קֶ֫סֶם (qe.sem)
qe.sem
divination
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun qe.sem refers to divination, specifically the practice of seeking hidden knowledge through omens or signs. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears in seven verses, primarily within Numbers, Proverbs, and Jeremiah. The term generally carries a negative connotation, describing the occult practices of surrounding nations or the deceptive predictions of false prophets who lead people away from God.
However, the word also has a distinct positive usage that highlights a sharp contrast with pagan methods. In Numbers 22:6, Balaam is asked to perform qe.sem against Israel, an act prohibited for Israel but permitted for foreign practitioners. More notably, Proverbs 16:10 describes a divine spirit or oracle on the lips of a king, suggesting that legitimate royal decrees could be viewed as divinely guided utterances rather than mere human opinion.
This dual usage distinguishes qe.sem from other Hebrew terms for prophecy. While it often denotes illicit fortune-telling, its application to the king’s speech in Proverbs implies that true authority comes from God alone. Translators typically render it as "divination" or "oracle," depending on whether the context condemns pagan magic or affirms God-ordained leadership.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qesem points to the human desire to know what lies ahead. Often in Scripture, it describes attempts to uncover secrets through omens or signs, a practice the Bible consistently warns against. This is not because God hides His plans from us out of cruelty, but because seeking guidance outside of Him fractures our trust in His care. When we look for answers in stars, rituals, or hidden codes, we risk replacing relationship with manipulation.
Yet there is a profound contrast found in Proverbs 16:10. There, the lips of a king are described as carrying qesem, but this is not magic. It signifies that true authority and wise judgment come directly from God’s spirit. This distinction reminds us that while we should never seek hidden knowledge through occult means, we can confidently look to God for wisdom. He invites us to seek His guidance through prayer and Scripture rather than through secretive practices.
This understanding frees us from the anxiety of trying to control the future. Instead of relying on uncertain signs, we rest in the character of a God who speaks clearly to those who listen. Our hope is not in predicting events, but in trusting the One who holds time itself.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- divination3×
- divinations2×
- and/ divinations1×
- and/ divination1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קֶ֤סֶם\׀1×
- קֶ֙סֶם֙1×
- קֶ֖סֶם1×
- קְסָמִ֖ים1×
- קְסָמִ֔ים1×
- וּ/קְסָמִ֖ים1×
- וְ/קֶ֤סֶם1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 23:23
Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God done!’
This verse establishes that divination has no power over Israel because God alone determines their destiny.
-
Deuteronomy 18:10
There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
Here the term is listed among forbidden practices to show that seeking hidden knowledge through such means is incompatible with covenant loyalty.
-
Proverbs 16:10
Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
This unique usage applies the word to a king’s divine wisdom, contrasting God-given authority with pagan fortune-telling.
-
Jeremiah 14:14
Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I didn’t send them. I didn’t command them. I didn’t speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.
The prophet uses this term to expose false visions as empty deceptions originating from human hearts rather than God.