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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קָסַם H7080
Pronunciation qāsam
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 It and diviners 4× Deuteronomy 18:14, 1 Samuel 6:2, Jeremiah 29:8, Zechariah 10:2
divinations 3× Ezekiel 13:9, Ezekiel 21:29, Ezekiel 22:28
. . . 1× Deuteronomy 18:10
and practiced 1× 2 Kings 17:17
and the diviners 1× Micah 3:7
Consult 1× 1 Samuel 28:8
diviners 1× Isaiah 44:25
omen 1× Ezekiel 21:23
or practice 1× Ezekiel 13:23
practice divination 1× Micah 3:11
the diviner 1× Joshua 13:22
the soothsayer 1× Isaiah 3:2
to seek 1× Ezekiel 21:21
without divination 1× Micah 3:6
your diviners 1× Jeremiah 27:9
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 18:10 קֹסֵ֣ם to . . . Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Deuteronomy 18:14 קֹסְמִ֖ים to and diviners Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Joshua 13:22 הַקּוֹסֵ֑ם to the diviner Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1 Samuel 6:2 וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙ to and diviners Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 1 Samuel 28:8 קָסוֹמִי to Consult Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular 2 Kings 17:17 וַיִּקְסְמ֥וּ to and practiced Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Isaiah 3:2 וְקֹסֵ֥ם to the soothsayer Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Isaiah 44:25 וְקֹסְמִ֖ים to diviners Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Jeremiah 27:9 קֹֽסְמֵיכֶ֗ם to your diviners Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Jeremiah 29:8 וְקֹֽסְמֵיכֶ֑ם to and diviners Conjunctive 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 row Deuteronomy 18:10
Aligned rows 20
Books represented 9
Deuteronomy 2 Joshua 1 1 Samuel 2 2 Kings 1 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 2 Ezekiel 6 Micah 3 Zechariah 1
Source forms
בִּקְסָם־ 1x biq·sām- Ezekiel 21:29
הַקּוֹסֵ֑ם 1x haq·qō·w·sêm Joshua 13:22
הַקֹּ֣סְמִ֔ים 1x haq·qō·sə·mîm Micah 3:7
וְהַקּֽוֹסְמִים֙ 1x wə·haq·qō·ws·mîm Zechariah 10:2
וְהַקֹּסְמִ֣ים 1x wə·haq·qō·sə·mîm Ezekiel 13:9
וַיִּקְסְמ֥וּ 1x way·yiq·sə·mū 2 Kings 17:17
וְלַקֹּֽסְמִים֙ 1x wə·laq·qō·sə·mîm 1 Samuel 6:2
וְקֹסֵ֥ם 1x wə·qō·sêm Isaiah 3:2
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 2x Isaiah 44:25, Ezekiel 22:28
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 2x Ezekiel 13:9, Zechariah 10:2
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 1x Micah 3:7
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1x Joshua 13:22
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x 2 Kings 17:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural 1x Jeremiah 29:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1x Isaiah 3:2
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 1x 1 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 definition Source: 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 groups 1 Aligned forms 7
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 5×
Sequential imperfect 1Sam 28:8 2×
Imperfect Ezek 13:23 · Mic 3:11 2×
Participle active Deut 18:14 1×
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.
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