Dale Pollard
The Bible is surprisingly full of strange references to divination, sorcery, and attempts to communicate with the supernatural.
One of the strangest appears in Acts 19. When Paul preached in Ephesus, people who had practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them publicly. Luke says the value of the books came to 50,000 silver pieces (Acts 19.19).
These weren’t ordinary books. Ephesus was famous throughout the ancient world for magical formulas and amulets known as the “Ephesian letters.” Ancient writers describe these as combinations of mysterious words and symbols believed to provide supernatural protection or have other magical effects.
Then there is an even stranger passage in Hosea 4.12:
“My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff speaks to them.”
The Hebrew word translated “staff” refers to a rod or piece of wood used for divination. Old Christian commentators, Cyril of Alexandria and Theophylact, described a practice in which two sticks were erected and a charm was spoken; the direction in which they fell was interpreted as an answer. Later commentators called this rhabdomancy—divination by rods.
It wasn’t the only form of forbidden supernatural practice, though. Deuteronomy 18.10–12 lists divination, interpreting omens, sorcery, spellcasting, consulting mediums, and communicating with the dead. 1 Samuel 28 then gives one of the Bible’s most infamous examples. Saul visits the medium of Endor and asks her to summon the deceased prophet Samuel.
The Bible even portrays magical practitioners appearing to accomplish supernatural signs. Pharaoh’s magicians imitate some of Moses’ miracles in Exodus 7–8, while Simon the Magician amazes people in Acts 8, and Elymas the sorcerer opposes Paul in Acts 13.
The biblical writers knew the ancient world was filled with people who claimed to manipulate, discover, or communicate with hidden powers—and they repeatedly warned Israel and the early Christians not to seek any power that wasn’t from God.
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