כֶּשֶׁף
𐤊𐤔𐤐
kesheph
H3785 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The practice of sorcery, magic, or the use of supernatural means to achieve desired effects; an act or acts of attempted control over events or individuals through rituals, incantations, or presumed supernatural power. The term is used for illicit attempts at divination or the manipulation of reality in opposition to accepted ritual and Yahwistic worship in ancient Israelite society.
Semantic Range
sorcery, magic, witchcraft, spellworking, magical arts, illicit supernatural practices
Root / Etymology
כֶּשֶׁף is derived from the root כשף, which is associated with practices of sorcery or the use of incantations. The precise root meaning is contentious and possibly of non-Semitic origin, as there are no certain cognates in other Semitic languages. The word is clearly a denominative noun based on this root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
כֶּשֶׁף appears primarily in legal and prophetic contexts, being condemned as a forbidden practice among the Israelites (e.g., Exod 7:11, Deut 18:10, 2 Kgs 9:22). In legal materials (Torah), כֶּשֶׁף is grouped with other forms of prohibited divination or magical arts. It is most often depicted as a foreign or non-Yahwistic practice, sometimes associated with practices of neighboring ancient Near Eastern cultures (e.g., Egypt and Babylonia). By the post-exilic period, the term continues to denote magic or sorcery as an illicit practice, typically in polemical texts or condemnations. In translation tradition, this word is sometimes rendered as 'witchcraft' or 'sorcery'; however, these English terms often import later cultural connotations not present in the biblical usage. The Hebrew term does not denote a specific religious identity (such as the later term 'witch') but rather the act or practice of magical arts considered outside or in opposition to Yahwistic norms. Related words: כּוֹסֵם (qosem, diviner) highlights distinct practices often differentiated in biblical texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from כָּשַׁף; magic; sorcery, witchcraft.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כשף (k-š-p) — sorcery, incantation, magical practice
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3785-02 |
כְּשָׁפַ֔יִ/ךְ | keshafayikhe | HNcmpc/Sp2fs |
of your sorceries | your sorceries | 2 |
H3785-04 |
כְשָׁפִ֖ים | kheshafim | HNcmpa |
sorceries | sorcery practices | 1 |
H3785-03 |
כְּשָׁפִ֑ים | keshafim | HNcmpa |
of sorceries | sorceries | 1 |
H3785-05 |
וּ/כְשָׁפֶ֖י/הָ | ukheshafeyha | HC/Ncmpc/Sp3fs |
and her witchcrafts | and her sorceries | 1 |
H3785-01 |
בִּ/כְשָׁפֶֽי/הָ | bikheshafeyha | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3fs |
through her sorceries | her sorceries | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3785-05 |
2 Kings 9:22 | וּ/כְשָׁפֶ֖י/הָ | ukheshafeyha | HC/Ncmpc/Sp3fs |
and her witchcrafts | and her sorceries |
H3785-02 |
Isaiah 47:9 | כְּשָׁפַ֔יִ/ךְ | keshafayikhe | HNcmpc/Sp2fs |
of your sorceries | your sorceries |
H3785-02 |
Isaiah 47:12 | כְּשָׁפַ֔יִ/ךְ | keshafayikhe | HNcmpc/Sp2fs |
your sorceries | your sorceries |
H3785-04 |
Micah 5:11 | כְשָׁפִ֖ים | kheshafim | HNcmpa |
sorceries | sorcery practices |
H3785-03 |
Nahum 3:4 | כְּשָׁפִ֑ים | keshafim | HNcmpa |
of sorceries | sorceries |
H3785-01 |
Nahum 3:4 | בִּ/כְשָׁפֶֽי/הָ | bikheshafeyha | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3fs |
through her sorceries | her sorceries |