Lexical Summary ob: Medium, necromancer, spiritist, ghost, familiar spirit Original Word: אוֹב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bottle, familiar spirit From the same as 'ab (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. A water skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar) -- bottle, familiar spirit. see HEBREW 'ab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a bottle (made from animal skin), a necromancer NASB Translation medium (2), medium* (3), mediums (9), spirit (1), wineskins (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אוֺב noun masculineJob 32:19 skin-bottle, necromancer, etc. — absolute ׳א Leviticus 20:27 8t.; plural אֹבוֺת Leviticus 19:31 7t. — 1 skin-bottle, only plural אֹבוֺת חֲדָשִׁים new (wine-) skins Job 32:19. 2 necromancer, in phrase אוֺב אוֺ יִדְּעֹנִי necromancer or wizard Leviticus 20:27 (H; usually translated 'a man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard' RV; but better a man or a woman, if there should be among them, a necromancer or wizard; no sufficient reason for exceptional use of phrase here); וְיִדְּעֹנִי ׳א Deuteronomy 18:11; 2Chronicles 33:6 = 2 Kings 21:6 (where וידענים ׳א); הָאֹבוֺת וְהַיִּדְּעֹנִים Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6 (H) 1 Samuel 28:3,9; 2 Kings 23:24; Isaiah 8:19 (where repres. as chirping & muttering, in practice of their art of seeking dead for instruction, probably ventriloquism, & so ᵐ5) Isaiah 19:3. 3 ghost, Isaiah 29:4 וְהָיָה כְּאוֺב מֵאֶרֶץ קוֺלֵח וּמֵעָפָר אִמְרָתֵח תְּצַפְצֵף and thy voice shall be as a ghost from the ground and from the dust thy speech shall chirp (so Ge MV Ew De Che and others, but chirping might be of necromancer, as Isaiah 8:19). 4 necromancy אֵשֶׁת בַּעֲלַתאֿוֺב a woman who was mistress of necromancy 1 Samuel 28:7 (twice in verse); (> RSJPh xiv, 127 f makes אוֺב primarily a subterranean spirit, and significant. 2 only an abbreviation of ׳בעלתא etc.); קסם בּאוֺב divine by necromancy 1 Samuel 28:8, which seems to be interpretation of 1 Chronicles 10:13 ׳שׁאל בא inquire by necromancy. (In these three examples אוֺב is usually interpreted as ghost or familiar spirit conceived as dwelling in necromancer; but this apparently not the ancient conception.) Topical Lexicon Meaning and Concept Strong’s Hebrew 178 (ʾôḇ) denotes the practice or practitioner of summoning the dead or consulting a “familiar spirit.” The root carries the image of a hollow object—like a skin-bottle—suggesting the echoing, muttering sound of spiritistic incantations and the emptiness of the source being consulted (Isaiah 8:19). Old Testament Prohibition The Torah treats ʾôḇ as a direct affront to covenant loyalty, ranking it with idolatry and sexual perversion. Deuteronomy 18:11 places ʾôḇ alongside child sacrifice and witchcraft—practices common in Canaan—which Israel must drive out lest she forfeit the land (Deuteronomy 18:12). Historical Instances 1 Samuel 28 provides the classic narrative. Saul, having expelled mediums (1 Samuel 28:3), tragically seeks one at Endor when “the LORD did not answer him” (1 Samuel 28:6). His consultation precipitates divine judgment (1 Chronicles 10:13). Kingship thereafter is evaluated by its stance toward ʾôḇ: Yet post-exilic prophets still confront the temptation (Isaiah 8:19; 19:3; 29:4), proving that the lure of hidden knowledge endures even among a chastened remnant. Prophetic Condemnation and Theological Implications The prophets expose ʾôḇ as the counterfeit of true revelation. Isaiah contrasts the murmuring of mediums with “the law and testimony” (Isaiah 8:20). Seeking an ʾôḇ replaces humble dependence on the living God with manipulation of unseen powers, effectively enthroning darkness. Scripture portrays such powers as demonic (compare Deuteronomy 32:17; 1 Corinthians 10:20), so the practice is not merely superstition but spiritual treason. Metaphorical Usage Job 32:19 employs ʾôḇ in its literal sense of a leather wineskin: “my belly is like unvented wine.” The metaphor underscores the word’s base meaning—an empty container—highlighting how a medium becomes a vessel for voices other than God’s. Lessons for Contemporary Ministry 1. Sufficiency of Scripture: Isaiah 8:19–20 directs the faithful to the prophetic word instead of illicit counsel. Modern equivalents—occultism, séances, channeling—remain incompatible with reliance on the completed canon. Christological Perspective Jesus Christ alone mediates between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). His resurrection assures believers of direct access to the Father, rendering necromancy both unnecessary and sinful. By triumphing over “the rulers and authorities” (Colossians 2:15), He exposes ʾôḇ as defeated deception. Eschatological Warning and Hope Revelation lists “sorcerers” among those outside the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:15), while promising that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). The final victory of divine revelation over occult counterfeit completes the trajectory begun in Leviticus. Key References Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27 2 Kings 21:6; 23:24 Isaiah 8:19; 19:3; 29:4 The biblical witness, consistent from Moses to Isaiah to the Apostles, calls God’s people to reject ʾôḇ in all its forms and to cling to the living Word who speaks life, guidance and truth. Forms and Transliterations א֔וֹב א֖וֹב א֛וֹב אוֹב֙ אוב בָּא֔וֹב בָּא֖וֹב באוב הָֽאֹבֹת֙ הָאֹב֖וֹת הָאֹב֣וֹת הָאֹב֥וֹת הָאֹבֹת֙ הָאֹבוֹת֙ האבות האבת כְּא֤וֹב כְּאֹב֥וֹת כאבות כאוב ’ō·wḇ ’ōwḇ bā’ōwḇ bā·’ō·wḇ baov hā’ōḇōṯ hā’ōḇōwṯ hā·’ō·ḇō·wṯ hā·’ō·ḇōṯ haOt haoVot kə’ōḇōwṯ kə’ōwḇ kə·’ō·ḇō·wṯ kə·’ō·wḇ keov keoVot ovLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 19:31 HEB: תִּפְנ֤וּ אֶל־ הָאֹבֹת֙ וְאֶל־ הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים NAS: Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; KJV: Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek INT: turn to mediums to spiritists Leviticus 20:6 Leviticus 20:27 Deuteronomy 18:11 1 Samuel 28:3 1 Samuel 28:7 1 Samuel 28:7 1 Samuel 28:8 1 Samuel 28:9 2 Kings 21:6 2 Kings 23:24 1 Chronicles 10:13 2 Chronicles 33:6 Job 32:19 Isaiah 8:19 Isaiah 19:3 Isaiah 29:4 17 Occurrences |
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