Bible Encyclopedia: Charm

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

CHARM

charm: Definition.-The word charm is derived from the Latin carmen, "a song," and denotes strictly what is sung; then it comes to mean a magical formula chanted or recited with a view to certain desired results. Charm is distinguished from amulet in this, that the latter is a material object having as such a magical potency, though it is frequently an inscribed formula on it that gives this object its power (see AMULET). The word charm stands primarily for the incantation, though it is often applied to an inscribed amulet.

A charm may be regarded as having a positive or a negative effect. In the first case it is supposed to secure some desired object or result (see AMULET). In the second, it is conceived as having the power of warding off evils, as the evil eye, the inflictions of evil spirits and the like. In the last, its negative meaning, the word "countercharm" (German, Gegenzauber) is commonly used.

Charms are divisible into two general classes according as they are written (or printed) or merely spoken:

(1) Written charms-Of these we have examples in the phylacteries and the mezuzah noticed in the article AMULET. In Acts 19:13-20 we read of written charms used by the Ephesians, such as are elsewhere called (ephesia grammata). Such magical formulas were written generally on leather, though sometimes on papyrus, on lead, and even on gold. Those mentioned in the above passage must have been inscribed on some very valuable material, gold perhaps, or they could not have cost 2,000 British pounds (= 50,000 drachmas). Charms of the kind have been dug up from the ruins of Ephesus. In modern Egypt drinking-bowls are used, inscribed with passages from the Koran, and it is considered very lucky to drink from such a "lucky bowl," as it is called. Parts of the Koran and often complete miniature copies are worn by Egyptians and especially by Egyptian soldiers during war. These are buried with the dead bodies, just as the ancient Egyptians interred with their dead portions of the Book of the Dead or even the whole book, and as the early Abyssinians buried with dead bodies certain magical texts. Josephus (Ant., VIII, ii, 5) says that Solomon composed incantations by which demons were exorcised and diseases healed.

(2) Spoken charms are at least as widespread as those inscribed. Much importance was attached by the ancients (Egyptians, Babylonians, etc.) to the manner in which the incantations were recited, as well as to the substance of the formulas. If beautifully uttered, and with sufficient frequency, such incantations possessed unlimited power. The stress laid on the mode of reciting magical charms necessitated the existence of a priestly class and did much to increase the power of such a class. The binding force of the uttered word is implied in many parts of the Old Testament (see Joshua 9:20). Though the princes of Israel had promised under false pretenses to make a covenant on behalf of Israel with the Gibeonites, they refused to break their promise because the word had been given. The words of blessing and curse were believed to have in themselves the power of self-realization. A curse was a means of destruction, not a mere realization (see Numbers 22-24, Balaam's curses; Judges 5:23 Job 31). In a similar way the word of blessing was believed to insure its own realization. In Genesis 48:8-22 the greatness of Ephraim and Manasseh is ascribed to the blessing of Jacob upon them (see further Exodus 12:32 Judges 17:2 2 Samuel 21:3). It is no doubt to be understood that the witch of Endor raised Samuel from the dead by the recitation of some magical formula (1 Samuel 28:7).

The uttering of the tetragrammaton (YHWH) was at a very early time (at latest 300 B.C.) believed to be magically potent, and hence, its ordinary use was forbidden, so that instead of Yahweh, the Jews of the time, when the earliest part of the Septuagint was translated, used for this Divine name the appellative 'adhonai = "Lord." In a similar way among the Jews of post-Biblical and perhaps of even Biblical times, the pronunciation of the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) was supposed to possess great efficacy and to be a means of certain good to the person or persons involved. Evil spirits were exorcised by Jews of Paul's day through the use of the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:13). In the Talmud (Pecachim 110a) it is an instruction that if a man meets a witch he should say, "May a pot of boiling dung be stuffed into your mouth, you ugly witch," and her power is gone.

For literature see AMULET.

T. Witton Davies

Strong's Hebrew

2266. chabar -- to unite, be joined, to tie a magic knot or spell ...
... chabar. 2267 . to unite, be joined, to tie a magic knot or spell, to charm.
Transliteration: chabar Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-bar') Short Definition: joined. ...
/hebrew/2266.htm - 6k

3907. lachash -- to whisper, charm
... 3906, 3907. lachash. 3908 . to whisper, charm. Transliteration: lachash Phonetic
Spelling: (law-khash') Short Definition: charmers. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/3907.htm - 6k

2580. chen -- favor, grace
... Word Origin from chanan Definition favor, grace NASB Word Usage adornment (1), charm
(1), charm* (1), charming* (1), favor (51), grace (8), graceful (2 ...
/hebrew/2580.htm - 6k

3908. lachash -- a whispering, charming
... Word Origin from lachash Definition a whispering, charming NASB Word Usage amulets
(1), charm (1), charmed (1), enchanter (1), whisper a prayer (1). ...
/hebrew/3908.htm - 6k

8378. taavah -- a desire
... From 'avah (abbreviated); a longing; by implication, a delight (subjectively,
satisfaction, objectively, a charm) -- dainty, desire, X exceedingly, X greedily ...
/hebrew/8378.htm - 6k

68. eben -- a stone
... root Definition a stone NASB Word Usage another (1), charm* (1), cornerstone* (1),
death (1), differing weights (3), hailstones* (4), jeweler* (1), lapis lazuli ...
/hebrew/68.htm - 6k

7837. shachar -- dawn
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition dawn NASB Word Usage charm away (1),
dawn (16), dawn* (1), dawning of the day (1), daybreak (2), morning (2). ...
/hebrew/7837.htm - 6k

Library

The Charm
... The Charm. 'Just Judge and divine Son of the Virgin Maria, who wast born at Bethlehem,
a Nazarene, and who wast crucified in the midst of all Jewry! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/borrow/letters of george borrow/the charm.htm

A Charm of Birds. March 2.
... A Charm of Birds. March 2. Little do most people know how much there is
to learn"what variety of character, as well as variety ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/daily thoughts /a charm of birds march.htm

A Charm of Birds. June 17.
... A Charm of Birds. June 17. Listen to the charm of birds in any sequestered
woodland on a bright forenoon in early summer. As you ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/daily thoughts /a charm of birds june.htm

The False Prophet
... Of late, it had been brought home to her that the charm of Laodice for the stranger
from Ephesus, to whom the Greek knew the girl had fled, had been her purity ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xix the false prophet.htm

The Wondrous Cross.
... Forbid it, Lord, that we should boast, Save in the death of Christ, our God; All
the vain things that charm us most, We'd sacrifice them to His blood. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gaebelein/the lord of glory/the wondrous cross.htm

An Appreciation of John Wesley's Journal
... It has been said that Wesley's character lacks charm, that mighty antiseptic. ...
Let no one deny charm to Wesley who has not read his Journal. ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/an appreciation of john wesleys.htm

Method and Aim of this Modernization
... Moreover there is a certain charm in this early translation of Misyn's
which no modern one, however excellent, could reproduce. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/method and aim of this.htm

Letter i. Behavior and Manners.
... bloom. What are the characteristics of the agreeable and beautiful manners
that are the ornament and charm of the well-behaved girl? ...
/.../letter i behavior and manners.htm

God's Word not to be Refused
... They are like the adder that is deaf. He may know how to charm others,
but these he cannot charm, charm he never so wisely. Oh! ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/gods word not to be.htm

Concerning Free-Will
... The old man of Ithaca, according to the legend of the Greeks, when he wished to
hear the song of the Sirens, on account of the charm of their voluptuous voice ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/methodius/concerning free-will/concerning free-will.htm

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A melody; a song.

2. (n.) A word or combination of words sung or spoken in the practice of magic; a magical combination of words, characters, etc.; an incantation.

3. (n.) That which exerts an irresistible power to please and attract; that which fascinates; any alluring quality.

4. (n.) Anything worn for its supposed efficacy to the wearer in averting ill or securing good fortune.

5. (n.) Any small decorative object worn on the person, as a seal, a key, a silver whistle, or the like. Bunches of charms are often worn at the watch chain.

6. (n.) To make music upon; to tune.

7. (n.) To subdue, control, or summon by incantation or supernatural influence; to affect by magic.

8. (n.) To subdue or overcome by some secret power, or by that which gives pleasure; to allay; to soothe.

9. (n.) To attract irresistibly; to delight exceedingly; to enchant; to fascinate.

10. (n.) To protect with, or make invulnerable by, spells, charms, or supernatural influences; as, a charmed life.

11. (v. i.) To use magic arts or occult power; to make use of charms.

12. (v. i.) To act as, or produce the effect of, a charm; to please greatly; to be fascinating.

13. (v. i.) To make a musical sound.

Thesaurus

Charm (5 Occurrences)
... 12. (vi) To act as, or produce the effect of, a charm; to please greatly; to
be fascinating. 13. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CHARM. ...
/c/charm.htm - 14k

Counter-charm
Counter-charm. Countercharm, Counter-charm. Counterfeit . Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia COUNTER-CHARM. koun'-ter-charm. See AMULET; CHARM. ...
/c/counter-charm.htm - 6k

Countercharm
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To destroy the effect of a charm upon. 2. (n.)
That which has the power of destroying the effect of a charm. ... COUNTER-CHARM. ...
/c/countercharm.htm - 6k

Amulet
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) An ornament, gem, or scroll, or a package containing
a relic, etc., worn as a charm or preservative against evils or mischief ...
/a/amulet.htm - 17k

Phylactery
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Any charm or amulet worn as a preservative
from danger or disease. 2. (n.) A small square box, made ...
/p/phylactery.htm - 13k

Purity (16 Occurrences)
... The lovers are under the charm that has been and is to be from everlasting
to everlasting with the human race upon the earth. Christ ...
/p/purity.htm - 30k

Enchant (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To charm by sorcery; to act on by
enchantment; to get control of by magical words and rites. 2 ...
/e/enchant.htm - 6k

Spell (2 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) A story; a tale. 8. (n.) A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be
endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any charm. ...
/s/spell.htm - 8k

Magician (5 Occurrences)
... He may not know much of the causal agency; it is enough for him to know that by
performing some act or reciting some formula (see CHARM) or carrying some ...
/m/magician.htm - 24k

Magic (12 Occurrences)
... He may not know much of the causal agency; it is enough for him to know that by
performing some act or reciting some formula (see CHARM) or carrying some ...
/m/magic.htm - 29k

Bible Concordance

Charm (5 Occurrences)

Proverbs 17:8 An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.
(See NAS NIV)

Proverbs 19:22 The charm of a man is his kindness; and a poor man is better than a liar.
(DBY)

Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 47:11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know the dawning thereof: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it away: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou knowest not.
(See JPS NAS)

Jeremiah 8:17 For, behold, I will send serpents, adders, among you, which will not be charmed; and they shall bite you, says Yahweh.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Related Terms

Purity (16 Occurrences)

Enchant (1 Occurrence)

Spell (2 Occurrences)

Magician (5 Occurrences)

Magic (12 Occurrences)