קֶסֶם
𐤒𐤎𐤌
qeçem
H7081 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The act or practice of divination, specifically by attempting to discern hidden knowledge, outcomes, or the future through various techniques considered outside normative Israelite means of inquiry (such as prophecy or priestly decisions). The term refers to the process, the art, or the result of divination, and occasionally to associated fees or objects used in divinatory practice. In some contexts, it can refer to an oracle or a divinatory decision.
Semantic Range
divination, act of divining, practice of soothsaying, obtained oracle or decision by divination, ritual or technique of seeking omens, reward for divination, magical practice
Root / Etymology
From the root קסם (ק־ס־ם), which carries the sense of 'to divine' or 'to practice divination.' The noun form describes the process or result of such practices. Root and form are consistent with other Semitic languages, where similar forms refer to divining or soothsaying.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קֶסֶם (qeṣem) is regularly used in Biblical Hebrew to describe forms of divination that are distinguished from the sanctioned forms of spiritual inquiry available to Israelites, such as prophetic oracle (נְבוּאָה) or the use of the Urim and Thummim. The term has a negative connotation in the Hebrew Bible, usually associated with forbidden or foreign magical practices, often found in laws that prohibit Israelite engagement in such acts (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:10, Numbers 23:23). In narrative texts, it frequently occurs in polemics against those seeking oracles through non-Yahwistic channels (e.g., contacts with foreign diviners or soothsayers). Occasionally, it also refers to the object of divination or the fee paid to a diviner, as in the case of Balaam (Numbers 22–24). In post-exilic and later literature, the term maintains its association with magical or superstitious practices viewed as contrary to established religious norms of the Judahite and later Judean communities. English translations may render קֶסֶם variously as 'divination,' 'soothsaying,' or 'witchcraft,' but the range includes both the practice and its associated paraphernalia or reward. The term is distinct from other Hebrew words for related practices, such as עָנַן (to practice sorcery/augury) and נַחַשׁ (omen-seeking), which may emphasize particular divinatory techniques or outcomes.
Translation Consistency
qesem consistently refers to the practice or result of seeking hidden knowledge by occult means. 'Divination' is the common, natural English term and matches the majority of attested renderings (8/11), while covering related senses (divining, oracle, soothsaying, fees or objects associated with the practice). It therefore provides a consistent, clear base word for all forms of H7081.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from קָסַם; a lot; also divination (including its fee), oracle; (reward of) divination, divine sentence, witchcraft.
Bantu Hebrew
| Language | Bantu Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gullah | joso | witchcraft | |
| Loko | njoso | to divine, perform divination | |
| Mende | njoso | forest spirit | |
| Temne | njoso | to divine, to use magical or divining practices for knowledge |
Root Family
קסם (qâçam) — to practice divination, to seek knowledge through ritual means, to foresee by supernatural inquiry
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7080 | קָסַם | in divining |
Word Forms
7 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7081-04 |
קֶ֨סֶם֙ | qesem | HNcmsa |
divination | divination practice | divination practice | 3 |
H7081-07 |
וְ/קֶ֣סֶם | veqesem | HC/Ncmsc |
and divination | and divination | and divination | 3 |
H7081-01 |
הַ/קֶּ֣סֶם | haqesem | HTd/Ncmsa |
the divination | the divination | the divination | 1 |
H7081-02 |
קָ֑סֶם | qasem | HNcmsa |
divination | divination practice | divination | 1 |
H7081-03 |
קְסָמִ֖ים | qesamim | HNcmpa |
divinations | divining acts | divining acts | 1 |
H7081-05 |
קֹסֵ֣ם | qosem | HVqrmsa |
who practices divination | divining one | divining one | 1 |
H7081-06 |
וּ/קְסָמִ֖ים | uqesamim | HC/Ncmpa |
and divinations | divinations | and divinations | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
11 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7081-06 |
Numbers 22:7 | וּ/קְסָמִ֖ים | uqesamim | HC/Ncmpa |
and divinations | divinations | and divinations |
H7081-04 |
Numbers 23:23 | קֶ֖סֶם | qesem | HNcmsa |
divination | divination practice | divination practice |
H7081-05 |
Deuteronomy 18:10 | קֹסֵ֣ם | qosem | HVqrmsa |
who practices divination | divining one | divining one |
H7081-04 |
1 Samuel 15:23 | קֶ֨סֶם֙ | qesem | HNcmsa |
of divination | divination practice | divination practice |
H7081-03 |
2 Kings 17:17 | קְסָמִ֖ים | qesamim | HNcmpa |
divinations | divining acts | divining acts |
H7081-07 |
Jeremiah 14:14 | וְ/קֶ֤סֶם | veqesem | HC/Ncmsa |
and divination | and divination | and divination |
H7081-07 |
Ezekiel 13:6 | וְ/קֶ֣סֶם | veqesem | HC/Ncmsc |
and divination | and divination | and divination |
H7081-07 |
Ezekiel 13:23 | וְ/קֶ֖סֶם | veqesem | HC/Ncmsa |
and-divination | and divination | and divination |
H7081-02 |
Ezekiel 21:26 | קָ֑סֶם | qasem | HNcmsa |
divination | divination practice | divination |
H7081-01 |
Ezekiel 21:27 | הַ/קֶּ֣סֶם | haqesem | HTd/Ncmsa |
the divination | the divination | the divination |
H7081-04 |
Proverbs 16:10 | קֶ֤סֶם | qesem | HNcmsa |
divination | divination practice | divination practice |