The biblical text records numerous encounters with occult practices, ranging from professional court magicians in Egypt to secretive mediums in rural Israel. Within the scriptural framework, these activities—often grouped under terms like witchcraft, sorcery, and divination—are consistently depicted as attempts to access supernatural power or hidden knowledge through means outside the authority of God. Because the Bible views these practices as a form of spiritual rebellion, their inclusion in the narrative usually serves to highlight a conflict between divine power and human or demonic manipulation.

Historical analysis of these accounts requires an understanding of the specific cultural contexts of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world. The following sections examine the primary examples of witchcraft and sorcery documented across the Old and New Testaments.

The Court Magicians of Egypt (Exodus 7–8)

One of the earliest and most elaborate accounts of occult practice in the Bible occurs in the royal court of Pharaoh during the time of the Exodus. When Moses and Aaron were sent to demand the release of the Israelites, they performed miraculous signs to demonstrate the authority of Yahweh. In response, Pharaoh summoned his own experts, described in the text as "wise men," "sorcerers," and "magicians of Egypt."

These practitioners utilized what the Bible calls "secret arts" or "enchantments" (the Hebrew word latim suggests secret or muffled incantations). In the initial stages of the confrontation, these magicians were able to replicate some of the divine signs:

  • Staffs to Serpents: When Aaron cast down his staff and it became a snake, the Egyptian magicians did the same with their secret arts.
  • Water to Blood: They were able to mimic the first plague, turning water into blood on a localized scale.
  • The Plague of Frogs: They successfully brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

However, the narrative establishes a clear hierarchy of power. Aaron’s staff swallowed the staffs of the magicians, indicating the superiority of his source of power. By the third plague (lice or gnats), the magicians found themselves unable to replicate the miracle. Their failure led them to admit to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:19). This account serves as a foundational text for the biblical view that while occult practitioners may possess genuine supernatural abilities, those abilities are limited and ultimately subject to divine sovereignty.

The Medium of Endor (1 Samuel 28)

Perhaps the most controversial and frequently cited example of occult activity is King Saul’s visit to the "Witch of Endor," more accurately described as a medium or a woman who possesses a "familiar spirit." The context of this event is one of extreme desperation. Saul, the first king of Israel, had been rejected by God due to his repeated disobedience. Facing a massive Philistine army and receiving no guidance from God through dreams, prophets, or the Urim and Thummim, he turned to a forbidden source.

Despite having previously expelled all mediums and spiritists from the land in accordance with Mosaic law, Saul disguised himself and sought out a woman at Endor who was known for her ability to communicate with the dead (necromancy). He requested that she summon the spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel.

The narrative details a startling interaction:

  • The Appearance of Samuel: Unlike many accounts of ancient magic where the medium might use trickery, the text suggests that the appearance of Samuel was real and unexpected even to the medium herself, as she cried out in fear.
  • The Message from the Grave: Samuel’s spirit did not offer comfort but instead rebuked Saul for his rebellion and confirmed his impending death and the defeat of Israel.

The story of the Medium of Endor is unique because it depicts a successful, albeit prohibited, instance of necromancy. It underscores the biblical theme that seeking knowledge through the occult, even if the knowledge obtained is accurate, is a fatal spiritual error that bypasses the established relationship between the Creator and the individual.

Jezebel’s Sorceries (2 Kings 9:22)

In the history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Queen Jezebel stands as the most prominent patron of foreign occult practices. A Phoenician princess, she introduced the widespread worship of Baal and Asherah, which included rituals that the biblical writers classified as "witchcrafts" or "sorceries" (keshapim).

When Jehu was anointed to bring judgment upon the house of Ahab, he encountered Jezebel’s son, King Joram. Joram asked if there was peace, to which Jehu famously replied, "How can there be peace, as long as the whorings and the sorceries of your mother Jezebel are so many?" (2 Kings 9:22).

In this context, witchcraft is inextricably linked to idolatry and political corruption. It was not merely the act of casting individual spells but a systematic national movement to replace the worship of Yahweh with Phoenician occultism. The term "sorceries" here reflects a culture of manipulative spiritual practices used to maintain power and control the population.

King Manasseh’s Occult Reforms (2 Chronicles 33)

While Jezebel was a foreign queen, King Manasseh of Judah represents the most significant internal adoption of witchcraft by a Davidic king. The biblical record in 2 Chronicles 33 and 2 Kings 21 describes his reign as a period of unprecedented spiritual darkness.

Manasseh is explicitly accused of:

  • Practicing Soothsaying and Divination: Attempting to predict the future through omens.
  • Using Sorcery: Engaging in the "secret arts" characteristic of the surrounding pagan nations.
  • Consulting Mediums and Spiritists: Establishing professional necromancers as part of his royal court.

The biblical critique emphasizes that Manasseh "did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger." His actions are cited as the primary reason for the eventual Babylonian exile of the Southern Kingdom. This example highlights that in the biblical worldview, the leader’s involvement in witchcraft has catastrophic consequences for the entire community.

Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8)

Moving into the New Testament, the focus shifts to how the early church interacted with the established occultists of the Greco-Roman world. In the city of Samaria, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery (mageuōn) for a long time, amazing the people and claiming to be "someone great." The inhabitants of the city even referred to him as "the power of God that is called Great."

When the evangelist Philip arrived and performed genuine miracles and healings, the people turned from Simon to the Gospel. Remarkably, Simon himself believed and was baptized. However, his understanding of spiritual power remained rooted in his background as a sorcerer.

When the apostles Peter and John arrived and conferred the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, Simon offered them money, saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:19). Peter’s rebuke was severe, identifying Simon’s request as an attempt to treat God’s grace as a commodity of magic—a practice later termed "simony." This account differentiates between the gift of God and the "mechanics" of sorcery, which seeks to control or purchase supernatural influence.

Elymas the Sorcerer at Paphos (Acts 13)

During the apostle Paul’s first missionary journey, he encountered a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, also known as Elymas, in the court of Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul of Cyprus. Elymas acted as a professional advisor to the governor and recognized the Gospel as a threat to his influence.

As Elymas attempted to turn the proconsul away from the faith, Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, confronted him directly: "You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?" (Acts 13:10).

Paul then pronounced a temporary judgment of blindness upon Elymas. This event serves as a "power encounter," a common theme in the New Testament where the authority of the Holy Spirit openly clashes with and overcomes the influence of sorcery, leading to the conversion of observers.

The Slave Girl at Philippi (Acts 16)

In the city of Philippi, Paul and Silas were followed for several days by a slave girl who had a "spirit of divination." The Greek text uses the phrase pneuma pythōna, or "a spirit of Python," a reference to the Pythian serpent associated with the Oracle of Delphi. This girl brought her owners great profit through fortune-telling.

The girl cried out after the apostles, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." While her statement was technically true, Paul was troubled by the source of the testimony. He eventually turned and commanded the spirit in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.

The immediate result was two-fold:

  1. Loss of Occult Ability: The spirit left her instantly, and she could no longer practice divination.
  2. Economic Conflict: Because her owners lost their source of income, they incited a riot against Paul and Silas.

This example is significant because it characterizes certain forms of witchcraft not as mere human trickery, but as the result of actual demonic indwelling that requires exorcism rather than just education.

The Renunciation of Magic at Ephesus (Acts 19)

Ephesus was a major center for the occult in the ancient world, famous for the "Ephesian Letters" (Ephesia Grammata)—scrolls containing magic formulas and incantations used for protection, healing, and binding spells.

As the Gospel spread through the ministry of Paul, many who had previously practiced "curious arts" (magic and sorcery) were moved to repent. In a dramatic public display, they brought their magic books together and burned them in the sight of all.

The text notes the scale of this renunciation: "And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver" (Acts 19:19). Given the high cost of books in the first century, this represents a massive economic sacrifice. It signifies a total break from the occult identity in favor of the new Christian identity, demonstrating that the biblical response to witchcraft is complete disposal and repentance.

Terminological Distinctions in Biblical Witchcraft

To understand these examples, it is necessary to examine the specific Hebrew and Greek terms used by the biblical authors, as "witchcraft" is often a broad English translation for more specific activities.

Old Testament Hebrew Terms

  • Kashaph (Sorcerer/Witch): Used in Exodus 22:18 and Deuteronomy 18:10. It refers to those who use herbs, spells, and incantations to produce supernatural effects. The root may be related to "cutting," perhaps referring to the preparation of magical ingredients.
  • Ob (Medium/Familiar Spirit): Refers specifically to necromancy—the practice of inquiring of the dead. It is the term used for the woman at Endor.
  • Qesem (Divination): The attempt to gain hidden knowledge of the future through omens, lot-casting, or examining internal organs of animals.
  • Yiddeoni (Wizard/Spiritist): Derived from the root "to know," implying one who possesses a specific, unauthorized secret knowledge.

New Testament Greek Terms

  • Mageia (Magic/Sorcery): The root of the word "magician." In the NT, it is used for Simon Magus and Elymas, often carrying a connotation of professional wonder-working.
  • Pharmakeia (Sorcery/Witchcraft): Used in Galatians 5:20 and Revelation. While it is the root for the modern word "pharmacy," in the ancient world, it referred to the use of drugs or potions for magical purposes, such as inducing trances or poisoning.
  • Baskania (Bewitchment): Used figuratively by Paul in Galatians 3:1 ("Who has bewitched you?"), referring to the "evil eye" or a deceptive influence that clouds the judgment.

Biblical Prohibitions and Their Rationale

The Bible does not treat witchcraft as harmless superstition; rather, it categorizes it as a grave offense. The primary legal prohibitions are found in the Pentateuch:

  1. Exodus 22:18: "You shall not permit a female sorcerer (witch) to live." This was a capital offense in the theocratic law of ancient Israel.
  2. Leviticus 20:27: "A man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death; they shall be stoned with stones."
  3. Deuteronomy 18:10–12: This is the most comprehensive list, forbidding anyone who "makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead."

The Theological Reason for Rejection

The underlying reason for these prohibitions is the concept of Exclusivity. The biblical God demands an exclusive relationship based on trust and revelation. Witchcraft represents an attempt to bypass this relationship by:

  • Seeking Knowledge without God: Trying to know the future through divination rather than trusting in God's providence.
  • Seeking Power without God: Attempting to manipulate reality through spells rather than through prayer and submission to God's will.
  • Spiritual Adultery: Engaging with other spiritual entities (demons or "other gods"), which the Bible views as a violation of the covenant, similar to marital infidelity.

This is summarized in 1 Samuel 15:23, where the prophet Samuel tells King Saul, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." Here, witchcraft is used as the ultimate metaphor for self-will and rebellion against divine authority.

Summary

The examples of witchcraft in the Bible illustrate a consistent conflict between two types of spiritual power. From the court of Pharaoh to the streets of Ephesus, the narrative portrays occult practices as real and influential but ultimately inferior to the power of God. Whether it is the necromancy of the Medium of Endor or the commercialized sorcery of Simon Magus, these activities are presented as dangerous paths that lead individuals and nations away from the covenant relationship with the Creator. For the biblical authors, the rejection of witchcraft was not merely a matter of avoiding "magic," but a fundamental commitment to the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of His revelation.

FAQ

Is the Witch of Endor the only witch mentioned in the Bible?

While she is the most famous individual associated with the term, the Bible mentions many practitioners of witchcraft, such as the magicians of Egypt, the sorcerer Elymas, and groups like the sorcerers in Babylon (Daniel 2) and the practitioners in Ephesus. The term "witch" in older translations like the KJV was often a general term for any practitioner of sorcery.

Does the Bible acknowledge that witchcraft is real?

The biblical narratives generally treat the effects of witchcraft as real rather than mere illusions. For example, the Egyptian magicians did turn staffs into snakes, and the spirit of divination in the slave girl at Philippi did allow her to predict the future. However, the Bible stresses that these powers are limited, deceptive, and demonic in origin.

What is the difference between a sorcerer and a magician in the Bible?

In many biblical contexts, these terms are used interchangeably. However, "magician" (especially in Egypt and Babylon) often refers to a learned, priestly class who studied sacred texts and astrology. "Sorcerer" often emphasizes the use of incantations, spells, or potions (pharmakeia).

Why was witchcraft punished by death in the Old Testament?

In the context of the ancient Israelite theocracy, witchcraft was considered high treason against the Divine King. Because the nation was built on a direct covenant with God, introducing foreign spiritual practices was seen as a way to destroy the nation's spiritual and social fabric.

What does the New Testament say about witchcraft?

The New Testament continues to condemn witchcraft, listing "sorcery" (pharmakeia) as one of the "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:20, alongside things like idolatry and outbursts of anger. The book of Revelation also indicates that those who practice sorcery and do not repent are excluded from the New Jerusalem.