Astrologers
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Topical Encyclopedia
Astrologers, in the context of the Bible, are individuals who study the stars and celestial bodies to predict future events and gain insight into human affairs. This practice, often associated with divination, is mentioned in several passages throughout the Scriptures, typically in a negative light.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, astrologers are often grouped with magicians, enchanters, and sorcerers, all of whom are condemned for their practices. The most notable mention of astrologers is found in the Book of Daniel. When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a troubling dream, he summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to interpret it. However, they were unable to do so, highlighting their limitations and the superiority of divine wisdom given to Daniel. Daniel 2:27-28 states, "Daniel answered the king, 'No wise man, enchanter, magician, or diviner can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires. But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days.'"

The practice of astrology is further condemned in the prophetic books. Isaiah 47:13-14 speaks against the reliance on astrologers: "You are wearied by your many counselors; let them stand up and save you—those who divide the heavens and gaze at the stars, who predict the new moons and proclaim what will happen to you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, astrology is not directly addressed, but the practice of seeking guidance from celestial bodies is implicitly discouraged. The focus is on seeking wisdom and guidance from God rather than created things. The Magi, often referred to as "wise men from the east," are sometimes thought to have been astrologers, as they followed a star to find the newborn Jesus (Matthew 2:1-2). However, their journey is seen as a divine appointment rather than an endorsement of astrology.

Biblical Perspective

The Bible consistently warns against the practice of astrology and other forms of divination. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 clearly states, "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."

The biblical narrative emphasizes reliance on God for guidance and wisdom. The stars and celestial bodies are part of God's creation, meant to declare His glory (Psalm 19:1), not to be used as tools for divination. The Scriptures encourage believers to seek God's will through prayer, Scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rather than through astrology or other forbidden practices.
Topical Bible Verses
Deuteronomy 4:19
And lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, should be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has divided to all nations under the whole heaven.
Topicalbible.org

Isaiah 47:13-14
You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save you from these things that shall come on you.
Topicalbible.org

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

Daniel 2:27
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show to the king;
Topicalbible.org

Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Topicalbible.org

ATS Bible Dictionary
Astrologers

Men who pretended to foretell future events by means of astronomical observations. It was fancied that the stars and planets had an influence, for good or for evil, on human affairs, and that certain aspects and relative positions of the heavenly bodies were full of meaning to those who had skill to interpret them, Daniel 2:2. These superstitions were prevalent among the Chaldeans, Assyrians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, and Arabians, and were closely connected with the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, De 4:19 17:3 2Ki 23:5,12 Jeremiah 19:13 Ezekiel 8:16 Zephaniah 1:5. They were thus idolatrous in their spirit, robbed God of his glory, and were highly offensive in his sight.

Strong's Hebrew
1895. habar -- probably divide
... 1894, 1895. habar. 1896 . probably divide. Transliteration: habar Phonetic
Spelling: (haw-bar') Short Definition: astrologers. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/1895.htm - 5k

8064. shamayim -- heaven, sky
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition heaven, sky NASB Word Usage astrologers*
(1), compass (1), earth (1), heaven (191), heaven and the highest (2 ...
/hebrew/8064.htm - 6k

Library

Astrologers.
... Book IX. Chapter XII."Astrologers. "Therefore the astrologers, [841] being
ignorant of such mysteries, think that these things ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter xii astrologers.htm

System of the Astrologers; Sidereal Influence;
... Book IV. Chapter I."System of the Astrologers; Sidereal Influence;
Configuration of the Stars. But in each zodiacal sign they ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter i system of the astrologers.htm

Prodigies of the Astrologers; System of the Astronomers; Chaldean ...
... Book IV. Chapter VIII."Prodigies of the Astrologers; System of the Astronomers;
Chaldean Doctrine of Circles; Distances of the Heavenly Bodies. ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter viii prodigies of the astrologers.htm

Superstition of Astrologers.
... Book II. Chapter 21."Superstition of Astrologers. 32. Nor can we exclude
from this kind of superstition those who were called ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 21 superstition of astrologers.htm

The Perat?? Derive their System from the Astrologers; this Proved ...
... Book V. Chapter VIII."The Perat?? Derive Their System from the Astrologers; This
Proved by a Statement of the Astrological Theories of the Zodiac; Hence the ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter viii the peratae derive their.htm

He Refutes the Divinations of the Astrologers, Deduced from the ...
... Book VII. Chapter VI."He Refutes the Divinations of the Astrologers, Deduced
from the Constellations. 8. Now also had I repudiated ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter vi he refutes the divinations.htm

Waste of Mental Energy in the Systems of the Astrologers.
... Book IV. Chapter XII."Waste of Mental Energy in the Systems of the
Astrologers. Who will not feel astonishment at the exertion ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter xii waste of mental energy.htm

Professions of Some Kinds Allied to Idolatry. Of Astrology in ...
... Of astrologers there should be no speaking even; [208] but since one in these days
has challenged us, defending on his own behalf perseverance in that ...
/.../tertullian/on idolatry/chapter ix professions of some kinds.htm

Whether Divination by the Stars is Unlawful?
... iv, 3): "Those astrologers whom they call mathematicians, I consulted without scruple;
because they seemed to use no sacrifice, nor to pray to any spirit for ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether divination by the stars.htm

Letter ccxlvi. To Lampadius
... How much more legitimate and right, therefore, is it for us to reject the absurdities
of astrologers [mathematici], than to submit to the alternative necessity ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter ccxlvi to lampadius.htm

Thesaurus
Astrologers (9 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Astrologers (9 Occurrences). Isaiah 47:13 You
are wearied in the multitude of your counsels: let now the ...
/a/astrologers.htm - 9k

Sooth-sayers (5 Occurrences)
... Daniel 2:27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which
the king hath demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the ...
/s/sooth-sayers.htm - 8k

Stargazers (1 Occurrence)
... The Chaldean astrologers "divined by the rising and setting, the motions,
aspects, colour, degree of light, etc., of the stars.". Int. ...
/s/stargazers.htm - 7k

Astrology
... as-trol'-o-ji: I. THE DESIRE TO FORECAST THE FUTURE 1. Methods of Soothsaying 2.
Divination 3. Looking in the Liver 4. The Astrologers, or Dividers of the ...
/a/astrology.htm - 38k

Divination (25 Occurrences)
... The word occurs only in Daniel (2:27; 4:7 (4); 5:7, 11), and is translated
"soothsayers." Some think they were "astrologers," the etymology in that case ...
/d/divination.htm - 45k

Wise (422 Occurrences)
... is meant. Wise men. Mentioned in Dan. 2:12 included three classes, (1)
astrologers, (2) Chaldeans, and (3) soothsayers. The word ...
/w/wise.htm - 40k

Influence (13 Occurrences)
... tendency of any kind which the sun exerts on animal and vegetable life; the influence
of education on the mind; the influence, according to astrologers, of the ...
/i/influence.htm - 11k

Enquired (12 Occurrences)
... And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them,
he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were ...
/e/enquired.htm - 10k

Magic (12 Occurrences)
... sense of the word. They belonged to a religious caste, the followers of
Zoroaster, the astrologers of the East. Simon, a magician ...
/m/magic.htm - 29k

Magicians (16 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV NIV). Daniel 5:7 The king cried aloud to bring
in the magicians, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. ...
/m/magicians.htm - 12k

Resources
Who was Daniel in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Nebuchadnezzar? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about astrology and the zodiac? Is astrology something a Christian should study? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Astrologers (9 Occurrences)

Isaiah 47:13
You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels: let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save you from the things that shall come on you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS NIV)

Daniel 1:20
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
(KJV WBS)

Daniel 2:2
Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
(KJV WBS NIV)

Daniel 2:5
The king made answer and said to the Chaldaeans, This is my decision: if you do not make clear to me the dream and the sense of it, you will be cut in bits and your houses made waste.
(See NIV)

Daniel 2:27
Daniel answered 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 the king;
(KJV JPS DBY WBS RSV)

Daniel 4:7
Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Daniel 5:7
The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Daniel 5:11
There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
(KJV JPS DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Daniel 5:15
And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
(KJV WBS)

Subtopics

Astrologers

Related Terms

Library

Magi (4 Occurrences)

Wise (422 Occurrences)

Men (18419 Occurrences)

Moon (70 Occurrences)

Divination (25 Occurrences)

Star (16 Occurrences)

Augury (5 Occurrences)

Astrologers (9 Occurrences)

Jupiter (3 Occurrences)

Liver (16 Occurrences)

Week (18 Occurrences)

Familiar (35 Occurrences)

Teraphim (14 Occurrences)

Monthly (11 Occurrences)

Meni (1 Occurrence)

Mercury (1 Occurrence)

Prognosticators (1 Occurrence)

Babylonian (10 Occurrences)

Course (87 Occurrences)

Chaldean (4 Occurrences)

Chiun (1 Occurrence)

Curious (18 Occurrences)

Astrologer (1 Occurrence)

Nineveh (23 Occurrences)

Enchantment (4 Occurrences)

Astronomy

Golden (86 Occurrences)

Calf (39 Occurrences)

Innocents (2 Occurrences)

Massacre (1 Occurrence)

Chaldeans (82 Occurrences)

Moloch (2 Occurrences)

Gad (78 Occurrences)

Chaldea (8 Occurrences)

Assyria (124 Occurrences)

Greece (15 Occurrences)

Images (158 Occurrences)

Subapostolic

Sub-apostolic

Ancient (64 Occurrences)

Necromancy

Lucifer (1 Occurrence)

Wizard (3 Occurrences)

Fortune (7 Occurrences)

Rephan (1 Occurrence)

Destiny (6 Occurrences)

Diviner (3 Occurrences)

Divine (39 Occurrences)

Mazzaloth

Pleiades (3 Occurrences)

Planets (1 Occurrence)

Consult (27 Occurrences)

Soothsayers (16 Occurrences)

Sorcery (10 Occurrences)

Stargazers (1 Occurrence)

Sorcerer (3 Occurrences)

Hyades

Septuagint

Malefactor (2 Occurrences)

Literature (2 Occurrences)

Religion (23 Occurrences)

Astrologer
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