7081. qesem

Lexicon

qesem: Divination, witchcraft, soothsaying

Original Word: קֶסֶם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: qecem
Pronunciation: keh'-sem
Phonetic Spelling: (keh'-sem)
Definition: Divination, witchcraft, soothsaying
Meaning: a lot, divination, oracle

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

divination, divine sentence, witchcraft

From qacam; a lot: also divination (including its fee), oracle -- (reward of) divination, divine sentence, witchcraft.

see HEBREW qacam

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
divination
NASB Translation
divination (10), divine decision (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

קֶ֫סֶם noun [masculine] divination; — absolute ׳ק Numbers 23:25+, קָ֑סֶם Ezekiel 21:26; construct קֶסֶם Ezekiel 13:6; plural קְסְמִים Deuteronomy 18:10 +; —

1 of the nations : Balaam, Numbers 23:23 (poem in J E; "" נַחַשׁ; with ב against; as accusative of congnate meaning with verb ׳לִקְאָםקֿ Ezekiel 21:26; ׳ק as instrument of divination בִּימִינוֺ Ezekiel 21:27; so of elders of Moab and Midian, קְסָמִים בְּיָדָם, Numbers 22:7(E). — Isaiah 2:6 see [קָסַם].

2 of false prophets כָּזָב ׳ק Ezekiel 13:6 (but see [קָסַם]); ׳ק as accusative of congnate meaning with verb Ezekiel 13:23 (Co Berthol Krae כָּזָב as Ezekiel 13:9; Ezekiel 21:34; Ezekiel 22:38); צֱלִיל ׳ק (so Gf for ᵑ0 וֶאֱלִו֯ל Jeremiah 14:4 (all "" חזה שׁוא or שׁקר) קֹסֵם קְסָמִים); prohibited Deuteronomy 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17; reprobated 1 Samuel 15:23 (poem; "" תרפים).

3 in good sense עַל שִׂפְתֵי ׳ק מֶלֶךְ Proverbs 16:10 (king's lips as oracle).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root verb קָסַם (qasam), which means "to practice divination" or "to divine."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G2973: λῆρος (lēros) • While not a direct equivalent, this Greek term refers to "nonsense" or "idle talk," which can be conceptually related to the idea of false or deceptive practices like those associated with קֶסֶם. However, a more direct Greek equivalent for divination practices would be μαντεία (manteia), though it does not have a direct Strong's number listed here.

Usage: The word קֶסֶם is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe practices of divination and seeking oracles, often in contexts that are condemned or viewed negatively. It appears in various passages where divination is mentioned as a practice contrary to the worship and guidance of the God of Israel.

Context: • קֶסֶם (qesem) is frequently mentioned in the context of prohibitions against divination and similar practices. In Deuteronomy 18:10, it is listed among the forbidden practices for the Israelites: "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft." This highlights the biblical stance against seeking guidance through means other than God.
• In Ezekiel 21:21, the term is used to describe the divination practices of the king of Babylon: "For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen; he will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver." Here, קֶסֶם is part of a broader description of pagan divination methods.
• The use of קֶסֶם is often associated with false prophets and those who lead people astray, as seen in Jeremiah 14:14: "The prophets are prophesying lies in My name," declares the LORD. "I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, worthless divinations, and the delusions of their own minds."
• The practice of קֶסֶם is consistently portrayed as contrary to the reliance on God's word and guidance, emphasizing the biblical theme of faithfulness to God's revelation rather than seeking knowledge through forbidden means.

Forms and Transliterations

הַקֶּ֣סֶם הקסם וְקֶ֖סֶם וְקֶ֣סֶם וְקֶ֤סֶם וּקְסָמִ֖ים וקסם וקסמים קְסָמִ֖ים קֶ֖סֶם קֶ֙סֶם֙ קֶ֤סֶם ׀ קָ֑סֶם קֹסֵ֣ם קסם קסמים hakKesem haq·qe·sem haqqesem Kasem kesaMim Kesem koSem qā·sem qāsem qə·sā·mîm qe·sem qəsāmîm qesem qō·sêm qōsêm ū·qə·sā·mîm ukesaMim ūqəsāmîm veKesem wə·qe·sem wəqesem

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 22:7
HEB: וְזִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּקְסָמִ֖ים בְּיָדָ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙
NAS: departed with the [fees for] divination in their hand;
KJV: departed with the rewards of divination in their hand;
INT: and the elders of Midian divination their hand came

Numbers 23:23
HEB: בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹא־ קֶ֖סֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כָּעֵ֗ת
NAS: Nor is there any divination against Israel;
KJV: against Jacob, neither [is there] any divination against Israel:
INT: Jacob Nor divination Israel time

Deuteronomy 18:10
HEB: וּבִתּ֖וֹ בָּאֵ֑שׁ קֹסֵ֣ם קְסָמִ֔ים מְעוֹנֵ֥ן
NAS: one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft,
KJV: [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times,
INT: his daughter the fire divination uses practices

1 Samuel 15:23
HEB: כִּ֤י חַטַּאת־ קֶ֙סֶם֙ מֶ֔רִי וְאָ֥וֶן
NAS: is as the sin of divination, And insubordination
KJV: [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness
INT: for is as the sin of divination rebellion iniquity

2 Kings 17:17
HEB: בָּאֵ֔שׁ וַיִּקְסְמ֥וּ קְסָמִ֖ים וַיְנַחֵ֑שׁוּ וַיִּֽתְמַכְּר֗וּ
NAS: and practiced divination and enchantments,
KJV: and used divination and enchantments,
INT: the fire and practiced divination and enchantments and sold

Proverbs 16:10
HEB: קֶ֤סֶם ׀ עַֽל־ שִׂפְתֵי־
NAS: A divine decision is in the lips
KJV: A divine sentence [is] in the lips
INT: A divine is in the lips

Jeremiah 14:14
HEB: חֲז֨וֹן שֶׁ֜קֶר וְקֶ֤סֶם [וֶאֱלוּל כ]
NAS: vision, divination, futility
KJV: vision and divination, and a thing of nought,
INT: vision A false divination idol deceit

Ezekiel 13:6
HEB: חָ֤זוּ שָׁוְא֙ וְקֶ֣סֶם כָּזָ֔ב הָאֹֽמְרִים֙
NAS: and lying divination who are saying,
KJV: and lying divination, saying,
INT: see falsehood divination and lying are saying

Ezekiel 13:23
HEB: לֹ֣א תֶחֱזֶ֔ינָה וְקֶ֖סֶם לֹא־ תִקְסַ֣מְנָה
NAS: or practice divination, and I will deliver
KJV: nor divine divinations: for I will deliver
INT: will no shall see divination will no practice

Ezekiel 21:21
HEB: הַדְּרָכִ֖ים לִקְסָם־ קָ֑סֶם קִלְקַ֤ל בַּֽחִצִּים֙
NAS: to use divination; he shakes
KJV: to use divination: he made [his] arrows
INT: ways to use divination shakes the arrows

Ezekiel 21:22
HEB: בִּֽימִינ֞וֹ הָיָ֣ה ׀ הַקֶּ֣סֶם יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם לָשׂ֤וּם
NAS: came the divination, 'Jerusalem,'
KJV: At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem,
INT: his right came the divination Jerusalem to set

11 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7081
11 Occurrences

haq·qe·sem — 1 Occ.
qā·sem — 1 Occ.
qə·sā·mîm — 1 Occ.
qe·sem — 3 Occ.
qō·sêm — 1 Occ.
ū·qə·sā·mîm — 1 Occ.
wə·qe·sem — 3 Occ.