deut 18:10, Ezek 13:6-9). In some texts, it refers to professional soothsayers found among neighboring peoples (e.g., Balaam in Numbers 22). Later usage in Second Temple and rabbinic literature often reads the term retrospectively through the lens of 'sorcery' or 'magical arts.' English translations as 'soothsaying,' 'divination,' or 'sorcery' capture part of its meaning, but may not fully express the sharp biblical distinction between sanctioned prophecy and condemned divinatory acts. The term should be distinguished from other Hebrew terms for illicit ritual practice (e.g., עָנַן 'to conjure, practice augury').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to distribute, i.e. determine by lot or magical scroll; by implication, to divine; divine(-r, -ation), prudent, soothsayer, use (divination).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קסם (q-s-m) — to practice divination, to seek knowledge through ritual means, to foresee by supernatural inquiry

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4738 מִקְסָם and divination-of
H7081 קֶסֶם the divination

Word Forms

21 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7080-20 וְ/קֹסְמִ֖ים veqosemim HC/Vqrmpa and diviners and divining ones and diviners 2
H7080-16 וְ/הַ/קֹּסְמִ֣ים vehaqosemim HC/Td/Vqrmpa and the diviners and the divining-ones and the diviners 2
H7080-21 יִקְסֹ֑מוּ yiqesomu HVqi3mp divine they practice divination they practice divination 1
H7080-17 וְ/לַ/קֹּֽסְמִים֙ velaqosemim HC/Rd/Vqrmpa and to the diviners divining-ones and to the divining-ones 1
H7080-12 קֹסְמִ֖ים qosemim HVqrmpa diviners divining ones diviners 1
H7080-15 וַ/יִּקְסְמ֥וּ vayiqesemu HC/Vqw3mp and they practiced divination and they practiced divination and they practiced divination 1
H7080-09 קָֽסֳמִי qasomi HVqv2fs for me Practice divination! Practice divination 1
H7080-19 וְ/קֹֽסְמֵי/כֶ֑ם veqosemeykhem HC/Vqrmpc/Sp2mp and your diviners and your divining-ones and your diviners 1
H7080-07 מִ/קְּסֹ֑ם miqesom HR/Vqc without divination from practicing divination from divination 1
H7080-05 כִּ/קְסָם kiqesam HR/Ncmsc like a divination like divination like a divination 1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7080-10 Deuteronomy 18:10 קְסָמִ֔ים qesamim HNcmpa diviners acts of divination acts of divination
H7080-12 Deuteronomy 18:14 קֹסְמִ֖ים qosemim HVqrmpa diviners divining ones diviners
H7080-02 Joshua 13:22 הַ/קּוֹסֵ֑ם haqosem HTd/Vqrmsa the diviner the divining-one the divining-one
H7080-17 1 Samuel 6:2 וְ/לַ/קֹּֽסְמִים֙ velaqosemim HC/Rd/Vqrmpa and to the diviners divining-ones and to the divining-ones
H7080-13 1 Samuel 28:8 קסומי qsvmy HVqv2fs divine practice divination (you, feminine singular) practice divination (you, feminine singular)
H7080-09 1 Samuel 28:8 קָֽסֳמִי qasomi HVqv2fs for me Practice divination! Practice divination
H7080-08 1 Samuel 28:8 נָ֥א na HTe please please please
H7080-15 2 Kings 17:17 וַ/יִּקְסְמ֥וּ vayiqesemu HC/Vqw3mp and they practiced divination and they practiced divination and they practiced divination
H7080-18 Isaiah 3:2 וְ/קֹסֵ֥ם veqosem HC/Vqrmsa and diviner divining one and a diviner
H7080-20 Isaiah 44:25 וְ/קֹסְמִ֖ים veqosemim HC/Vqrmpa and diviners and divining ones and diviners
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