H3785 H3785
Sorcery, witchcraft; illicit magical arts, often paired with sexual immorality as metaphors for spiritual corruption.
The noun form of kisheph, always appearing in the plural keshaphim ('sorceries'), designating the practice of illicit magic. What makes this word distinctive is its frequent pairing with zenunim ('harlotries') -- Jezebel's sorceries and harlotries provoke Jehu's revolt (2 Kgs 9:22), and Nineveh is personified as a harlot and 'mistress of sorceries' (Nah 3:4). This pairing suggests sorcery was understood not merely as a technique but as a seductive, corrupting power. Spanish hechicerias, Arabic sihr, and Korean 주술/마법 all consistently identify these as forbidden magical arts. Micah 5:12 promises God will 'cut off your sorceries from your hand,' treating them almost as physical implements.
Senses
1. sorcery, witchcraft (occult practice) — The practice of sorcery or witchcraft, always in the plural keshaphim. Used both literally of magical arts God will destroy -- 'I will cut off sorceries from your hand' (Mic 5:12) and 'in spite of the multitude of your sorceries' (Isa 47:9, 12, addressed to Babylon) -- and figuratively of seductive, corrupting influence. The figurative usage is particularly vivid: Jezebel's sorceries alongside her harlotries (2 Kgs 9:22), and Nineveh as 'mistress of sorceries' (Nah 3:4), where keshaphim parallels zenunim to portray spiritual seduction. Spanish hechicerias and the Arabic cognate sihr both capture the sense of forbidden enchantment. 6×
AR["السِّحْرَ", "السِّحْرِ", "بِسِحْرِهَا", "سِحْرِكِ", "وَسِحْرُها"]·ben["-তোমার-যাদুবিদ্যার", "এবং-তার-মন্ত্রতন্ত্র", "জাদুবিদ্যা", "তার-মন্ত্রতন্ত্রে", "মন্ত্রতন্ত্রের"]·DE["[בכשפיה]", "[כשפיך]", "[כשפים]", "und-ihr-sorceries"]·EN["and-her-sorceries", "by-her-sorceries", "sorceries", "your-sorceries"]·FR["[כשפיך]", "et-sa-sorceries", "sorcellerie"]·heb["ב-כשפיה", "ו-כשפיה", "כשפיך", "כשפים"]·HI["अपने-टोनों-के", "अपने-टोनों-से", "उखशापेहा", "जादू", "टोनों-की", "तेरे-टोनों"]·ID["dan-ilmu-sihirnya", "dengan-ilmu-sihirnya.", "ilmu-sihir,", "sihir", "sihir-sihirmu"]·IT["[בכשפיה]", "[כשפיך]", "[כשפים]", "e-lei-sorceries"]·jav["ilmu-sihir", "lan-tenung-ipun", "ngangge-sihiripun", "sihir", "tenung-panjenengan"]·KO["그리고-그녀의-술수가", "너의-마법에", "너의-마법의", "요술들-의", "으로-그녀의-요술들", "주술들-을"]·PT["com-os-seus-feitiços", "de-feitiçarias", "e-feitiçarias-dela", "feitiçarias", "tuas-feitiçarias"]·RU["и-колдовства-её", "колдовства-твоего", "чародейств", "чародейства", "чародействами-своими"]·ES["en-hechicerías-de-ella", "hechicerías", "tus-hechicerías", "y-hechicerías-de-ella"]·SW["-uchawi", "kwa-uchawi-wake", "na-uchawi-wake", "uchawi", "uchawi-wako"]·TR["buyucilerin", "buyuculerin", "büyüleri", "büyülerin", "büyüleriyle-onun", "ve-büyüleri-onun"]·urd["اور-اُس-کے-جادو", "اپنے-جادو-سے", "اپنے-جادووں-کے", "تیرے-جادووں-کے", "جادو", "جادوگری"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [כֶּ֫שֶׁף] n.m. 2 K 9:22 sorcery, only pl. (Assyrian kišpu, id.);—כְּשָׁפִים Mi 5:11 Na 3:4; sf. כְּשָׁפַיִךְ Is 47:9, 12; כְּשָׁפֶיהָ Na 3:4 2 K 9:22;—sorceries: 1. lit. וְהִכְרַתִּי כ׳ מִיָּדֶיךָ Mi 5:11, said of Isr.; רֹב כ׳ Is 47:9, 12 (‖ חֲבָרַיִךְ), said of Babylon. 2. fig. of seductive and corrupting influences: of Jezebel 2 K 9:22 (‖ זְנוּנִים); of Nineveh personif. as harlot Na 3:4 (‖ id.), called בַּעֲלַת כ׳ v 4 (following מֵרֹב זְנוּנֵי זוֹנָה).