Topical Encyclopedia In the ancient Near Eastern context, the liver was often associated with divination and superstitious practices. This organ was believed to hold significant power in discerning the will of the gods and predicting future events. Such practices are mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the context of pagan rituals and divination, which were expressly forbidden by God for the Israelites.The most notable biblical reference to the use of the liver in divination is found in the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 21:21 , the prophet describes the Babylonian king using various forms of divination to decide his military strategy: "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." This passage highlights the practice of hepatoscopy, a form of divination that involved examining the liver of a sacrificed animal to predict the future or make decisions. The use of the liver in such superstitious rites was part of a broader set of divinatory practices that were common among Israel's neighbors, including the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Hittites. These practices were rooted in the belief that the gods communicated their will through the entrails of sacrificial animals, with the liver being considered the seat of life and a primary organ for interpreting divine messages. In contrast, the Israelites were commanded to avoid such practices. The Law of Moses explicitly prohibited divination and seeking omens, as seen in Deuteronomy 18:10-12 : "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 prohibition against divination, including the examination of the liver, was rooted in the call for the Israelites to trust solely in the LORD for guidance and wisdom. The use of superstitious rites was seen as a form of idolatry, diverting trust and reverence away from God and towards false practices and deities. Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets consistently warned against adopting the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness to God's commandments. The use of the liver in superstitious rites serves as a reminder of the broader biblical theme of reliance on God rather than on human or demonic means of seeking knowledge and power. Nave's Topical Index Ezekiel 21:21For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver. Nave's Topical Index Library The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire part ii Mr. Bunyan's Last Sermon: Resources What were the various sacrifices in the Old Testament? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the book of Tobit? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible say about eating junk food? | GotQuestions.org Liver: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
    |