The term "divined" in the context of the Bible refers to the practice of seeking knowledge or insight through supernatural means, often associated with pagan rituals and forbidden practices. The act of divination is generally condemned in the Scriptures, as it is seen as an attempt to gain knowledge or power apart from God.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, divination is explicitly prohibited. The Israelites were commanded to avoid such practices, which were common among the surrounding nations. In Deuteronomy 18:10-12 , it is written: "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD."

The account of Joseph in Genesis provides an example of the cultural context of divination. In Genesis 44:5 , Joseph's steward refers to a silver cup used for divination: "Is this not the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done!" While Joseph himself did not practice divination, the reference indicates its prevalence in Egyptian society.

Prophets and Divination

The prophets of Israel often spoke against divination, contrasting it with true prophecy, which comes from God. In Ezekiel 13:6-7 , false prophets are condemned: "They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message. Have you not seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken?"

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the practice of divination is also addressed. In Acts 16:16-18 , a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination is encountered by Paul and Silas: "One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.' She continued this for many days. Eventually, Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, 'In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!' And it left her at that very moment."

This passage illustrates the power of Christ over demonic forces and the rejection of divination as a legitimate source of truth.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, divination is seen as a form of idolatry, as it seeks guidance and knowledge from sources other than God. The Bible consistently emphasizes reliance on God for wisdom and understanding. James 1:5 encourages believers: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

The practice of divination is thus viewed as contrary to the faith and trust that believers are to place in God alone. It represents a turning away from divine revelation and an attempt to control or predict the future through illicit means.(imp. & p. p.) of Divine.5172. nachash -- to practice divination, observe signs
... root Definition to practice divination, observe signs NASB Word Usage divination
(1), divined (1), enchantments (1), indeed practice divination (1), indeed ...
/hebrew/5172.htm - 6k

Constantinople
... To the bewilderment of Chrysostom, whose unworldly simplicity had not even yet divined
the secret, a vast multitude lined the opposite shore, and received them ...
/.../chapter xvii constantinople.htm

The Right to Regulate My Private Affairs as I Wish
... her grandmother. "I suppose that's the Shanghai style," was all that she
said, but Grandmother Bay divined her meaning. "Just what ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/williamson/have we no rights/chapter 4 the right to.htm

And Further, Analogy, Whereby the Agreement of Both Testaments is ...
... But this they cannot say concerning the Holy Spirit, unless haply they assert that
those persons divined, and set in their books what should be brought forward ...
/.../augustine/on the profit of believing /section 7 and further analogy.htm

Of St. Paul, and the Person whom He Urges the Corinthians to ...
... Of course the question in hand concerned some moderate indulgence; which (moderation
in the indulgence) was now, if ever, to be divined, when it is usual for ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on modesty/chapter xiii of st paul and.htm

Intrigue Triumphant
... Philip and Kallias alone divined the secret. Kallias knew that ere now spurious
sermons, attributed to Chrysostom, had been handed about. ...
/.../chapter xlix intrigue triumphant.htm

The Martyrdom
... Philip soon divined their ruthless purpose when, following close upon their tracks,
he observed, on the first day of their journey, that the escort resented ...
/.../chapter lxviii the martyrdom.htm

The Passing and the Permanent
... So that the old guess of the infancy of physical science which divined that 'all
things are in a state of flux' is confirmed by its last utterances. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the passing and the permanent.htm

The Action of Jesus Christ in the Souls of Men.
... so that the history of this divine activity consisting of the life of Jesus in the
souls of the just to the end of time, can only be divined by faith. ...
/.../de caussade/abandonment to divine providence/section v the action of jesus.htm

Of the Immortality of the Soul.
... he said, "some God may see." [1353] And again he says in another place: "Since each
of these opinions had most learned defenders, it cannot be divined what is ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap viii of the immortality of.htm

Of True virtue; and of the Estimation of a Good or Bad Citizen.
... fortune,"who, I pray, will be so mad as to doubt which of the two he would prefer
to be?" Assuredly he put forth this example as though he divined what evils ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xii of true virtue and.htm

Divined (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Divine. Multi-Version Concordance
Divined (6 Occurrences). Genesis 30:27 Laban said to him ...
/d/divined.htm - 8k

Spiritists (8 Occurrences)
... his own city. And Saul had put away those that divined by a ghost or a familiar
spirit out of the land. (See NAS NIV). 1 Samuel 28 ...
/s/spiritists.htm - 9k

Provoking (29 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 21:6 And he made his son to pass through the fire, and practised soothsaying,
and used enchantments, and appointed them that divined by a ghost or a ...
/p/provoking.htm - 16k

Divinely (11 Occurrences)

/d/divinely.htm - 10k

Divine (39 Occurrences)

/d/divine.htm - 19k

Observed (84 Occurrences)
... Genesis 30:27 And Laban said unto him, If now I have found favor in thine eyes,
tarry : for I have divined that Jehovah hath blessed me for thy sake. ...
/o/observed.htm - 30k

Josi'ah (50 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 23:24 Moreover them that divined by a ghost or a familiar spirit, and the
teraphim, and the idols, and all the detestable things that were spied in the ...
/j/josi'ah.htm - 21k

Experience (28 Occurrences)
... In Genesis 30:27 the King James Version, Laban says, to Jacob, "I have learned by
experience (the Revised Version (British and American) "divined") that Yahweh ...
/e/experience.htm - 17k

Pleases (51 Occurrences)
... Genesis 30:27 Laban said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here,
for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake." (See NAS). ...
/p/pleases.htm - 21k

Stargazers (1 Occurrence)
... The Chaldean astrologers "divined by the rising and setting, the motions,
aspects, colour, degree of light, etc., of the stars.". Int. ...
/s/stargazers.htm - 7k

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