Acts 8:9-11

8:9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic ¹  and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 8:10 All the people, ²  from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” ³  8:11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic.

Acts 13:6

13:6 When they had crossed over ⁴  the whole island as far as Paphos, ⁵  they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ⁶ 

Acts 13:8

13:8 But the magician Elymas ⁷  (for that is the way his name is translated) ⁸  opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul ⁹  away from the faith.

Exodus 7:11

7:11 Then Pharaoh also summoned wise men and sorcerers, ¹⁰  and the magicians ¹¹  of Egypt by their secret arts ¹²  did the same thing.

Exodus 7:22

7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same ¹³  by their secret arts, and so ¹⁴  Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, ¹⁵  and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron ¹⁶  – just as the Lord had predicted.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12

18:10 There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, ¹⁷  anyone who practices divination, ¹⁸  an omen reader, ¹⁹  a soothsayer, ²⁰  a sorcerer, ²¹  18:11 one who casts spells, ²²  one who conjures up spirits, ²³  a practitioner of the occult, ²⁴  or a necromancer. ²⁵  18:12 Whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord and because of these detestable things ²⁶  the Lord your God is about to drive them out ²⁷  from before you.

Deuteronomy 18:1

Provision for Priests and Levites

18:1 The Levitical priests ²⁸  – indeed, the entire tribe of Levi – will have no allotment or inheritance with Israel; they may eat the burnt offerings of the Lord and of his inheritance. ²⁹ 

Deuteronomy 28:7-9

28:7 The Lord will cause your enemies who attack ³⁰  you to be struck down before you; they will attack you from one direction ³¹  but flee from you in seven different directions. 28:8 The Lord will decree blessing for you with respect to your barns and in everything you do – yes, he will bless you in the land he ³²  is giving you. 28:9 The Lord will designate you as his holy people just as he promised you, if you keep his commandments ³³  and obey him. ³⁴ 

Deuteronomy 28:1

The Covenant Blessings

28:1 “If you indeed ³⁵  obey the Lord your God and are careful to observe all his commandments I am giving ³⁶  you today, the Lord your God will elevate you above all the nations of the earth.

Deuteronomy 10:13

10:13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and statutes that I am giving ³⁷  you today for your own good?

Deuteronomy 10:2

10:2 I will write on the tablets the same words ³⁸  that were on the first tablets you broke, and you must put them into the ark.”

Deuteronomy 33:6

Blessing on Reuben

33:6 May Reuben live and not die,

and may his people multiply. ³⁹ 

Isaiah 8:19

Darkness Turns to Light as an Ideal King Arrives

8:19 ⁴⁰ They will say to you, “Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. ⁴¹  Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?” ⁴² 

Isaiah 47:12-13

47:12 Persist ⁴³  in trusting ⁴⁴  your amulets

and your many incantations,

which you have faithfully recited ⁴⁵  since your youth!

Maybe you will be successful ⁴⁶  –

maybe you will scare away disaster. ⁴⁷ 

47:13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice. ⁴⁸ 

Let them take their stand –

the ones who see omens in the sky,

who gaze at the stars,

who make monthly predictions –

let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you! ⁴⁹ 

Daniel 2:2

2:2 The king issued an order ⁵⁰  to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men ⁵¹  in order to explain his dreams to him. ⁵²  So they came and awaited the king’s instructions. ⁵³ 

[8:9]  ¹ tn On the idiom προϋπῆρχεν μαγεύων (prouphrcen mageuwn) meaning “had been practicing magic” see BDAG 889 s.v. προϋπάρχω.

[8:10]  ² tn Grk “all of them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:10]  ³ tn Or “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” The translation “what is called the Great Power of God” is given by BDAG 263 s.v. δύναμις 5, but the repetition of the article before καλουμένη μεγάλη (kaloumenh megalh) suggests the translation “the power of God that is called ‘Great.’”

[13:6]  ⁴ tn Or “had passed through,” “had traveled through.”

[13:6]  ⁵ sn Paphos. A city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. It was the seat of the Roman proconsul.

[13:6]  ⁶ sn Named Bar-Jesus. “Jesus” is the Latin form of the name “Joshua.” The Aramaic “bar” means “son of,” so this man was surnamed “son of Joshua.” The scene depicts the conflict between Judaism and the emerging new faith at a cosmic level, much like the Simon Magus incident in Acts 8:9-24. Paul’s ministry looks like Philip’s and Peter’s here.

[13:8]  ⁷ tn On the debate over what the name “Elymas” means, see BDAG 320 s.v. ᾿Ελύμας. The magician’s behavior is more directly opposed to the faith than Simon Magus’ was.

[13:8]  ⁸ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:8]  ⁹ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[7:11]  ¹⁰ sn For information on this Egyptian material, see D. B. Redford, A Study of the Biblical Story of Joseph (VTSup), 203-4.

[7:11]  ¹¹ tn The חַרְטֻּמִּים (kharttummim) seem to have been the keepers of Egypt’s religious and magical texts, the sacred scribes.

[7:11]  ¹² tn The term בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם (bÿlahatehem) means “by their secret arts”; it is from לוּט (lut, “to enwrap”). The Greek renders the word “by their magic”; Tg. Onq. uses “murmurings” and “whispers,” and other Jewish sources “dazzling display” or “demons” (see further B. Jacob, Exodus, 253-54). They may have done this by clever tricks, manipulation of the animals, or demonic power. Many have suggested that Aaron and the magicians were familiar with an old trick in which they could temporarily paralyze a serpent and then revive it. But here Aaron’s snake swallows up their snakes.

[7:22]  ¹³ tn Heb “thus, so.”

[7:22]  ¹⁴ tn The vav consecutive on the preterite introduces the outcome or result of the matter – Pharaoh was hardened.

[7:22]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and the heart of Pharaoh became hard.” This phrase translates the Hebrew word חָזַק (khazaq; see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53). In context this represents the continuation of a prior condition.

[7:22]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “to them”; the referents (Moses and Aaron) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:10]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “who passes his son or his daughter through the fire.” The expression “pass…through the fire” is probably a euphemism for human sacrifice (cf. NAB, NIV, TEV, NLT). See also Deut 12:31.

[18:10]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “a diviner of divination” (קֹסֵם קְסָמִים, qosem qÿsamim). This was a means employed to determine the future or the outcome of events by observation of various omens and signs (cf. Num 22:7; 23:23; Josh 13:22; 1 Sam 6:2; 15:23; 28:8; etc.). See M. Horsnell, NIDOTTE 3:945-51.

[18:10]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “one who causes to appear” (מְעוֹנֵן, mÿ’onen). Such a practitioner was thought to be able to conjure up spirits or apparitions (cf. Lev 19:26; Judg 9:37; 2 Kgs 21:6; Isa 2:6; 57:3; Jer 27:9; Mic 5:11).

[18:10]  ²⁰ tn Heb “a seeker of omens” (מְנַחֵשׁ, mÿnakhesh). This is a subset of divination, one illustrated by the use of a “divining cup” in the story of Joseph (Gen 44:5).

[18:10]  ²¹ tn Heb “a doer of sorcery” (מְכַשֵּׁף, mikhashef). This has to do with magic or the casting of spells in order to manipulate the gods or the powers of nature (cf. Lev 19:26-31; 2 Kgs 17:15b-17; 21:1-7; Isa 57:3, 5; etc.). See M. Horsnell, NIDOTTE 2:735-38.

[18:11]  ²² tn Heb “a binder of binding” (חֹבֵר חָבֶר, khover khaver). The connotation is that of immobilizing (“binding”) someone or something by the use of magical words (cf. Ps 58:6; Isa 47:9, 12).

[18:11]  ²³ tn Heb “asker of a [dead] spirit” (שֹׁאֵל אוֹב, sho’el ’ov). This is a form of necromancy (cf. Lev 19:31; 20:6; 1 Sam 28:8, 9; Isa 8:19; 19:3; 29:4).

[18:11]  ²⁴ tn Heb “a knowing [or “familiar”] [spirit]” (יִדְּעֹנִי, yiddÿ’oniy), i.e., one who is expert in mantic arts (cf. Lev 19:31; 20:6, 27; 1 Sam 28:3, 9; 2 Kgs 21:6; Isa 8:19; 19:3).

[18:11]  ²⁵ tn Heb “a seeker of the dead.” This is much the same as “one who conjures up spirits” (cf. 1 Sam 28:6-7).

[18:12]  ²⁶ tn Heb “these abhorrent things.” The repetition is emphatic. For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, the same term used earlier in the verse has been translated “detestable” here.

[18:12]  ²⁷ tn The translation understands the Hebrew participial form as having an imminent future sense here.

[18:1]  ²⁸ tn The MT places the terms “priests” and “Levites” in apposition, thus creating an epexegetical construction in which the second term qualifies the first, i.e., “Levitical priests.” This is a way of asserting their legitimacy as true priests. The Syriac renders “to the priest and to the Levite,” making a distinction between the two, but one that is out of place here.

[18:1]  ²⁹ sn Of his inheritance. This is a figurative way of speaking of the produce of the land the Lord will give to his people. It is the Lord’s inheritance, but the Levites are allowed to eat it since they themselves have no inheritance among the other tribes of Israel.

[28:7]  ³⁰ tn Heb “who rise up against” (so NIV).

[28:7]  ³¹ tn Heb “way” (also later in this verse and in v. 25).

[28:8]  ³² tn Heb “the Lord your God.” Because English would not typically reintroduce the proper name following a relative pronoun (“he will bless…the Lord your God is giving”), the pronoun (“he”) has been employed here in the translation.

[28:9]  ³³ tn Heb “the commandments of the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in the previous verse.

[28:9]  ³⁴ tn Heb “and walk in his ways” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[28:1]  ³⁵ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “indeed.”

[28:1]  ³⁶ tn Heb “commanding”; NAB “which I enjoin on you today” (likewise in v. 15).

[10:13]  ³⁷ tn Heb “commanding” (so NASB, NRSV). For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation.

[10:2]  ³⁸ sn The same words. The care with which the replacement copy must be made underscores the importance of verbal precision in relaying the Lord’s commandments.

[33:6]  ³⁹ tn Heb “and [not] may his men be few” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV).

[8:19]  ⁴⁰ tn It is uncertain if the prophet or the Lord is speaking in vv. 19-22. If the latter, then vv. 19-22 resume the speech recorded in vv. 12-15, after the prophet’s response in vv. 16-18.

[8:19]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “inquire of the ritual pits and of the magicians who chirp and mutter.” The Hebrew word אוֹב (’ov, “ritual pit”) refers to a pit used by a magician to conjure up underworld spirits. In 1 Sam 28:7 the witch of Endor is called a אוֹב-בַּעֲלַת (ba’alat-’ov, “owner of a ritual pit”). See H. Hoffner, “Second Millennium Antecedents to the Hebrew ’OñBù,” JBL 86 (1967): 385-401.

[8:19]  ⁴² tn Heb “Should a nation not inquire of its gods on behalf of the living, (by inquiring) of the dead?” These words appear to be a continuation of the quotation begun in the first part of the verse. אֱלֹהָיו (’elohayv) may be translated “its gods” or “its God.” Some take the second half of the verse as the prophet’s (or the Lord’s) rebuke of the people who advise seeking oracles at the ritual pits, but in this case the words “the dead on behalf of the living” are difficult to explain.

[47:12]  ⁴³ tn Heb “stand” (so KJV, ASV); NASB, NRSV “Stand fast.”

[47:12]  ⁴⁴ tn The word “trusting” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See v. 9.

[47:12]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “in that which you have toiled.”

[47:12]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “maybe you will be able to profit.”

[47:12]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “maybe you will cause to tremble.” The object “disaster” is supplied in the translation for clarification. See the note at v. 9.

[47:13]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “you are tired because of the abundance of your advice.”

[47:13]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “let them stand and rescue you – the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make known by months – from those things which are coming upon you.”

[2:2]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “said.” So also in v. 12.

[2:2]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “Chaldeans.” The term Chaldeans (Hebrew כַּשְׂדִּים, kasdim) is used in the book of Daniel both in an ethnic sense and, as here, to refer to a caste of Babylonian wise men and astrologers.

[2:2]  ⁵² tn Heb “to explain to the king his dreams.”

[2:2]  ⁵³ tn Heb “stood before the king.”