What does קֶסֶם (qesem) mean in the Bible?
קֶסֶם (qesem): Divination practice that yields an oracle or decision; often condemned as pagan occultism in Israel's religious law
Hebrew · H7081
קֶסֶם
A lot ; also divination (including its fee), oracle
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קֶסֶם H7081
Pronunciation qesem
What does קֶסֶם (qesem) mean in the Bible?
קֶסֶם (qesem): Divination practice that yields an oracle or decision; often condemned as pagan occultism in Israel's religious law
Full entry for קֶסֶם (H7081) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7081?
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include divination (3), A divine verdict (1), a worthless divination (1), an omen (1), divinations (1).
Where does קֶסֶם (qesem) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 22:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (4), Numbers (2), 1 Samuel (1), 2 Kings (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 divination 3× Numbers 23:23, 2 Kings 17:17, Ezekiel 13:23
A divine verdict 1× Proverbs 16:10
a worthless divination 1× Jeremiah 14:14
an omen 1× Ezekiel 21:21
divinations 1× Ezekiel 13:6
of divination 1× 1 Samuel 15:23
practices divination 1× Deuteronomy 18:10
the portent 1× Ezekiel 21:22
with the fees for divination 1× Numbers 22:7
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 22:7 וּקְסָמִ֖ים to with the fees for divination Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural Numbers 23:23 קֶ֖סֶם to divination Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 18:10 קְסָמִ֔ים to practices divination Noun - masculine plural 1 Samuel 15:23 קֶ֙סֶם֙ to of divination Noun - masculine singular 2 Kings 17:17 קְסָמִ֖ים to divination Noun - masculine plural Proverbs 16:10 קֶ֤סֶם׀ to A divine verdict Noun - masculine singular Jeremiah 14:14 וְקֶ֤סֶם to a worthless divination Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Ezekiel 13:6 וְקֶ֣סֶם to divinations Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Ezekiel 13:23 וְקֶ֖סֶם to divination Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Ezekiel 21:21 קָ֑סֶם to an omen Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Numbers 22:7
Aligned rows 11
Books represented 7
Numbers 2 Deuteronomy 1 1 Samuel 1 2 Kings 1 Proverbs 1 Jeremiah 1 Ezekiel 4
Source forms
הַקֶּ֣סֶם 1x haq·qe·sem Ezekiel 21:22
וְקֶ֤סֶם 1x wə·qe·sem Jeremiah 14:14
וְקֶ֣סֶם 1x wə·qe·sem Ezekiel 13:6
וְקֶ֖סֶם 1x wə·qe·sem Ezekiel 13:23
וּקְסָמִ֖ים 1x ū·qə·sā·mîm Numbers 22:7
קֶ֖סֶם 1x qe·sem Numbers 23:23
קֶ֙סֶם֙ 1x qe·sem 1 Samuel 15:23
קָ֑סֶם 1x qā·sem Ezekiel 21:21
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 4x Numbers 23:23, 1 Samuel 15:23, Proverbs 16:10, Ezekiel 21:21
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular 2x Jeremiah 14:14, Ezekiel 13:23
Noun - masculine plural 2x Deuteronomy 18:10, 2 Kings 17:17
Article | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Ezekiel 21:22
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural 1x Numbers 22:7
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Ezekiel 13:6
Evidence Summary
Revelation
Hebrew word. Divination practice that yields an oracle or decision; often condemned as pagan occultism in Israel's religious law
Strong's H7081
Lexical occurrences 11 verses Word forms 1 form 6 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 2:6-9 Source Gloss
a lot ; also divination (including its fee), oracle
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Divination practice that yields an oracle or decision; often condemned as pagan occultism in Israel's religious law
a lot; also divination (including its fee), oracle BDB: divination Usage: (reward of) divination, divine sentence, witchcraft.
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 6
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 1×
Participle active Deut 18:10 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Forbidden practices seeking supernatural guidance apart from the LORD.
Showing 1 selected witness from 11 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
קֶסֶם is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Judah’s embrace of divination reveals a rejection of God’s sufficient revelation and a desire for control through illicit means. Isaiah 2:6-9
Canonical Themes
Revelation
Cross-Language Connections
Greek words that correspond to or develop the meaning of this Hebrew word in the New Testament.
G2973 LXX equivalent Greek
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