What does כֶּשֶׁף (keshef) mean in the Bible?
כֶּשֶׁף (keshef): Sorcery as forbidden craft involving hidden knowledge; consistently condemned as covenant violation in Israel's law.
Hebrew · H3785
כֶּשֶׁף
Magic
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
כֶּשֶׁף H3785
Pronunciation keshef
What does כֶּשֶׁף (keshef) mean in the Bible?
כֶּשֶׁף (keshef): Sorcery as forbidden craft involving hidden knowledge; consistently condemned as covenant violation in Israel's law.
Full entry for כֶּשֶׁף (H3785) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3785?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include sorceries (2), and witchcraft (1), by her witchcraft (1), of sorcery (1), the sorceries (1).
Where does כֶּשֶׁף (keshef) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 2 Kings 9:22. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (2), Nahum (2), 2 Kings (1), Micah (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It sorceries 2× Isaiah 47:9, Isaiah 47:12
and witchcraft 1× 2 Kings 9:22
by her witchcraft 1× Nahum 3:4
of sorcery 1× Nahum 3:4
the sorceries 1× Micah 5:12
Show sample aligned rows
2 Kings 9:22 וּכְשָׁפֶ֖יהָ to and witchcraft Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Isaiah 47:9 כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְ to sorceries Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular Isaiah 47:12 כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְ to sorceries Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular Micah 5:12 כְשָׁפִ֖ים to the sorceries Noun - masculine plural Nahum 3:4 כְּשָׁפִ֑ים to of sorcery Noun - masculine plural Nahum 3:4 בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ׃ to by her witchcraft Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 2 Kings 9:22
Aligned rows 6
Books represented 4
2 Kings 1 Isaiah 2 Micah 1 Nahum 2
Source forms
כְּשָׁפַ֔יִךְ 2x kə·šā·p̄a·yiḵ Isaiah 47:9, Isaiah 47:12
בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ׃ 1x biḵ·šā·p̄e·hā Nahum 3:4
וּכְשָׁפֶ֖יהָ 1x ū·ḵə·šā·p̄e·hā 2 Kings 9:22
כְשָׁפִ֖ים 1x ḵə·šā·p̄îm Micah 5:12
כְּשָׁפִ֑ים 1x kə·šā·p̄îm Nahum 3:4
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine plural 2x Micah 5:12, Nahum 3:4
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular 2x Isaiah 47:9, Isaiah 47:12
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular 1x 2 Kings 9:22
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular 1x Nahum 3:4
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Sorcery as forbidden craft involving hidden knowledge; consistently condemned as covenant violation in Israel's law.
Source Gloss
magic
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Sorcery as forbidden craft involving hidden knowledge; consistently condemned as covenant violation in Israel's law.
magic BDB: sorcery Usage: sorcery, witchcraft.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Magic or occult practice.
Magic or occult practice.
Magical practices seeking control apart from God.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 6 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כֶּשֶׁף is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
It underscores the incompatibility of occult reliance with covenant loyalty. Isaiah 47:12-15
Highlights forbidden reliance instead of trusting the Lord. Isaiah 47:8-11
Represents reliance on forbidden power instead of God. Micah 5:10-15
Canonical Themes
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain