Definition and Role:
Soothsayers, often referred to as diviners or fortune-tellers, are individuals who claim to have the ability to predict the future or reveal hidden knowledge through supernatural means. In the context of the Bible, soothsayers are typically associated with practices that are contrary to the worship and reliance on the God of Israel. They often employ methods such as interpreting omens, casting lots, or consulting with spirits.

Biblical References and Context:
The Bible contains numerous references to soothsayers, often in a negative light, as their practices are seen as contrary to the teachings and commandments of God. The Israelites were explicitly warned against engaging in or consulting with soothsayers.

1. Prohibition in the Law:
In Deuteronomy 18:10-12 , God commands the Israelites: "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable things the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you."

2. Condemnation of Practices:
The prophet Isaiah speaks against the reliance on soothsayers in Isaiah 2:6 : "For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east; they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they clasp hands with the children of foreigners."

3. Examples of Soothsayers in the Bible:
· The Magicians of Egypt: In Exodus 7:11 , Pharaoh's magicians are described as using their secret arts to replicate the miracles performed by Moses and Aaron: "Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same things by their secret arts."
· The Witch of Endor: In 1 Samuel 28, King Saul seeks the counsel of a medium at Endor to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel, an act that is portrayed as a desperate and faithless move.

4. New Testament Perspective:
In the New Testament, the practice of soothsaying is also condemned. Acts 16:16-18 recounts the account of a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination: "One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.' She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, 'In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!' And it came out at that very moment."

Theological Implications:
The Bible consistently portrays soothsaying as an affront to the sovereignty and authority of God. It is seen as an attempt to gain knowledge or control over the future apart from God's revelation and guidance. The practice is often linked with idolatry and rebellion against God, as it involves seeking power or insight from sources other than the divine.

Moral and Ethical Considerations:
From a biblical perspective, reliance on soothsayers is considered a form of spiritual adultery, as it diverts trust and dependence away from God. The scriptures encourage believers to seek wisdom and guidance through prayer, scripture, and the counsel of the Holy Spirit, rather than through forbidden practices.Deuteronomy 18:9-12
When you are come into the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
Topicalbible.org

Leviticus 19:26
You shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall you use enchantment, nor observe times.
Topicalbible.org

Micah 5:12
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers:
Topicalbible.org

SOOTHSAYERS

sooth'-sa-erz.

See ASTROLOGY, 1; DIVINATION.

6049a. anan -- to practice soothsaying
... NASB Word Usage diviners' (1), fortune-tellers (1), practice witchcraft (1), practiced
witchcraft (2), practices witchcraft (1), soothsayers (2), soothsaying (1 ...
/hebrew/6049a.htm - 5k

Those who Give Themselves up to Soothsayers or to those who are ...
... The Sixth Ecumenical Council. Canon LXI. Those who give themselves up to
soothsayers or to those who are called hecatontarchs or? ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon lxi those who give.htm

Of the Fortunes of the World at the Last Time, and of the Things ...
... The Divine Institutes. Book VII. Of a Happy Life. Chap. XVIII."Of the Fortunes of
the World at the Last Time, and of the Things Foretold by the Soothsayers. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xviii of the fortunes of.htm

That Constantine Prepared Himself for the War by Prayer: Licinius ...
... On the other hand, he gathered round himself Egyptian diviners and soothsayers,
with sorcerers and enchanters, and the priests and prophets of those whom he ...
/.../the life of constantine/chapter iv that constantine prepared himself.htm

1 Cor. xii. 1, 2
... And this was not the only thing to disturb them, but there were also in the place
many soothsayers, inasmuch as the city was more than usually addicted to ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xxix 1 cor xii.htm

Belshazzar's Feast
... smote one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters,
the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spake and ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/vii belshazzars feast.htm

Diocletian, as Being of a Timorous Disposition, was a Searcher ...
... rites interrupted. The soothsayers trembled, unable to investigate the wonted
marks on the entrails of the victims. They frequently ...
/.../of the manner in which the persecutors died/chap x diocletian as being.htm

The Unseen Watcher
... help. His wild cry rang out in the assembly, calling upon the astrologers,
the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers to read the writing. ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 43 the unseen watcher.htm

Of the Wonders Effected by the Power of the Cross, and of Demons.
... And when the soothsayers understood this, at the instigation of the same demons
to whom they had sacrificed, [861] complaining that profane men were present at ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xxvii of the wonders effected.htm

Letter ccxvii. To Amphilochius, the Canons.
... LXXII. He who has entrusted himself [2841] to soothsayers, or any such persons,
shall be under discipline for the same time as the homicide. LXXIII. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter ccxvii to amphilochius the.htm

The Birth of Cyrus.
... son and heir. He called together his soothsayers, related his dream to them,
and asked for their interpretation. They decided that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter ii the birth of.htm

Soothsayers (16 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia SOOTHSAYERS. sooth'-sa-erz. See ASTROLOGY, 1;
DIVINATION. Multi-Version Concordance Soothsayers (16 Occurrences). ...
/s/soothsayers.htm - 12k

Necromancers (8 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 19:31 Turn not unto necromancers and unto soothsayers; seek not after
them to make yourselves unclean: I am Jehovah your God. (DBY). ...
/n/necromancers.htm - 9k

Diviners (14 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 27:9 But as for you, don't you listen to your prophets, nor to your diviners,
nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, who ...
/d/diviners.htm - 11k

Enchanters (9 Occurrences)
... 2:27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded
can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show to ...
/e/enchanters.htm - 9k

Conjurers (7 Occurrences)
... 2:27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded
can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show to ...
/c/conjurers.htm - 8k

Astrologers (9 Occurrences)
... in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot
the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto ...
/a/astrologers.htm - 9k

Magicians (16 Occurrences)
... 2:27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded
can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show to ...
/m/magicians.htm - 12k

Meonenim (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Judges 9:37; AV, "the plain of Meonenim;" RV, "the oak
of Meonenim") means properly "soothsayers" or "sorcerers," "wizards ...
/m/meonenim.htm - 8k

Explain (30 Occurrences)
... 2:27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded
can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show to ...
/e/explain.htm - 15k

Chalde'ans (74 Occurrences)
... Daniel 4:7 Then coming up are the scribes, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the
soothsayers, and the dream I have told before them, and its interpretation ...
/c/chalde'ans.htm - 29k

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