What does קָסַם (qāsam) mean in the Bible?
קָסַם (qāsam): Divination through determined distribution—casting lots or reading signs to access hidden knowledge, forbidden in Israel's covenantal law.
Hebrew · H7080
קָסַם
Properly, to distribute , i.e. determine by lot or magical scroll ; by implication, to divine
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קָסַםH7080
Pronunciationqāsam
What does קָסַם (qāsam) mean in the Bible?
קָסַם (qāsam): Divination through determined distribution—casting lots or reading signs to access hidden knowledge, forbidden in Israel's covenantal law.
Full entry for קָסַם (H7080) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7080?
The BSB source-word alignment has 20 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and diviners (4), divinations (3), . . . (1), and practiced (1), and the diviners (1).
Where does קָסַם (qāsam) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 18:10. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (6), Micah (3), 1 Samuel (2), Deuteronomy (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itand diviners4×Deuteronomy 18:14, 1 Samuel 6:2, Jeremiah 29:8, Zechariah 10:2
divinations3×Ezekiel 13:9, Ezekiel 21:29, Ezekiel 22:28
. . .1×Deuteronomy 18:10
and practiced1×2 Kings 17:17
and the diviners1×Micah 3:7
Consult1×1 Samuel 28:8
diviners1×Isaiah 44:25
omen1×Ezekiel 21:23
or practice1×Ezekiel 13:23
practice divination1×Micah 3:11
the diviner1×Joshua 13:22
the soothsayer1×Isaiah 3:2
to seek1×Ezekiel 21:21
without divination1×Micah 3:6
your diviners1×Jeremiah 27:9
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 18:10קֹסֵ֣םto. . .Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularDeuteronomy 18:14קֹסְמִ֖יםtoand divinersVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralJoshua 13:22הַקּוֹסֵ֑םtothe divinerArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular1 Samuel 6:2וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙toand divinersConjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural1 Samuel 28:8קָסוֹמִיtoConsultVerb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular2 Kings 17:17וַיִּקְסְמ֥וּtoand practicedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralIsaiah 3:2וְקֹסֵ֥םtothe soothsayerConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularIsaiah 44:25וְקֹסְמִ֖יםtodivinersConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralJeremiah 27:9קֹֽסְמֵיכֶ֗םtoyour divinersVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralJeremiah 29:8וְקֹֽסְמֵיכֶ֑םtoand divinersConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowDeuteronomy 18:10
Aligned rows20
Books represented9
Deuteronomy2Joshua11 Samuel22 Kings1Isaiah2Jeremiah2Ezekiel6Micah3Zechariah1
Source forms
בִּקְסָם־1xbiq·sām-Ezekiel 21:29
הַקּוֹסֵ֑ם1xhaq·qō·w·sêmJoshua 13:22
הַקֹּ֣סְמִ֔ים1xhaq·qō·sə·mîmMicah 3:7
וְהַקּֽוֹסְמִים֙1xwə·haq·qō·ws·mîmZechariah 10:2
וְהַקֹּסְמִ֣ים1xwə·haq·qō·sə·mîmEzekiel 13:9
וַיִּקְסְמ֥וּ1xway·yiq·sə·mū2 Kings 17:17
וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙1xwə·laq·qō·sə·mîm1 Samuel 6:2
וְקֹסֵ֥ם1xwə·qō·sêmIsaiah 3:2
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural2xIsaiah 44:25, Ezekiel 22:28
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural2xEzekiel 13:9, Zechariah 10:2
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural1xMicah 3:7
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular1xJoshua 13:22
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1x2 Kings 17:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural1xJeremiah 29:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular1xIsaiah 3:2
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural1x1 Samuel 6:2
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Divination through determined distribution—casting lots or reading signs to access hidden knowledge, forbidden in Israel's covenantal law.
Source Gloss
properly, to distribute , i.e. determine by lot or magical scroll ; by implication, to divine
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Divination through determined distribution—casting lots or reading signs to access hidden knowledge, forbidden in Israel's covenantal law.
properly, to distribute, i.e. determine by lot or magical scroll; by implication, to divine BDB: practise divination Usage: divine(-r, -ation), prudent, soothsayer, use (divination).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups1Aligned forms7
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense5×
Sequential imperfect1Sam 28:82×
ImperfectEzek 13:23 · Mic 3:112×
Participle activeDeut 18:141×
Word Origins
קָסַם is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.